History of Lily Allen in Timeline
Lily Allen is an English singer, songwriter, and actress known for her outspoken lyrics and pop music. She gained prominence in the mid-2000s through her MySpace presence and debut album, *Alright, Still*. Allen's music often blends pop sensibilities with ska, reggae, and electronic influences, addressing social and personal issues. She has achieved critical acclaim and commercial success with albums like *It's Not Me, It's You* and *Sheezus*. Beyond music, Allen has also ventured into acting and has been recognized with awards and nominations, including a Brit Award and Grammy nomination.
1967: Fortieth Anniversary of BBC Radio 1
In October 2007, Lily Allen contributed a cover of The Pretenders' "Don't Get Me Wrong" for the covers compilation album Radio 1: Established 1967, celebrating the fortieth anniversary of BBC Radio 1 signing on air in 1967.
May 1985: Lily Allen's birth in London
On May 2, 1985, Lily Allen was born in Hammersmith, west London, to Keith Allen and Alison Owen. She has siblings Sarah, Alfie, and Rebecca. She is also the goddaughter of Daniel Kleinman and Angela McCluskey and a third cousin of Sam Smith.
1998: Appearance in "Vindaloo" music video
In 1998, Lily Allen appeared in the music video for the Fat Les song "Vindaloo".
1998: Appearance in "Elizabeth"
In 1998, Lily Allen made an appearance as a lady-in-waiting in the film Elizabeth.
2001: Recording vocals for "On Me Head Not Off Me Head"
In 2001, Lily Allen first recorded vocals for "On Me Head Not Off Me Head", which was written by her father for the movie Mike Bassett: England Manager.
2002: Featured in "Who Invented Fish and Chips"
In 2002, Lily Allen was featured in the song "Who Invented Fish and Chips" by her father's group Fat Les.
2004: Collaboration with Future Cut
In 2004, Lily Allen began writing songs and was introduced to production duo Future Cut by her manager, and they began working together.
November 2005: Recording demos and posting to Myspace
In November 2005, Lily Allen recorded demos and began posting them on Myspace, which attracted thousands of listeners.
March 2006: Interest from The Observer Music Monthly
In March 2006, The Observer Music Monthly (OMM) took interest in Lily Allen as she accumulated tens of thousands of Myspace friends.
July 2006: Release of debut album 'Alright, Still'
In July 2006, Lily Allen's debut album, Alright, Still, was released. Most of the tracks had been previewed on her Myspace page, including the singles "Smile", "LDN", "Knock 'Em Out", and "Alfie".
September 2006: "Smile" available on US iTunes Store
In September 2006, Lily Allen's song "Smile" was made available on the US version of iTunes Store.
December 2006: "Smile" Music Video Airplay
In December 2006, Lily Allen's music video for "Smile" began airing on various music channels and the song received airplay.
2006: Debut single "Smile" and Album "Alright, Still" release
In 2006, Lily Allen's debut single "Smile" reached number one on the UK Singles Chart and was certified double Platinum. Her debut album, Alright, Still, was released to positive reviews and peaked at number two on the UK Albums Chart.
January 2007: US release of 'Alright, Still'
On January 30, 2007, Lily Allen's album, Alright, Still, was released in the US, reaching number 20 on the Billboard 200. She also did promotional ads for MTV as their Discover and Download artist of the month.
June 2007: Allen Arrested for Alleged Assault
On 28 June 2007, Lily Allen was arrested in London for allegedly assaulting photographer Kevin Rush while leaving a nightclub in London's West End. Prior to this, she had expressed discomfort with attention from the paparazzi on her Myspace blog.
July 2007: Performance at Glastonbury and Concert for Diana
In July 2007, Lily Allen played the Park Stage at the Glastonbury Festival, replacing MIA. She also appeared at the Concert for Diana at Wembley Stadium, London, where she sang "LDN" and "Smile".
September 2007: Dating Ed Simons
In September 2007, Lily Allen began dating musician Ed Simons of the Chemical Brothers.
October 2007: Contribution to 'Radio 1: Established 1967'
In October 2007, Lily Allen contributed a cover of The Pretenders' "Don't Get Me Wrong" for the covers compilation album Radio 1: Established 1967, celebrating the fortieth anniversary of BBC Radio 1.
January 2008: Miscarriage Announcement
In January 2008, Lily Allen announced that she had suffered a miscarriage while expecting a child with Ed Simons.
