Despite Mr. Shuester (Matthew Morrison) insisting on playing old-school classics for the show choir competitions, the New Directions simply loved to sing along to pop tunes throughout the McKinley halls. We all know that they performed Gaga, Katy Perry, and Michael Jackson countless times, but have you noticed that Adele was also on the top of the list? From the iconic Troubletones mashup to Rachel’s (Lea Michele) heartbreaking cover in "The Quarterback" episode, Adele’s songs were included in some of the most decisive and emotionally driven moments in the show, and just like the originals, they made us tear up.
Since Adele will release her 4th studio album “30” on November 19, here are all the Glee versions of Adele’s hits ranked based on their importance in a given episode and the character’s delivery.
5. Rolling in the Deep (Season 2, Episode 20)
Rachel Berry's talent is unquestionable when she has the chance to belt out to a song like “Rolling in the Deep”, but when Jesse St. James (Jonathan Groff) came in on the second verse, the vocal power is over the top. Although the characters aren’t on good terms following the egg incident in Season 1, they eventually can’t deny their chemistry as performers which leads Rachel to forgive him shortly after. They even decide to go to prom together alongside Sam and Mercedes, given that Finn went back to dating Quinn in the second half of Season 2. Despite the exceptional vocal display in this cherished sing-along, there isn’t that emotional appeal that fans get to witness in the following Glee covers that are on this list.
4. Chasing Pavements (Season 4, Episode 1)
Season 4 wasn’t as great as the previous Glee seasons, but its first episode made audiences think that the show would continue at its prime. When only a few members of the New Directions stayed for another year at the McKinley high school after several of their classmates graduated, there was a dispute between them to figure out who would own Rachel’s vacant spotlight. Little did they know that Marley (Melissa Benoist) would come into the picture and wow everyone with her angelical voice. Although Marley’s potential was criminally disregarded throughout the rest of the series, it was exhilarating to see her join the group singing “Chasing Pavements”. As she steps into rehearsal, Marley slowly comes out of her shell and feels at home with the team. Viewers also can’t help but feel emotional when the scene also shows Rachel breaking down on a phone call with Kurt and the two best friends reunite in a genuine hug. Maybe if both Marley and Rachel had the chance to sing this song, it could have had an even greater impact. That way, both of them could own the spotlight, as they did in their cover of “New York State of Mind”.
3. Turning Tables (Season 2, Episode 17)
Gwyneth Paltrow will always be one of the most memorable guest stars on Glee. She played Holly Holiday, Mr. Shue’s substitute teacher after he catches the flu in episode 7. Even though Mr. Shue does recuperate and return to his post as the Glee Club teacher, he decides to transfer his history classes to Holiday so that she could stay at McKinley a while longer. The two begin a brief romance together, which ends up going south after this performance at the “Night of Neglect” concert. Once Holly Holiday notices that Ms. Pilsbury (Jayma Mays) still has feelings for Mr. Shue and vice versa, she decides to take a step back and accept a job offer somewhere else. Given that this is her farewell performance, she adds so much depth into “Turning Tables” that it could have easily been one of her best music moments in the series as well as one of Paltrow's most touching singing performances on screen. She nails the Adele-heartbreak appeal and easily earns the third spot on this list.
2. Somebody Like You/Rumour Has It (Season 3, Episode 6)
The Troubletones might have been short-lived, but they thrived in their performances, especially this one! After Santana (Naya Rivera) is notified that a video outing her sexuality would air on live television by one of Sue’s contenders in the congressional election, she feels extremely upset, which impacts her delivery of Adele’s “Someone Like You” in this mashup. Her voice is so raw, almost on the verge of tears for what is to come that you can’t help but be struck by Rivera’s talent portraying the character at the peak of her story arc. To top things off, Mercedes (Amber Riley) sings “Rumour Has It” with so much sass, that she owns that stage and clearly shows why she was an underappreciated star in the New Directions. From their outfit and choreography to the cover itself, this is by far one of the top-notch mashups on Glee and a heartfelt moment for fans who learned to appreciate Santana, her arc, and the incredible actress who brought her to life.
1. Make You Feel My Love (Season 5, Episode 3)
If the Adele version of this Bob Dylan song already brings you to tears when you occasionally listen to it on Spotify, then imagine what it felt like for audiences who grew up watching Cory Monteith play Finn, experience his tribute episode after the actor and his character passed away. "The Quarterback" episode was all-around depressing but seeing Rachel sing “Make You Feel My Love” crying all the way through was a double pain in the gut, given that she and Finn were destined to be endgame in Glee and Lea Michele and Cory Monteith were only a few weeks away from tying the knot in real life. The performance was a blurred line between acting and reality, which is why it lands on the #1 spot and continues to reverberate for viewers who watch it years after the tragedy occurred. It marked an unsatisfactory ending to one of the leads in the show and the doomed future for Finchel, a couple that audiences were always rooting for.