ADELE is set to break the record books after her latest single Hello became the number one downloaded song in 85 countries within hours of being released.
The tune, the 27-year-old's first release in four years, rocketed to the top of the iTunes charts in less than 12 hours after its release on Friday.
According to iTunes the song is the most downloaded across 85 countries including the UK, USA, France, Spain and Brazil.
The music video for Hello was directed by Canadian director Xavier Dolan, and has been watched more than three million times already.
Not only is the single the most popular song in the world right now, her yet-to-be-released album is also sitting at number one in 77 countries based on pre-order sales alone. The latest album, 25, is due for release on November 20.
In a post on Twitter Adele apologised to fans for the delay in her latest offering, having put out her last album, 21, in 2011.
She wrote: "My last record was a break-up record and if I had to label this one I would call it a make-up record. I'm making up with myself. I'm making up for lost time...25 is about knowing who I've become without realising...I'm sorry it took so long,"
Thousands of music fans took to social media to express their delight at her new release, with many commenting on how much she has inspired them.
The single premiered on BBC Radio 1 on Friday morning, on Nick Grimshaw's breakfast show but was also trailed as a 30-second clip during an advert break on X-Factor last Sunday.
Speaking on the radio, Adele described the song as "very intimate" and "very conversational" and said: " I obviously want people to like it."
She said: "I'm singing very high up in that chorus, trying to have a Meatloaf moment or something.
"Because of my last album, because of what it went on to do, it was kind of a write-off to ever expect anything with this album, the new one, like that.
"Getting into the headspace was really difficult - obviously now I'm a parent, and having such a break off, I kind of fell out of the habit of writing songs.
"So no I didn't feel pressure. But also I feel like every album I'm ever going to write is always going to be following 21.
"It's phenomenal what happened with that - but it is a phenomenon. I can't really include it in any expectations of anything I ever do again."
Having won an array of awards since she shot to fame almost ten years ago, the Londoner was honoured with an MBE in the Queen's birthday honours list in 2013 for her services to music.
In 2012 she won six gongs at the Grammys, the same as Beyonce's achievement two years before, and a record only beaten by Michael Jackson's eight awards at the 1984 ceremony.
Growing up in Tottenham, the Rolling in the Deep star first grabbed the attention of record label bosses when a friend posted a demo she had recorded for a school project on Myspace in 2006.
Four months later she had been signed by XL Recordings, and released her first album, 19, in 2008.
It entered the UK charts at number one.
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