June 2008: Performance at Glastonbury Festival
On June 29, 2008, Lily Allen performed at the Glastonbury Festival alongside producer Mark Ronson. She dedicated her performance of "Littlest Things" to her grandmother, who had passed away the night before.
2008: Gray First Made Contact
In 2008, Alex Gray made first contact with Lily Allen via a tweet claiming he wrote the song "The Fear" under the Twitter handle "@lilyallenisRIP".
2008: Hosting Lily Allen and Friends
In 2008, Lily Allen hosted her own television talk show, Lily Allen and Friends, on BBC Three.
2008: BMI Songwriting Award
In 2008, Lily Allen won a BMI songwriting award for "Smile". She also provided background vocals for songs on Kaiser Chiefs' third album, co-produced by Mark Ronson.
January 2009: Sales figures for 'Alright, Still'
By January 2009, Lily Allen's album, Alright, Still, had sold 960,000 copies in the UK and 520,000 copies in the US.
February 2009: Allen Stops Addressing Controversies on Blog
By February 2009, Lily Allen had stopped addressing controversies about herself on her blog because she found it "boring when people just pick stuff up and write about it. People get hurt, people get upset."
February 2009: Release of 'It's Not Me, It's You' and chart success
In February 2009, Lily Allen released It's Not Me, It's You, which debuted at number 1 in the UK, Canada, and Australia, and number 5 in the US. The album was certified platinum in the UK, contributing to EMI's increased earnings. The first single, "The Fear," topped the UK charts for four weeks.
February 2009: Viral marketing campaign for 'It's Not Me, It's You' and performance with Mick Jones
In February 2009, the online game Escape the Fear was released as part of the viral marketing campaign for Lily Allen's album It's Not Me, It's You. By February 18, 2009, the game had been played over two million times. Also, Lily Allen and Mick Jones performed The Clash's song "Straight to Hell" on an album for the charity Heroes.
May 2009: Magazine Publishes Fake Interview
In May 2009, French football magazine So Foot published a fake interview in which Lily Allen was quoted as making derogatory remarks about David and Victoria Beckham and Ashley and Cheryl Cole. Some of the material was reprinted in The Sun. Both publications apologized and paid damages to Allen.
July 2009: Dating Sam Cooper
In July 2009, Lily Allen began dating Sam Cooper, a builder and decorator.
September 2009: Considering acting and possible retirement from recording
In September 2009, Lily Allen announced she was considering a career in acting, would not renew her record contract, and had "no plans" to make another record.
September 2009: Campaign for Chanel and the National Portrait Gallery
In September 2009, Lily Allen was named the face of the National Portrait Gallery and was hired by Karl Lagerfeld for a Chanel handbag campaign.
October 2009: Allen Releases Digital Petition; Deletes Social Media
In October 2009, Lily Allen released the world's first digital musical petition with other musicians, aimed at pressuring world leaders at the climate change summit in Copenhagen. The petition included a cover of the song "Beds Are Burning". Additionally, after creating her career on Myspace, Allen deleted her social media accounts, announcing "I am now a neo-luddite."
October 2009: Allen Deletes Social Media Accounts
In October 2009, after building her career on Myspace, Lily Allen deleted her social media accounts and announced "I am now a neo-luddite. Goodbye".
December 2009: Climate Change Summit Petition
In December 2009, Lily Allen and several other musicians pressured world leaders attending the climate change summit in Copenhagen with the world's first digital musical petition, including a cover of "Beds Are Burning".
2009: Reunion of The Specials members
In 2007 at the Glastonbury Festival, Lily Allen reunited two members of The Specials, an act that guitarist Lynval Golding claimed played a "massive part" in the group's 2009 reunion.
2009: Cancellation of Second Season of Lily Allen and Friends
In 2009, BBC Three announced that the second season of Lily Allen and Friends would not air as originally scheduled due to music commitments.
2009: Release of 'It's Not Me, It's You'
In 2009, Lily Allen's second studio album, It's Not Me, It's You, debuted at the top of the UK Albums Chart and the Australian ARIA Charts and spawned the singles "The Fear", "Not Fair" and "Fuck You".
February 2010: Allen Reactivates Social Media Accounts
In February 2010, Lily Allen reactivated her social media accounts, four months after deleting them.
