Beiruting News

Billboard magazine probably thought they were giving Adele their highest praise when they gave her the top honour in their 'Greatest album of all time' list released this week. But it must only be adding to the pressure on the singer to replicate that success when she releases her follow-up, 25, on Friday.

21, Adele's second album, beat Michael Jackson's Thriller, Julie Andrews and the The Sound of Music soundtrack and Bruce Springsteen's Born in the USA in the first ever poll that measured success in the US charts since 1963. The Beatles won the top overall act.

21 is estimated to have sold 30 million copies worldwide to date and is this century's biggest selling album.