After taking nearly a five-year break from music, Adele returned to the scene with a vengeance. Her third studio album, 25, has broken record after record, and now, it beat out ’90s boy band *NSYNC in total record sales, surpassing smash album No Strings Attached. The band members realize records are meant to be broken and flocked to social media to congratulate the "Hello" singer on her accomplishments.
Adele's 25 reeled in a total of 2,433,000 in just three days after its release date on Nov. 20, causing musicians like One Direction, Ellie Goulding and Justin Bieber to move their album release dates to avoid competing with the "When We Were Young" singer. That sum beat out *NSYNC's No Strings Attached, which debuted with 2,416,000 during the week of March 26, 2000, Time reports.
Three of the five band mates, Lance Bass, JC Chasez and Joey Fatone took to social media and expressed their happiness for the "Chasing Pavements" singer on her record-breaking sales. Fatone was shocked that in today's day and age, in the midst of streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music, music fans would flock to purchase just as many records as they did 15 years ago.
"Adele is the truth," Joey Fatone told Billboard, "kinda excited a rare talent like hers is in the same breath as our group. I'm a huge fan. ... I even bought the damn album." Lance Bass wrote, "We officially say Bye Bye Bye as Adele says Hello to the World Record of Most Record Sales in a Week. Congratulations!! #IDemandARecount," on Twitter. Chasez wrote a simple, "Well Done Adele," on his personal account while Justin Timberlake and Chris Kirkpatrick have yet to make comments on the broken record.
Adele recently announced a supporting European tour for 25; no U.S. dates have been announced.
