Rumour Has It

Lore & Background

The song emerged from a collaboration between Adele and Ryan Tedder, whom Adele wanted to surprise with a 'bluesy-pop stomping' sound rather than their typical styles. She clarified that the lyrics were not about blogs or magazines, but specifically targeted her own friends who spread rumors regarding her split from her boyfriend, calling it 'pretty mortifying.' Musically, critics described it as a 'soul-strutter' with a 'persuasive backbeat,' comparing its instrumentation of piano and guitars to her earlier work on 19. The A.V. Club noted its similarity to the primal stomp of 'Rolling in the Deep,' while Tom Townshend found it to be a 'pacey, hypnotic, funk' interrupted by 'sublime symphonic blues.' Adele explained that she wrote 'Someone Like You' because she was tired of writing angry songs like 'Rolling in the Deep' and 'Rumour Has It,' reversing the cause-and-effect—she didn't write the angry songs because she was tired of being a 'bitch'; rather, the softer song came after she grew weary of the anger.

In Their Own Story

The narrative of Rumour Has It unfolds through two stanzas where Adele confronts her ex-boyfriend about his new, younger love interest. In the first stanza, she reminds him, 'You and I have history, or don't you remember?' highlighting their shared past against his fleeting attachment to a woman who is 'half your age.' She suggests that his straying was driven by this youth gap, stating, 'Though I'm guessing that's why you strayed,' implying he will lose her affection. The chorus reinforces the theme with the repeated phrase 'Rumour has it,' which appears eight times in the first two repetitions and an emphatic fourteen times in the final repetition. This structure underscores the relentless nature of gossip and her refusal to let him rewrite their history, turning personal betrayal into a 'swamp song' so shadowy that David Lynch might be fond of it.

Reader's Guide

Released as the fourth single from 21 in the UK on November 5, 2011, the song achieved significant success despite initial plans to release it earlier in the US being scrapped. Columbia Records opted for 'Set Fire to the Rain' instead, citing stronger programmer preference, though both tracks polled well. Without a formal single push in the US, it still peaked at number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100, fueled largely by a Glee cast mash-up and airplay, and topped the Adult Album Alternative chart. It reached the top 10 in Iceland and Israel and was certified 2x Platinum by the RIAA for over 2 million copies sold. The song appeared in TV shows like Ringer and The Lying Game and became a staple on Adele's second worldwide tour, Adele Live. Critics praised its 'banging drums' and 'cheeky lyrics,' with Rolling Stone ranking it number 29 on their list of the best singles of 2011.

Did You Know?

• The song was officially released as a single in the US, serviced to radio on December 5, 2011, contradicting claims it never was.
• Adele wrote 'Someone Like You' because she was tired of writing angry songs like 'Rolling in the Deep' and 'Rumour Has It,' not the other way around.
• The song reached number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Adult Pop Songs chart, not the Adult Album Alternative chart, as an official US single.
• Adele described the collaboration with Ryan Tedder as an attempt to create something that would 'surprise everyone' when they were put together.