Greg Kurstin

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Kurstin's collaboration with Adele began in earnest during the creation of her 2015 album, 25. He co-wrote three songs for the project, including its first single, "Hello." In a Rolling Stone interview, Adele described this partnership as a massive breakthrough, stating, "it'd been pretty slow up to this point, and I felt after I worked with Greg [Kurstin] on this, it all poured right out of me." Kurstin played bass, guitar, drums, piano, and keyboards on "Hello," which reached number one in 28 countries. It became the first record to exceed 1 million in digital sales over a 7-day period. By February 2016, the album had sold more than 20 million copies worldwide. Years later, Kurstin reunited with Adele for her 2021 album, 30, co-writing and producing its lead single, "Easy on Me." This track entered the US Hot 100 in its first week of tracking and shattered Spotify records with 24 million streams in a single day.

In Their Own Story

In the studio, Kurstin often plays every instrument himself to realize his vision. For Adele's "Hello," he handled bass, guitar, drums, piano, and keyboards. The song's impact was instantaneous; it reached number one in 28 countries and became the first record to sell over 1 million digital copies in a single week. Kurstin's role extended beyond production; his ability to translate Adele's emotional state into sound was pivotal. When they worked on "Easy on Me" for the album 30, the result was another historic moment. The song entered the US Hot 100 just five hours after release and broke all-time Spotify records with 24 million plays within 24 hours. Kurstin's journey from a jazz pianist studying under Jaki Byard at The New School to a pop powerhouse is defined by this versatility, allowing him to support artists like Adele while maintaining the emotional integrity of their work.

Reader's Guide

Kurstin began his career as a jazz pianist, joining his first band at age 11 and co-writing "Crunchy Water" for classmate Dweezil Zappa by age 12. He studied with Jaki Byard at The New School before graduating from the California Institute of the Arts in 1992. His production style is grounded in this jazz foundation, which he notes helps him choose notes that "strike the right emotional chord." While known for his work with Adele on 25 and 30, Kurstin has an extensive portfolio including nine Grammy wins. He co-wrote and produced Sia's "Chandelier" and Kelly Clarkson's "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)," which earned him his first US number one in 2012. His collaborations span diverse artists like Beck, Pink, Harry Styles, and Kendrick Lamar. On Adele's projects specifically, he serves as both a co-writer and a multi-instrumentalist, often engineering and programming the final tracks to ensure the vocal performance remains the focal point.

Did You Know?

• "Easy on Me" entered the US Hot 100 in its first week of tracking.
• He won Producer of the Year, Non-Classical in both 2017 and 2018.
• "Hello" was the first record to exceed 1 million in digital sales over a 7-day period.