Entertainment

Adele's '25' Might Not Be On Spotify — UPDATE

by Amy Mackelden

November continues to be far too exciting with the release of yet another major album. As if the recent double whammy of Justin Bieber and One Direction dropping their albums on the same day wasn't enough, Adele's 25 will finally be released on Friday, November 20. The only question left to ask is, when will 25 by Adele be on Spotify? According to The New York Times, the answer is never. Bustle reached out to Adele's agent, but did not receive a reply at the time of publication.

Update: On June 23, Adele's 25 was revealed by Entertainment Weekly to be coming to Spotify at midnight on Friday. While we have no idea what changed the singer's mind about making the album available for streaming, you can bet there's a listening party going on in time zones across the world.

Earlier: The New York Times claims, "With less than 24 hours before the album’s release on Friday, the major digital services have been told that 25 will not be made available for streaming, according to three people with direct knowledge of the plans for the release." If these "three people" are correct, Adele will be doing one better than Taylor Swift, who famously refused to stream 1989 on Spotify. This is major news for the music business, and a potentially expensive move for any Adele fans who would ordinarily stream their music. With reports stating that upwards of 3.6 million units of 25 are being shipped in America alone, Adele's new album is expected to be one of the biggest selling records of all time.

There have long been rumors that Adele would pull a Taylor Swift and keep her new album off of Spotify altogether. In alleged early negotiations, Adele was apparently keen to only make 25 available to Spotify's premium subscribers. She also allegedly wanted Apple to stock physical copies of 25 in all of its stores, but they reportedly declined. It seems like a smart way to make bank for the record company and Adele, as demand for 25 is going to be high, and the public will buy the album in whichever format its available.

With both "Hello" and "When We Were Young" becoming instant jams the world over, 25 is sure to sell like crazy. Early predictions are already claiming that the album could sell upwards of 1.4 million copies in its first week, and might even outsell Taylor Swift's 1989. With music heavyweights like Swift deciding to boycott Spotify, and in turn selling copious amounts of records, it's possible that other megastars, like Adele, will follow suit, brokering their own deals.

Whether 25 is available to stream or not, you still need to get your hands on the album and dance around the room with a mournful expression on your face. The Brit queen of melancholy is back and she's ready to destroy us all. Show me one person who isn't crying profusely once they've listened to every song on Adele's 25, and I'll show you a person with an empty space where their heart should be.

Image: XL; AdeleVEVO/YouTube