Adele was given a recording contract by XL Recordings.
19 (Adele album) . It was first released on 28 January 2008 , through XL Recordings . 21 (Adele album) . Praised by critics for its understated production , vintage aesthetic , and Adele 's vocal performance , 21 defied the modest commercial expectations of her indie record label XL Recordings . 25 (Adele album) . It was released on 20 November 2015 , through XL Recordings . Adele . After taking a three-year break , Adele released her third studio album , 25 , in 2015 .