A new piece from Far Out Magazine revisits producer Rick Rubin's role in shaping Adele's 2011 album 21, focusing on his suggestion that she cover The Cure's "Lovesong". Rubin, known for pairing artists with unexpected material across genres, felt the song's themes of finding calm and connection after heartbreak fitted perfectly with the emotional arc of Adele's record, even though her vocal style differed markedly from Robert Smith's original.

Rubin has described being struck by Adele's performances in the studio, recalling that she sang the track around 30 times with the band and that "every time was astounding". The article frames this as an example of Rubin's broader production philosophy, drawing comparisons to his work with artists such as Johnny Cash, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Tom Petty, where he encouraged musicians to interpret songs outside their usual style to bring out a more personal or unexpected result.