Annie Lennox Biography

After the Eurythmics dissolved in 1991, Annie Lennox proved herself to be a true survivor, establishing a solo career that was even more successful than the Eurythmics. Born and raised in Aberdeen, Scotland, while still a teenager Annie Lennox earned a scholarship to the famed Royal Academy of Music in London. She chose to leave school before completing, and by the late 1970’s, Annie Lennox had encountered Dave Stewart, a guitarist, through a friend.

Stewart invited Annie to join a band he was about to form with Peet Coombes, a songwriter. The Tourists, as they were then named, when on to release three albums in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, and enjoyed a hit with their single, “I Only Want to Be With You,” a Dusty Springfield cover. The Eurythmics began when Stewart and Annie Lennox left the band in the early 1980’s. With their strong synthetic pop sound, perfect for the rising sound of the 1980’s, the Eurythmics quickly became one of the iconic bands of the decade, accumulating hit after hit on both continents, including "Love Is a Stranger," "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)," "Who's That Girl," and "Here Comes the Rain Again."

Diva, Annie Lennox’s solo debut album, dropped in 1992, shortly after she’d left the Eurythmics. The album illustrated her more sophisticated vocal talents and a more calm style, with outstanding potential for adult contemporary crossover. The album went on to receive three Grammies and sell over two million copies in the United States. Hits like “Why” and “Walking on Broken Glass,” further strengthened the success of the album. Medusa came next in 1995, and Annie Lennox found herself with another hit, with the single “No More I Love Yous.” The album peaked at number eleven and eventually went platinum by the end of the year, solidifying Annie Lennox as one of the era’s most successful solo performers.

Since Medusa, Annie Lennox has released the additional albums Bare (2003) and Songs of Mass Destruction (2007.) The albums featured the additional singles “A Thousand Beautiful Things,” “wonderful,” “Dark Road,” “Sing,” “Many Rivers to Cross,” ”Shining Light,” “Patter of my Live,” “Full Steam,” “Universal Child,” and “Into the West,” the haunting song Annie provided for the Return of the King Soundtrack, earning her an Academy Award for Best Song. After a seven year hiatus, Lennox returned with the album Nostalgia in 2014, earning her another Grammy Award nomination, for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.

On a personal note, Annie Lennox is widely revered for her commitment to AIDS and HIV activism and awareness. In 2013, she was recognized by the Music Industry Trusts Awards not only for her achievements in music, but also for her charitable and altruistic endeavors. In 2016, she earned three additional awards – an Elle Style Award for Outstanding Achievement; a Livingstone Medal from the Royal Scottish Geographical Society, and a Harper’s Bazaar Philanthropic Award.