Eurythmics

During the early 80s, Eurythmics were unstoppable, with six platinum sellers and particular success in the UK charts.

It was in The Catch who later turned into The Tourists with some additional musicians that Annie Lennox met David A. Stewart. When The Tourists folded, Lennox and Stewart formed Eurythmics. Retained by their former label, RCA, Lennox and Stewart began work on their first album as Eurythmics. In The Garden was released in 1981 and had a much more subdued sound than their later work but it did show that Eurythmics would be heavily electronic. It was their second album, Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) (1983) that launched them into the forefront of modern electro-pop. Where other synth-pop groups could feel cold and emotionless, Lennox's passionate, soul-tinged voice set Eurythmics apart and helped the duo find wide general appeal. It also introduced Lennox, with her bright orange crew cut and her gender-bending, sexually suggestive style to the world. Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) produced several hits but it was the title track that made the biggest splash, spending several weeks at No.1. It would eventually be considered Eurythmics' signature song.

Eurythmics third studio album Touch was released just months after Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) in late 1983. This album also spawned several hit singles most notably "Here Comes the Rain Again", a beautifully stark ballad using the metaphor of falling rain to compare to unrequited love. Their fourth studio album Be Yourself Tonight, released in 1985, continued their successful streak. It also featured many guest artists, most notably Elvis Costello and Aretha Franklin and spun several hit singles including their first UK No.1, "There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)" and the massive US hit single "Would I Lie To You?".

However after the release of Be Yourself Tonight, the band were forced to break to allow Lennox to recover from surgery to remove nodules on her larynx. This break also meant that Eurythmics didn't participate in 1985's Live Aid concert. However in 1986 they came back with Revenge and spawned their biggest US hit so far "Missionary Man". The Eurythmics released two more albums in the 80s, the experimental Savage (1987) and obviously mainstream We Too Are One (1989), but neither saw the success of their earlier work. Lennox and Stewart's relationship had become fraught with tension and resentment and in 1990 they decided to take an indefinite hiatus. The two barely spoke from 1990 to 1998.

Separately both embarked on solo careers; Lennox released several multi-platinum albums and Stewart turned songwriter and record producer as well as releasing several solo albums. Then in 1999 former The Tourists frontman Peet Coombes died after years of alcohol and drug abuse and Lennox was reunited with Stewart at his funeral.

Together they decided to record a new album, their first as Eurythmics, in ten years. Peace (1999) was a quieter, more acoustic album, gone were the forceful power and layered synth effects. In its place were more deeply felt lyrics focusing on global disasters, the environment and world peace. Although critics were generally pleased with the album, sales did not reflect this. In 2005 Eurythmics released their Ultimate Collection. Primarily consisting of remastered singles and bonus material the album also included two new singles, the most successful of which was the No.1 hit "I've Got a Life (It's the Only Thing That's Mine)".