June 2010: Featuring on "Just Be Good to Green"
In June 2010, Lily Allen featured on the UK top five single "Just Be Good to Green" by Professor Green.
August 2010: Pregnancy Announcement
On August 5, 2010, Lily Allen announced that she was pregnant with her and Sam Cooper's first child.
September 2010: End of 'It's Not Me, It's You World Tour'
In September 2010, Lily Allen concluded her It's Not Me, It's You World Tour, which had begun in March 2009. Also, she gave her last performance for two and a half years, supporting Muse at Wembley Stadium in London, England.
September 2010: Last performance before hiatus
In September 2010, Lily Allen gave her last performance for two and a half years, supporting Muse at Wembley Stadium in London, England.
September 2010: Opening of "Lucy in Disguise"
On September 15, 2010, Lily Allen and her sister opened their own clothing store, titled "Lucy in Disguise".
October 2010: BMI Pop Song Award for "The Fear"
In October 2010, Lily Allen won her second BMI Pop Song Award for her song, "The Fear".
November 2010: Legal Action Against Daily Mail
In November 2010, Lily Allen took legal action against Associated Newspapers, the parent company of the Daily Mail, for publishing photographs of her home, citing invasion of privacy and copyright infringement.
December 2010: Engagement to Sam Cooper
In December 2010, Lily Allen and Sam Cooper became engaged while on holiday in Bali.
2010: Brit Award for British Female Solo Artist
In 2010, Lily Allen received the Brit Award for British Female Solo Artist at the Brit Awards. Allen and Amy Winehouse were credited with starting a process that led to the "year of the women" media label in 2009.
January 2011: Launch of Record Label 'In the Name Of'
In January 2011, Lily Allen launched her own record label, In the Name Of, with financial backing from Sony Music.
June 2011: Wedding to Sam Cooper
On June 11, 2011, Lily Allen and Sam Cooper wed at St. James Church in Cranham, Gloucestershire, England, with Allen being several months pregnant.
September 2011: Release of '5 O'Clock'
In September 2011, T-Pain released the song "5 O'Clock", which features a verse from Lily Allen's "Who'd Have Known" as the chorus. The song also features Wiz Khalifa and reached number ten on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Allen's first Top 10 single in the United States.
2011: Launching record label In the Name Of
In 2011, Lily Allen launched her own record label, In the Name Of.
2011: Expecting a boy in 2011
In 2011, Lily Allen was pregnant with a boy and experienced complications early in the pregnancy.
June 2012: Working with Greg Kurstin
In June 2012, Lily Allen confirmed she was in the studio working with Greg Kurstin on new music.
September 2012: Appearance on Pink's album
In September 2012, Lily Allen, then known as Lily Rose Cooper, appeared on the track "True Love" on Pink's sixth studio album, The Truth About Love.
2012: Writing songs for Bridget Jones's Diary musical
In July 2010, Lily Allen started writing songs for the musical version of Bridget Jones's Diary, which was scheduled to open in London's West End in 2012.
February 2013: Paris Fashion Show Performance
In February 2013, Lily Rose Cooper performed live at a Paris fashion show produced by Mark Ronson, foreshadowing a new album inspired by motherhood to be released by the end of 2013.
May 2013: Warner Music Group Acquires Parlophone
In May 2013, Warner Music Group acquired Parlophone from Universal Music Group.
August 2013: Name Change and New Music Announcement
In August 2013, Lily Allen changed her professional name back to Lily Allen and announced that new music would be arriving soon.
November 2013: Release of "Somewhere Only We Know" and "Hard Out Here"
In November 2013, Lily Allen released a cover of Keane's "Somewhere Only We Know" and premiered the video for her new song "Hard Out Here", facing accusations of racism for the latter's music video.
December 2013: Signing with Warner Bros. Records
In December 2013, Lily Allen was announced as one of the newest signees at Warner Bros. Records.
2013: Birth of Second Daughter and Postnatal Depression
In 2013, Lily Allen gave birth to her second daughter, Marnie Rose, following which she experienced postnatal depression.
January 2014: Premiere of "Air Balloon"
On January 13, 2014, the song "Air Balloon" was premiered on BBC Radio 1.
March 2014: Release of "Air Balloon" single
On March 2, 2014, Lily Allen released "Air Balloon" as the second single from her third studio album Sheezus.
May 2014: Release of "Sheezus" Album
On May 5, 2014, Lily Allen released her third studio album, Sheezus.
