Annie Lennox’s Musical Journey From Eurythmics to Solo Success

While many members of successful bands eventually decide to take full control of their careers and go solo, few of them come close to replicating their initial success. For every Sting and George Michael, dozens of artists fade into obscurity. One of the best examples of a spectacularly successful transition from band member to independent artist is Annie Lennox. After creating a unique sound and style with Eurythmics, she did it again by herself.

Lennox's first taste of success came in the late 1970s, singing and playing keyboards in a band called The Tourists. They released three moderately successful albums before breaking up in 1980, but her time in the band played a huge part in helping her decide what she wanted to do with her life. She also formed a strong musical partnership with the band's guitarist, Dave Stewart, with the two also being romantically involved during that time. As the band was ending, so was Lennox and Stewart's romantic relationship.

Despite not being a couple anymore, Lennox and Stewart realized that they worked very well together musically, and they formed the band Eurythmics. While the band was ultimately successful, it didn't seem that way at first. Their 1981 debut album, In The Garden, didn't resonate with either critics or the general public. This didn't discourage the duo, who went right back into the studio to work on their second album, Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This).

They created their own studio in the attic of an old warehouse in North London, which allowed them to experiment without the financial pressure that came with renting a professional studio. The album was released in early 1983, and it initially seemed to have the same fate as their previous offering. The commercial failure of In the Garden meant that record label executives lacked faith in them, and the fact that the album's first singles failed to chart didn't help their cause.

Everything changed for the duo when "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" was released as a single. It sounded like nothing before, and it got heavy radio airplay despite the band's label allocating minimal resources to promote it. Its hypnotic synth bassline, achieved with a Roland SH-101 keyboard, immediately grabbed the listener's attention. Lennox's voice then kicked in, with her straight delivery adding to the song's hypnotic effect. They also took full advantage of the MTV era, with the song's video being as mesmerizing as the music itself, helping them build momentum in the U.S.

Despite Eurythmics' newfound success, Lennox and Stewart were determined not to become a one-hit wonder like many of their peers. A few months after hitting it big with "Sweet Dreams," they released Touch, their third album. It shot to the top spot on the U.K. album charts, thanks to its three hit singles: "Who's That Girl?," "Right by Your Side," and the captivating synth-based ballad "Here Comes the Rain Again."

They continued to reinvent themselves throughout the 1980s, shifting to a more rock-oriented sound with 1986's Revenge and then returning to their experimental synth-pop roots for their final two albums of the decade, Savage and We Too Are One. After almost a decade of success, the two felt that they had taken the band as far as it could go and decided to go their separate ways.

After taking a break to recover following more than a decade of constant touring and recording, Lennox decided to try her luck as a solo artist. She had used her downtime to focus on her personal life, which helped her reassess her musical direction. She started work on her solo debut, Diva, alongside producer Stephen Lipson, who helped her develop a unique sound that separated her individual work from her previous success with Eurythmics.

Diva was a huge success, entering the U.K. charts at No. 1. It had five successful singles, with "Why" and "Walking on Broken Glass" being the most memorable. The album went on to sell over 7 million copies worldwide, winning multiple accolades, including British Album of the Year at the 1993 BRIT Awards and the GRAMMY for Best Long Form Music Video for the album's video companion.

Just as she did with Eurythmics a decade prior, Lennox didn't settle for singular success. Her second solo album, 1995's Medusa, included no original material. All the songs were covers, having been originally recorded by accomplished artists such as Bob Marley, Neil Young, and The Clash.

Medusa showcased Lennox's ability to give existing songs new dimensions and also entered the U.K. charts at No. 1. She also won the GRAMMY for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for the single "No More 'I Love You's'," which was initially recorded by the English band The Lover Speaks.

Subsequent solo albums, such as 2003's Bare and 2007's Songs of Mass Destruction, cemented Lennox's reputation as one of the most talented and inventive solo artists in music history. She also developed a reputation for constant reinvention. Her 2014 album Nostalgia reached the top spot on the U.S. Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart.

Lennox's career trajectory and constant musical and stylistic transformations showcase not only her enormous talent but also tremendous artistic courage. Never satisfied with replicating newfound success, she always aimed to push new boundaries, a strategy that has made her one of the most successful artists of all time.