Marianne Faithfull, Rolling Stones Muse & ’60s Pop Singer, Dies at 78

English actress and singer Marianne Faithfull after being fined £500 for evasion of duty on a mink coat, UK, June 1970
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Marianne Faithfull, an artist best known as the “it girl” of the 1960s, passed away on Jan. 30, 2025, at the age of 78. Her rep confirmed the sad news and shared a statement: “It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of the singer, songwriter and actress Marianne Faithfull. Marianne passed away peacefully in London today, in the company of her loving family.”

Born on Dec. 29, 1946, she became a breakout star in 1964 with the single “As Tears Go By.” It was the first song that Mick Jagger and Keith Richards wrote together for the young star, who was only 17 at the time. She continued to release music in the ’60s until addiction took hold of her, and she had to take a break from music.

GIRL ON A MOTORCYCLE, (aka NAKED UNDER LEATHER), Marianne Faithfull, 1968

Everett Collection

She returned in the late ’70s with the album Broken English, which drew inspiration from punk and New Wave and was ultimately darker than her previous pop ballads. Around this time, she earned a Grammy nomination for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance. Faithfull continued releasing music for the next four decades until her final album, Negative Capability, was released in 2018. In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked Faithfull at No. 173 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.

While her music scored her many accolades, her personal life wasn’t without controversy. Not only did she suffer from a heroin addiction, but she was also infamous for her relationship with Jagger from 1966 until 1970. She also had several miscarriages and abortions. In her later years, she suffered from breast cancer and hepatitis C.

IRINA PALM, Marianne Faithfull, 2007

Strand Releasing/Everett Collection

Faithfull dabbled in acting and was seen in several television shows, movies and stage shows. Fans may recall her appearance as God in the British sitcom Absolutely Fabulous and her role in the 2006 biopic Marie Antoinette. In her final years, she focused on voice acting and was the voice of Bene Gesserit Ancestors in Dune: Part One.

She is survived by one son.

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