"Someone like You" received universal critical acclaim, with reviewers choosing it as a highlight of 21 and praised the lyrics, its simple sound and Adele's vocal performance.

I was really emotionally drained from the way I was portraying him, because even though I'm very bitter and regret some parts of it, he's still the most important person that's ever been in my life, and 'Someone like You,' I had to write it to feel OK with myself and OK with the two years I spent with him.

[6] "[...] 'Someone like You,' the stirring, somber closer in which Adele goes to visit a former love (with high hopes of a reconciliation), only to discover he has not only moved on with his life, but is in a much better place.

[17] John Murphy of MusicOMH said that the song "casts Adele as the spurned lover, turning up outside her ex's house, now moved on and settled down, begging for a second chance.

"[19] According to Aamir Yaqub of Soul Culture, "Talking of a lost love, this an extremely touching track with a vocal performance that makes the narrative almost tangible ...

"[25] Talking about the meaning and the composition of the song, Jer Fairall of PopMatters said: "The song's subject—Adele mentally addressing an old lover who has since found happiness elsewhere—is familiar, but the detail she colors it with are vibrantly tactile and resonant, from the sense-memory setting of 'we were born and raised in a summer haze' to her recollection of his cruel kiss-off line 'I remember you said, 'sometimes it lasts in love and sometimes it hurts instead' and how she comes to take solace in the statement as an empowering mantra.

In a track-by-track review for 21, Joanne Dorken of MTV UK noted the track's placement at the end of the album saying, "It maybe a cliché, but Adele has saved the best until last with this heartfelt and enchanting piano ballad.

[30] NME's Chris Parkin also marked the song as a highlight, describing it as "surprisingly weighty" and comparing it favorably to the work of American Country blues singer Karen Dalton.

"[18] Writing for BBC Online, Ian Wade noted that the "final track Someone Like You, just voice and piano, is an actual thing of beauty, placing the listener in one of those moments where you feel you're in the presence of a future standard.

"[32] Bill Lamb of About.com wrote that "the piano melody is gorgeous and combined with Adele's heartfelt reading of her words, the effect is highly emotional.

"[33] Jer Fairall of PopMatters called the song "absolute magic" and praised Adele's performance by saying, "Though it is unquestionably her finest vocal showcase to date, it is less remarkable for its more powerful moments than for the small ones where her voice dips, with rueful melancholy on the line 'I heard that your dreams came true' or cracks on the 'I beg' in the chorus, like she's startled at the revelation of her own vulnerability.

"[36] Sputnikmusic's Joseph Viney called the song "an ode to stalking with a perverse attitude that lies underneath the fragile composition, looks set to become the soundtrack to a million messy break-ups.

[56] "Someone like You" remained at the top position of the chart for seven consecutive weeks[56] and it was certified 4× Platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA).

[65] A few days after the release of its video, on 6 October 2011, the song returned to number one and spent more 4 weeks at the top,[66] where it was later replaced by "We Found Love" by Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris.

She continues to walk and starts singing the song with a sad look as the camera makes circles and shots more locations in Paris including the Eiffel Tower.

It received glowing reviews from music critics; James Montgomery of MTV News called the video "a somber, black-and-white affair, featuring Adele wandering the early morning streets and pining for her long-lost love.

"[13] A writer of the website HitFix concluded that the video is "in keeping with the singer's subdued style" and added that its vibe fits with the "melancholy tune.

[76] Sarah Dean of the same publication called it an "uncomplicated, moving film" and wrote, "the video is nothing more than Adele wandering around the deserted city of love alone, under its grey skies, singing her sorrowful notes, but because it's her, we don't need any more.

"[80] A writer of Rolling Stone wrote: "this clip for the ballad 'Someone Like You' sticks to the singer's simple but emotionally direct approach with black-and-white footage that lingers on her subtly expressive face as she lip-synchs to the tune while walking along sad, grey city streets.

"[83] She added: "There's something about streetlamps, cafes and the River Seine that lend an air of melancholic elegance to what would otherwise be just another walk of shame by a girl with two-day-old hair.

[107] She appeared on stage backed just by her pianist while "special effects were limited to a shower of glitter and Adele's own tears, as she almost broke down delivering her lovelorn plea to an ex-boyfriend" as stated by Neil McCormick of The Daily Telegraph.

[114] After being introduced by American singer Katy Perry, Adele appeared in a black scalloped lace dress by Barbara Tfank,[115][116] and standing alone on the stage, only with her pianist behind her.

[117] Her hair was pulled back and a signature ponytail draped over one shoulder she sang the song and "did vocal aerobics and dripped her soulful, sultry sound over the dark ballad, while a transfixed audience watched her" as stated by Kelley L. Carter of MTV.

"[119] Rating the performance with A, Claire Suddath of Time magazine said "it's heartening to hear a truly talented woman sing a mournful torch song for someone who has left her for someone better.

"[120] A writer of Los Angeles Times called her vocals "strong and direct, and tackles grief by moving with the melody rather than trying to pummel it" and added that it was "less-is-more performance, a tactic award-show producers rarely indulge in, but Adele needs few adornments to impress.

"[121] A writer of Rolling Stone said that Adele brought a "big dollop of elegance to the VMAs with a spare, moving rendition of 'Someone Like You'" and added that "amid all the pop art glitz, it was a refreshing palate cleanser.

said: "When I learned British chart-topper Adele would be performing at Sunday's awards I thought, 'Whew – at least we're guaranteed five solid, meaningful minutes of quality music television'.

The broadcast temporarily abandoned its frantic mission of nonstop overstimulation, bowing to the 23-year-old English soulstress's soaring, nearly a cappella (well done, subtle piano man) rendition of her heart-wrecking ballad "Someone Like You."

"[129] Charlie Puth first gained notice for his cover of "Someone like You", sung as a duet with fellow Berklee student Emily Luther, and uploaded to YouTube in September 2011.

[131] Amber Riley, Naya Rivera and Heather Morris sang a mash-up of "Someone like You" and Adele's other song "Rumour Has It" (2011) during Glee's episode "Mash Off" which aired on 15 November.