Rolls-Royce has marked the centenary of its flagship model, the Phantom, by celebrating its long-standing ties to the music industry.
Since its launch in 1925, the Phantom has been associated with some of the most influential names in modern music, spanning jazz, rock, rap and R&B.
Chris Brownridge, Chief Executive of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, described the model as having long served as a “canvas for personal expression” for musicians. “From the Golden Age of Hollywood to the rise of hip-hop, over the last 100 years, music artists have used Phantom to project their identity and challenge convention,” he said.
The Phantom has featured prominently across musical eras. Early owners included Duke Ellington, Fred Astaire, Edith Piaf and Sam Cooke, while figures such as Brian Epstein and Berry Gordy represented its appeal to industry leaders. Among later icons were Elvis Presley, who customised a Midnight Blue Phantom V with bespoke features in 1963, and John Lennon, whose hand-painted yellow Phantom V became emblematic of the 1967 Summer of Love. Lennon later acquired a white Phantom V to reflect his minimalist aesthetic during the White Album era.