2014: Allen Uses Adderall
In 2014, Lily Allen became addicted to Adderall to lose weight before touring with Miley Cyrus.
2014: "Identity Crisis" after "Sheezus"
In 2014, Lily Allen experienced an "identity crisis" following the release of 'Sheezus', feeling controlled in her musical choices.
2014: Allen Pays for Sex with Female Escorts
In 2014, Lily Allen paid for sex with female escorts while married to Sam Cooper and on tour promoting her album Sheezus. These details were later revealed in her book and on social media, linking the events to her personal struggles during that period.
2014: Closure of Record Label 'In the Name Of'
In 2014, Lily Allen's record label, In the Name Of, closed down.
2014: Release of 'Sheezus'
In 2014, Lily Allen's third album, Sheezus, peaked atop the UK Albums Chart.
October 2015: Stalker Sends Email and Intrude
In October 2015, Lily Allen's stalker sent an email to his mother, stating he was planning on murdering a celebrity. He spent nights in her back garden, broke into her bedroom, and ultimately forced Allen to move.
2015: Allen and Cooper Break Up
In mid-2015, Lily Allen and Sam Cooper broke up after she confessed to acts of infidelity.
April 2016: Allen Gives Vote to Women's Equality Party
During the London assembly and mayoral elections in April 2016, Lily Allen announced that she would be giving "half her vote to the Women's Equality Party" by voting for them on the London-wide Assembly list but voting Labour elsewhere.
April 2016: Gray Convicted of Burglary and Harassment
In April 2016, Alex Gray, Lily Allen's stalker, was convicted of burglary and harassment. He was later sentenced to an indefinite hospital order.
May 2016: Launch of Bank Holiday Records
In May 2016, Lily Allen announced the launch of her second record label, Bank Holiday Records.
June 2016: Allen Supports Jeremy Corbyn
In June 2016, Lily Allen published several tweets and attended protests in support of Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, following mass resignations from his cabinet and a leadership challenge.
November 2016: Apology for "Hard Out Here" video
In November 2016, Lily Allen apologized for the "Hard Out Here" video, acknowledging her assumptions about feminism.
February 2017: Allen Diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder
In February 2017, Lily Allen revealed that she had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
February 2017: Diagnosis of PTSD
In February 2017, Lily Allen said that she was diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder after the stillbirth in 2010.
June 2017: Allen Discusses Grenfell Tower Fire on Channel 4 News
On 15 June 2017, Lily Allen appeared on Channel 4 News to discuss the Grenfell Tower fire, claiming that "the death count has been downplayed by the mainstream media" and disputing the official figure. The official death toll is now 72.
2017: Short Starring Morgana Robinson
In 2017, a short starring Morgana Robinson aired, which was later developed into the comedy-drama Dreamland.
2017: Working on a new album
In late 2017, Lily Allen uploaded numerous songs online, including "Family Man", in preparation for her new album, aiming to work through personal problems via music.
January 2018: Album Announcement
On January 24, 2018, Lily Allen announced that her new album would be called No Shame.
June 2018: Allen and Cooper Finalize Divorce
In June 2018, Lily Allen and Sam Cooper finalized their "friendly divorce" and agreed to share custody of their children.
June 2018: Release of "No Shame"
Lily Allen's album "No Shame" was released on June 8, 2018, receiving positive reviews and later being nominated for a Mercury Prize.
September 2018: Lily Allen Reveals Paying for Sex with Female Escorts
In September 2018, Lily Allen disclosed on Instagram that she had paid for sex with female escorts in 2014 while married and touring to promote her album Sheezus. She explained that she preempted a Daily Mail article by sharing these details, linking the events to her postnatal depression and marriage breakdown, stating she was "not proud, but not ashamed."
September 2018: Publication of Memoir
On September 20, 2018, Lily Allen published her memoir My Thoughts Exactly with Blink Publishing, which received nominations.
2018: Release of autobiographical book 'My Thoughts Exactly'
In 2018, Lily Allen released her autobiographical book, My Thoughts Exactly.
2018: Release of 'No Shame'
In 2018, Lily Allen's fourth album, No Shame, peaked at number eight on the charts.
2018: Revealing Abortion and Faking Miscarriage
In her 2018 memoir "My Thoughts Exactly", Lily Allen revealed that she had an abortion but "fake[d]" the miscarriage in 2008 due to fears over tabloid reporting.
