In a surprise release on Friday, November 19, music superstar Adele launched her debut album in six years, winning over critics and fans alike with the song she said she wrote to explain her divorce to her young son.

The highly anticipated 30 is the fourth studio album by the British singer-songwriter, whose chart-topping songs about break-ups, regrets, and nostalgia have propelled her to the top of the charts and established her as one of the most popular artists of all time.

Several critics commended Adele's honesty on the album, which she has characterized as "tender" and on which the normally reserved singer opens up with emotional voice notes recorded with her son Angelo, 9; the album has received positive reviews from critics.

'30' is Adele's most powerful album to date, according to Rolling Stone writer Rob Sheffield, who called it "more sensitive to her own sentiments, more virtuoso at moulding them into songs in the key of her own darn life." Adele has previously stated that the album is her finest work to date.

30 is the follow-up to the Grammy Award-winning 25 and, like her previous albums, is titled after a significant age in the singer's life. The songs "Someone Like You" and "Hello" are among the highlights. Adele announced her separation from her husband, Simon Konecki, in January of this year.

While not all critics were as kind in their assessments, they were generally positive about the 33-year-diverse old's offerings on the album, which includes the songs "I Drink Wine" and "All Night Parking."

In an article for the music website NME, El Hunt said, "This heartbreaking degree of honesty means that, despite its more experimental moments, '30' still finishes up feeling like trademark Adele, in its own way, the great majority of the time."

In the wake of legitimate criticisms that she has erred on the side of caution in the past, it's wonderful to witness the pop giant go into more risky artistic territory – even if the results aren't perfect."

Adele made her musical comeback with the release of the piano ballad "Easy On Me" earlier this month. It swiftly rose to the top of music charts all across the world. Expectations are sky-high for the year 30.

"I can't get enough of Adele's 30th birthday celebrations. It's a work of emotional brilliance that was well worth the six-year wait "On Twitter, a person expressed his or her thoughts.

"I've just listened to one second of Adele's album and I'm already in love with it," remarked another enthusiast.