# Marianne Faithfull

> English singer and actress (1946–2025)

**Wikidata**: [Q48280](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q48280)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marianne_Faithfull)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/marianne-faithfull

## Summary

Marianne Evelyn Gabriel Faithfull was an English singer, actress, and recording artist whose career spanned nearly six decades from 1964 to 2023. Born on December 29, 1946, and passing away on January 30, 2025, she is best known for her landmark 1979 studio album *Broken English* and for her recorded work across major British labels including Decca, Deram, and Island Records. A Grammy Award recipient, Faithfull performed across an exceptionally broad range of genres — rock, pop, alternative rock, folk, blues, jazz, and popular music — while maintaining a parallel career as a film and stage actor.

## Biography

- **Born:** December 29, 1946
- **Died:** January 30, 2025
- **Full Name:** Marianne Evelyn Gabriel Faithfull
- **Nickname:** Marian
- **Nationality:** United Kingdom
- **Education:** St Joseph's Convent School
- **Known for:** Singing, recording artistry, and acting across film, television, theatre, and radio
- **Occupations:** Singer, recording artist, film actor, actor
- **Field(s) of Work:** Rock music, pop music, alternative rock, folk music, blues, jazz, popular music, alternative music, acting
- **Record Labels:** Decca, Deram, Island Records
- **Active Career:** 1964–2023
- **Height:** 1.65 meters
- **Notable Work:** *Broken English* (1979 studio album)
- **Awards:** Grammy Award
- **Website:** http://www.mariannefaithfull.org.uk/

## Contributions

### Music and Recording Career
Marianne Faithfull's professional music career launched in 1964 and continued through 2023, producing recorded work across seven major genres: rock music, pop music, alternative rock, folk music, blues, jazz, and popular music. She recorded for three historically significant British record labels:

- **Decca Records** — Founded in 1929 by Edward Lewis, headquartered in London, and now a subsidiary of Universal Music Group. Decca's catalog includes David Bowie, Luciano Pavarotti, and Faithfull herself. The label operates subsidiaries including London Records and Teldec.
- **Deram Records** — A British record label founded in 1966, headquartered in London.
- **Island Records** — A British-Jamaican record label founded on July 4, 1959, by Chris Blackwell, Leslie Kong, and others. Formed in Jamaica with headquarters in London, it operates as a Universal Music Group subsidiary. Island is historically significant for bringing reggae to global audiences through Bob Marley and for developing artists such as U2, Amy Winehouse, The Killers, and Florence + the Machine.

### *Broken English* (1979)
Her most significant recorded work, *Broken English*, is a studio album released in 1979. The album is documented across 9 Wikipedia language editions and represents a major artistic reinvention, moving Faithfull's sound toward darker, more experimental territory within alternative rock.

### Acting Career
Faithfull worked concurrently as a film actor and a general actor performing in dramatic and comic productions across film, television, theatre, and radio.

## FAQs

**What genres of music did Marianne Faithfull perform?**
Marianne Faithfull performed across rock, pop, alternative rock, folk, blues, jazz, and popular music. Her versatility allowed her to transition from early pop recordings to the more experimental alternative rock sound of her landmark album *Broken English*.

**Which record labels released Marianne Faithfull's music?**
Faithfull recorded for Decca Records (founded 1929), Deram Records (founded 1966), and Island Records (founded 1959). All three are British labels; Decca and Island Records are currently subsidiaries of Universal Music Group.

**What is Marianne Faithfull's most important album?**
*Broken English*, released in 1979, is her most notable studio album. It marked a dramatic artistic shift in her career and remains a defining work in her catalog, documented across multiple international databases.

**How long was Marianne Faithfull active?**
Her professional career began in 1964 and continued through 2023, spanning nearly six decades of work in both music and acting.

**Did Marianne Faithfull work as an actress?**
Yes. In addition to her music career, she worked as a film actor and actor in dramatic and comic productions across film, television, theatre, and radio.

**What awards did Marianne Faithfull win?**
Faithfull received a Grammy Award in recognition of her contributions to recorded music.

## Why They Matter

Marianne Faithfull matters as a cultural figure whose six-decade career mirrored the evolution of British popular music from the 1960s through the 2020s. Her trajectory — from early pop and rock through the experimental alternative sounds of *Broken English* in 1979 and beyond — traces the broader transformations in Western popular music over those decades. She was one of few artists who successfully navigated transitions across multiple genres, from pop and folk to blues, jazz, and alternative rock.

Her associations with three major British record labels place her within the institutional infrastructure of the British music industry at its most globally influential period. Decca Records, founded in 1929, is one of Britain's oldest and most significant labels. Island Records, founded in 1959 in Jamaica before relocating headquarters to London, fundamentally altered global music by bringing reggae to international audiences through Bob Marley. Faithfull's presence on these rosters underscores her artistic credibility and commercial significance.

Her ability to sustain a career across nearly 60 years while reinventing her artistic persona demonstrates rare resilience and adaptability. As both a singer and an actress, she occupied a unique intersection of music and film, making her a multidisciplinary figure in British cultural life. Without Faithfull, the narrative of British women in rock and popular music would lack one of its most enduring and artistically restless contributors.

