'25' is the third studio album by British singer and songwriter Adele. It was released on 20 November 2015, through XL Recordings. Following the release and international success of her second studio album '21' (2011), Adele considered quitting the music industry and going out on a positive note. However, she decided to take a hiatus instead and raise her son.

During her sabbatical, she suffered from writer's block and rescheduled studio sessions for a new album, fearing she had lost her ability to write songs. In 2013, Adele had a breakthrough and the material that eventually became '25' manifested, with writing and recording continuing through 2015.

Titled as a reflection of her life and frame of mind at 25 years old, '25' is a "make-up record". The album's lyrical content features themes of Adele "yearning for her old self, her nostalgia", and "melancholia about the passage of time" according to an interview with Adele by Rolling Stone, as well as themes of motherhood and regret.

In contrast to Adele's previous work, the production of '25' incorporated the use of electronic elements and creative rhythmic patterns, with elements of 1980s R&B and organs.