Sweet dreams are indeed made of this.

After years of rumors and speculations, Dave Stewart and Annie Lennox of the Eurythmics have announced that they have reformed the seminal synthpop '80s group for a new album, the duo's first since 1989's "We Too Are One."

In a statement issued by the Eurythmics' label, Arista Records, the band indicated that it hoped to have a new studio album out this fall, with an extensive world tour to follow.

A full-fledged Eurythmics reunion seems to have been building up for the last two years, as Stewart and Lennox have made a series of concert appearances together, the most recent coming at the 1999 Brit Awards in London in February (see [article id="1428691"]"Eurythmics Back For Brit Awards"[/article]).

Before the recent announcement, representatives for Arista had repeatedly balked at the notion that the performances might lead into a new Eurythmics album, saying only that they were both at work on solo projects, including

Lennox's long-awaited follow-up 1992's "Diva" LP. (In 1995, Lennox cut an album of covers, "Medusa.")

Since the split, Stewart has worked as a songwriter and producer for the likes of Tom Petty, Imogen Heap, Bryan Ferry, and Natalie Imbruglia. Stewart has also released several solo albums in his own right, including last year's "Sly-Fi," and recently scored Robert Altman's latest film, "Cookie's Fortune."

Stewart hinted at a potential Eurythmics reunion last year when he talked with MTV News about his newest album and Internet project, "Sly-Fi TV."

"Yeah, we've been getting along really well, Annie and I," Stewart said. "We're now both really into arts and visuals.... It's been several years since we last worked on a record together, so we're always sort of bemused at how many people are still interested [in the group]... but I know that sometime in the next two or three years, there'll be something that'll come out. Something unique and new."

During the Eurythmics almost

ten year run from 1980-1989, the group scored a series of Top 20 hits, including "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)," "Here Comes the Rain Again," "Would I Lie to You," and "Missionary Man."