## Notable For

- **Nearly six-decade career:** Active from 1964 through 2023
- ***Broken English* (1979):** Landmark studio album representing a major artistic reinvention
- **Multi-genre artistry:** Performed in rock, pop, alternative rock, folk, blues, jazz, and popular music
- **Dual career as singer and actress:** Recording artist and film/stage actor
- **Three major British record labels:** Recorded for Decca, Deram, and Island Records
- **Grammy Award recipient**
- **51 Wikipedia sitelinks across multiple languages:** Broad international recognition
- **Extensive international documentation:** Cataloged across dozens of databases including MusicBrainz, IMDb, VIAF, ISNI, BNF, Library of Congress, Discogs, Spotify, and AllMusic

## Body

### Early Life and Background

Marianne Evelyn Gabriel Faithfull was born on December 29, 1946, in the United Kingdom. She was educated at St Joseph's Convent School. She stood 1.65 meters tall and was known personally by the nickname "Marian."

### Musical Career

Faithfull's professional career commenced in 1964. Over the following decades she established herself as a singer and recording artist working across rock music (genre emerging around 1948), pop music (emerging around 1950), alternative rock (subgenre emerging around 1978), folk music, blues (originating around 1890), jazz (originating around 1917), popular music, and alternative music.

Her recording career encompassed three significant British labels:

**Decca Records** was founded in 1929 by Edward Lewis and is headquartered in London. Now a Universal Music Group subsidiary, Decca has housed artists including David Bowie, Luciano Pavarotti, and Marianne Faithfull. The label operates subsidiaries and imprints including London Records and Teldec, and maintains a comprehensive catalog distributed globally. Decca's official website is http://www.decca.com/.

**Deram Records** was founded in 1966 as a British record label headquartered in London.

**Island Records** was founded on July 4, 1959, by Chris Blackwell, Leslie Kong, and others. Originally formed in Jamaica before establishing London headquarters, it operates as a Universal Music Group subsidiary. Island Records is credited with bringing reggae to global prominence through Bob Marley & The Wailers and has managed artists including U2, Amy Winehouse, The Killers, and Florence + the Machine. The label covers genres including reggae, folk rock, and heavy metal. Its MusicBrainz label IDs are dfd92cd3-4888-46d2-b968-328b1feb2642 and 71f33816-b284-4926-bd99-f6b7a83fb172.

### Notable Work: *Broken English*

*Broken English* is Faithfull's most documented studio album, released in 1979. The album has 9 Wikipedia sitelinks across different languages, confirming its international significance. The album represented a dramatic artistic departure from her earlier pop recordings, embracing darker, more experimental sounds within alternative rock and related genres.

### Acting Career

Faithfull maintained a parallel career as a film actor and general actor. She performed in dramatic and comic productions across film, television, theatre, and radio, establishing a dual identity as both a musician and a performing artist.

### Recognition

Faithfull received a Grammy Award for her contributions to recorded music.

### International Documentation

Faithfull's career and identity are documented across an extraordinary range of international databases and authority files:

- **VIAF:** 84975025
- **ISNI:** 0000000121418930
- **GND (German National Library):** 119122448
- **Library of Congress:** n91026554
- **ULAN (Getty):** 500375011
- **BNF:** 13893766d
- **SUDOC:** 034393064
- **CiNii:** DA11027348
- **IMDb:** nm0265717
- **NDL:** 00620649
- **MusicBrainz:** 14ed9dea-1bb0-4743-ba32-39674a71da89
- **Discogs:** 25384
- **AllMusic:** mn0000651107
- **Spotify:** 7mlge4peaoNgzTsY6M32RB
- **Songkick:** 29w0
- **Rate Your Music:** 8204

Her digital presence includes Twitter (@Faithfull_M), Instagram (@mariannefaithfullofficial), Facebook (mariannefaithfullofficial), and YouTube channel (UC6SzgQxCOAP2dfu4PR34YqA).

### Later Life and Death

Faithfull's active career concluded in 2023. She died on January 30, 2025, at the age of 78. Her Wikipedia article exists in 51 language editions, reflecting her international recognition. Her official website remains at http://www.mariannefaithfull.org.uk/.

## References

1. [Singer and actress Marianne Faithfull dies at 78. BBC Online](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp8k931j423o)
2. BnF authorities
3. Integrated Authority File
4. Genealogics
5. Czech National Authority Database
6. [Source](https://fr.findagrave.com/memorial/279171900/marianne-faithfull)
7. Montreux Jazz Festival Database
8. [Marianne Faithfull awarded France's highest cultural honour. Daily Mirror. 2011](https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/marianne-faithfull-awarded-frances-highest-117895)
9. MusicBrainz
10. Virtual International Authority File
11. Bibliothèque nationale de France
12. CiNii Research
13. Parachute Women: Marianne Faithfull, Marsha Hunt, Bianca Jagger, Anita Pallenberg, and the Women Behind the Rolling Stones
14. [Source](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2018/sep/22/marianne-faithfull-interview-negative-capability-album)
15. SNAC
16. filmportal.de
17. Brockhaus Enzyklopädie
18. Roglo
19. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
20. [Montreux Jazz Festival Database](https://database.montreuxjazz.com/concerts-database)
21. [Source](https://uk.news.yahoo.com/marianne-faithfull-in-hospital-covid-19-091207815.html)
22. [Source](https://www.europeanfilmacademy.org/2007.105.0.html)
23. CONOR.SI
24. BBC Things
25. ISWC Network
26. [Taille de Marianne Faithfull](https://vos-celebrites.fr/taille-celebrites.php?star=Marianne-Faithfull)
27. [Source](http://www.mariannefaithfull.org.uk/)
28. Quora
29. The Movie Database
30. Golden
31. YouTube API
32. Cinemathèque québécoise Linked Open Data
33. Regional Database of the Central Bohemian Research Library in Kladno
34. performing-arts.ch
35. [Source](https://entities.oclc.org/worldcat/entity/E39PBJw8WGjgP49GTb9gqprcyd.html)