The singer’s closely-guarded new music hit the web on Tuesday (18 November) night, after a security breach.
Two minute snippets of each of the tracks appeared on the sales website of London-based store Juno Records, allowing fans to hear the hotly-anticipated songs.
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Adele
However, Adele’s record company were swift to act, and the stream was removed in less than 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, there were also accusations that US store Target had been selling copies of the album early, after someone tweeted a picture of what appeared to be the new CD.
The fan tweeted: “Just copped that new Adele album at Target retweet if you want me to leak it.”
Adele’s reps later denied that Target was selling copies of ‘25’, stating: "The Target sales are not true."
‘25’ is due for global release at midnight on Thursday, and on Friday evening fans will see Adele perform some of her new tracks for the first time, during a special show on BBC One presented by Graham Norton.
Her latest release, ‘Hello’, is currently spending its third week at the number one spot and has become the fastest selling single single since Elton John’s tribute to the Princess of Wales, Candle in the Wind, in 1997.
Adele's new album '25': What we know so far
What is the new album called?(01 of04)
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In the least surprising music news of the year, the singer confirmed her third album will be called ‘25’, which follows the tradition of her first two albums being named after the age Adele was when she wrote and recorded them. (credit:XL Recordings)
When is it released?(02 of04)
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Adele’s third album has a release date set for 20 November 2015. Just in time for Christmas. (credit:i-D)
What can we expect?(03 of04)
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If ‘19’ and ‘21’ were break-up records, this is (in her words) Adele’s ‘make-up’ album. She’s in a very different place since she released the 30 million-selling ‘21’ in 2011. Four years on and she’s given birth to her son Angelo and hibernated to spend plenty of QT with him and her partner (and Angelo’s dad), Simon Konecki. So there’s been no heartbreak (as far as we know) but plenty of growing up, as Adele so beautifully put in her open letter to fans, which she shared on social media on 21 October...
Has anyone heard the entire album yet?(04 of04)
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Well Adele most certainly has. And a select few senior record company peeps, but that’s pretty much it. No one wants to risk what is going to be the biggest album of the next few years leaking, so security around this release is tighter than Amanda Holden’s forehead. Even Adele’s famous mates haven’t heard it, although Ed Sheeran recently claimed he knew friends who had and they were ‘really complimentary’. The same can’t be said for Damon Albarn. The Blur frontman worked on five tracks for the album at Adele’s request, none of which have reportedly made the final cut. He later described what he had heard as ‘very middle of the road’. Sour grape anyone? (credit:Drew Gurian/Invision/AP)