Inside ‘Retrospective’: Annie Lennox’s first official book charts her iconic career

Annie Lennox, the acclaimed Scottish singer-songwriter, has released her first official book, “Annie Lennox: Retrospective”, marking a significant milestone in her nearly 50-year career in music. 

Published by Rizzoli International Publications, this visual memoir offers an intimate journey through Lennox's life and artistry. 

The book features over 200 images, including Polaroids from her personal archives, portraits, music video stills, and album covers.

Structured chronologically, the memoir moves through Lennox’s life and career, from the early 1970s when she first met Dave Stewart, through Eurythmics in the 1980s, and then as a solo artist starting in the 1990s and onwards.

According to the publisher, “Lennox has been filmed and photographed by all the great image-makers of our time, from Richard Avedon and Paolo Roversi to Bettina Rheims and Ellen von Unwerth."

"With Polaroids from her personal archives alongside iconic portraits, music video stills and record covers, ‘Annie Lennox: Retrospective’ collates more than two hundred images to create an illustrated memoir of a creative’s life, both in and out of the spotlight.”

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member shared on Instagram: "There have been thousands of photographic images floating around in the zeitgeist throughout the decades of my life as a performer. In a way, each one serves as part of the picture-puzzle narrative of my story."

From electric stage shows to quiet moments behind the scenes, the photos paint a rich picture that blends raw snapshots with polished album covers. 

"With ‘Retrospective’, I wanted to look back at my life's work lived under the public gaze, throughout the creation of music, lyrics, recordings and film," she noted.

Yet this collection barely scratches the surface. As Lennox put it, "Each album, video and photograph has its own identity and style. ‘Retrospective’ could actually have been presented in many different ways, with many more different images.

"But for now - here it is... A memento - a souvenir - A life lived through imagery and sound. I hope you enjoy it!"

Lennox's musical journey began with The Tourists in the late 1970s, followed by the formation of Eurythmics with Stewart in 1980.

Their debut album, “In the Garden”, was released in 1981, but it was their 1983 album, “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)”, that catapulted them to international fame. The title track became a global hit and remains one of their signature songs.

In 1992, Lennox embarked on a solo career with the release of her album “Diva”, which produced several hit singles, including "Why" and "Walking on Broken Glass". The album was a commercial success and received critical acclaim. 

Over the years, Lennox has released several solo albums, including “Medusa”, “Bare”, “Songs of Mass Destruction", “A Christmas Cornucopia” and “Nostalgia”.

Nostalgia debuted at number nine on the UK Albums Chart and was certified Gold by the BPI for sales in excess of 100,000 copies in the UK. It also debuted at number 10 on the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 32,000 copies. 

Lennox has received numerous accolades throughout her career, including eight Brit Awards, four Grammy Awards and an MTV Video Music Award. In 2004, she received the Golden Globe and the Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Into the West", written for the soundtrack to the feature film “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King”. 

As a member of Eurythmics, Lennox was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022.