MARIANNE Faithfull, who famously dated The Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger, has died aged 78.

The singer, well known for her song As Tears Go By was in a relationship with the rock frontman from 1966 to 1970.

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Marianne skyrocketed to fame in 1964 when she was just 16-years-old at a party for the band.

She was discovered by Andrew Loog Oldham and would go on to become recognised as one of the most original British female singer-songwriters.

Before this, the artist had been scoring low-level coffeehouse gigs performing folk music.

Marianne’s 1964 overnight hit As Tears Go By was actually written for her by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.

But her debut album, Marianne Faithfull, released in 1965, saw her shoot to stardom.

Her romance with Jagger reportedly helped to inspire the Rolling Stones classic Sympathy for the Devil.

It featured on the 1968 album Beggars Banquet which was inspired by a book given to Jagger by Marianne called The Master and Margarita.

Meanwhile You Can’t Always Get What You Want, on their 1969 album Let It Bleed, was supposedly written and composed by Marianne.

And, hits Wild Horses and I Got the Blues were inspired by her – while she co-wrote Sister Morphine.

When the Rolling Stones recorded it in 1971 Marianne wasn’t credited because she was homeless and they feared royalties would be spent on drugs.

They eventually reinstated her name in the 1990s.

Jagger and Marianne’s turbulent relationship was shrouded in controversy at the time.

She had affairs with Keith Richards and Brian Jones and made headlines after false rumours police raided Richards’ flat for drugs and allegedly found her naked under a fur bedcover in 1967.

Toward the end of the 60s, Marianne was homeless and addicted to heroin after her relationship with Jagger ended.

But by 1979 she made a successful comeback with her album Broken English.

It saw her nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance.

She was bravely candid about her struggles with an eating disorder and drug use – and would go on to create 20 albums.

It comes after a spokesperson for Marianne announced her death this evening.

In a statement they said: “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.

“She will be dearly missed.”

While dating the rock icon Marianne also broke into the acting world.

She was a household name with starring roles in hits including I’ll Never Forget What’s’isname, The Girl on a Motorcycle and Hamlet.

Marianne became a prolific writer, with three books about her life,  Faithfull: An Autobiography, Memories, Dreams & Reflections , and Marianne Faithfull: A Life on Record.

The Government of France also made her a Commandeur of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.

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