April 2019: Working on a concept album
In April 2019, Lily Allen revealed she was working on her next record, which would be a concept album.
July 2019: Appearance in "How to Build a Girl"
In July 2019, Lily Allen appeared as Elizabeth Taylor in How to Build a Girl, alongside her brother Alfie.
November 2019: Allen Endorses Labour Party in UK General Election
In November 2019, during the UK general election campaign, Lily Allen declared that the Labour Party manifesto was "the best I've ever seen" and shared a picture of her polling card with the caption: "Tories OUT."
2019: Appearance in the film 'How to Build a Girl'
In 2019, Lily Allen appeared as an actress in the film How to Build a Girl.
2019: Allen Begins Relationship with David Harbour
In 2019, Lily Allen began a relationship with actor David Harbour. They later made their red carpet debut during the 26th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards.
March 2020: Mentions of past addictions
In March 2020, Lily Allen stated that her new album would only feature "odd mentions" of her past addictions, feeling she had moved on mentally.
September 2020: Allen Marries David Harbour in Las Vegas
In September 2020, Lily Allen married actor David Harbour in Las Vegas, a day after obtaining their marriage certificate. The wedding ceremony was officiated by an Elvis impersonator.
October 2020: Collaboration with Womanizer
In October 2020, Lily Allen collaborated with sex tech company Womanizer to create her own sex toy, Liberty, and became their chief liberation officer.
January 2021: Allen Discusses Adderall Addiction
In January 2021, Lily Allen gave an interview to discuss how she became addicted to the prescription drug Adderall in 2014 to lose weight before supporting Miley Cyrus on her Bangerz tour.
June 2021: Lead Role in '2:22 A Ghost Story'
In June 2021, Lily Allen announced that she would be playing the lead role of Jenny in the West End play '2:22 A Ghost Story'.
August 2021: Debut in '2:22 A Ghost Story'
In August 2021, Lily Allen debuted in the West End play '2:22 A Ghost Story' at the Noël Coward Theatre, receiving positive reviews for her performance as Jenny.
2021: West End debut in 2:22 A Ghost Story
In 2021, Lily Allen made her West End debut in the play 2:22 A Ghost Story and received a Laurence Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress.
2022: Glastonbury Performance with Olivia Rodrigo
At the Glastonbury Festival in 2022, Lily Allen appeared during Olivia Rodrigo's set to perform "Fuck You" in protest of the Supreme Court's abortion ruling.
2022: Awards and Nomination for '2:22 A Ghost Story'
In 2022, Lily Allen received a Laurence Olivier Award nomination and won a WhatsOnStage Award for her performance in '2:22 A Ghost Story'.
2022: Music Studio Session
In late 2022, Lily Allen booked five weeks in a music studio, but felt the music was not ready for release.
April 2023: Starring in Dreamland
In April 2023, Lily Allen starred alongside Freema Agyeman in Sharon Horgan's comedy-drama Dreamland for Sky Max.
2023: Starring in The Pillowman
In 2023, Lily Allen starred as Katurian in a revival of Martin McDonagh's play The Pillowman at the Duke of York's Theatre, London.
2023: Allen Diagnosed with ADHD
In 2023, Lily Allen was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
December 2024: Separation Allegations
In December 2024, newspapers alleged that Lily Allen and David Harbour had separated after Allen's dating profile was reportedly spotted on Raya—but these allegations have not yet been confirmed by the couple.
2024: Hosting Miss Me? Podcast
In 2024, Lily Allen began hosting a twice-weekly BBC Sounds podcast, Miss Me?, with her friend Miquita Oliver.
2024: Opening OnlyFans Account
In 2024, Lily Allen opened an OnlyFans account to sell pictures and videos of her feet, earning more than from her Spotify listeners.
2024: Recording 50 Songs
In 2024, Lily Allen said she had recorded around 50 songs for her next music project and was still working on it.
July 2025: Starring in Hedda
In July 2025, Lily Allen will star as Hedda Gabler in Hedda, a new re-imagining of Henrik Ibsen's play, at the Ustinov Studio, Bath, Somerset.
October 2025: Announcement of "West End Girl"
On October 20, 2025, Lily Allen announced that her fifth studio album West End Girl would be released four days later, receiving positive reviews.
2025: Release of West End Girl
In 2025, Lily Allen's fifth album West End Girl was released.
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