Adele plans major Americas tour

Adele, whose new album has shattered sales records, on Monday announced an extensive tour of the United States, Canada and Mexico after a five-year gap.

The British ballad singer, who has already unveiled a calendar for shows across Europe in 2016, will start the North American leg on July 5 in St. Paul, Minnesota.

The tour will include six concerts each in New York's Madison Square Garden and the Staples Center in Los Angeles, two of the most lucrative venues for pop artists.

Her tour will culminate with two dates in Mexico City in November.

Adele has broken early sales records with her long-awaited third album "25," which has sold more than five million copies in the United States in less than a month.

True to her non-rock star persona that has won fans across the age spectrum, Adele announced the North American tour in a simple statement online without the marketing glitz or commercial tie-ups of many major pop stars who tour with backing of big promotional companies.

The global tour will be the first for Adele since 2011 when she traveled the world to support her album "21," which was also a blockbuster and is best known for the  heartache ballad "Someone Like You."

But Adele was forced to cancel part of the North American tour due to voice problems.

She has expressed concern in the past that such extensive touring will damage her voice.

Adele did not announce any dates at summer festivals although fans have widely speculated that she could headline Glastonbury in England, one of the most prestigious global festivals.

She came to New York last month to record a one-off concert at Radio City Music Hall, which will be broadcast in the United States on Monday evening.