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For a lot of budding musicians, nothing appeals more than the idea of being in a successful band. Getting to make music with friends, travelling around the world, and having others you can lean on for support and accountability are good things for many to strive toward. Of course, while being in a band might sound like a good move at first, they don’t always work out.
A lot of bands have terrible stories about why they broke up. Consider Fleetwood Mac, where a combination of drink, drugs, and sex threw the whole dynamic into hot water. The same happened with Black Sabbath, who had drugs at the forefront of their disputes. Other musical outfits like Guns N’ Roses, Pink Floyd, and The Beatles have conflict at the heart of their breakups, too.
There are other bands, of course, who part ways on good terms. They just see that it is time to go their separate ways and, subsequently, are ready to move on from the music of the band and start making their own songs. Often, an artist’s solo career after being in a successful band is a disaster, but there are rare occasions where going solo is the best thing an artist can do.
This list will examine in more detail the success stories of solo artists who tried it on their own and found nothing but success afterwards. You’ve probably heard of them…
Artists who outsold their former bands:
Iggy Pop
The Stooges were one of the most popular punk bands out there. They formed in 1967 and had a plethora of hits, managing to enter the Billboard charts with three songs and three albums. Songs like ‘I Wanna Be Your Dog’ are still considered classics to this day, filling dance floors and getting covered by budding bands worldwide.
Iggy Pop eventually left the band to embark on his solo career. He teamed up with several artists, including David Bowie, to create a stellar list of albums. Eleven of his records as a solo artist ended up in the Billboard charts, towering over the three that his former band managed.
Lionel Richie
Before he was a solo artist, Lionel Richie was in the successful band The Commodores. He wrote a few songs for the band and had an extensively successful career both with them and as a solo artist, but there is no escaping his name as a solo artist massively outweighs his name as a member of The Commodores.
He is still considered one of the most exceptional vocalists to ever take to the stage. His silky smooth voice has filled clubs (and bedrooms) for decades. Tracks like ‘All Night Long’ stand out among fans and casual listeners.
Jeff Beck
The Yardbirds were one of the most influential bands in rock history. Their existence meant that legends like Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton could find their voices as musicians and progress to make some of the most influential hits in the genre. Another artist who walked in the Yardbirds so they could run as a solo artist is Jeff Beck.
When Beck took to the stage in The Yardbirds, it was always clear he would excel. He brought the guitarist from the back of the stage and forced them to the front, as he played in an eccentric way that encapsulated audiences and left punters lost for words. He was always bound to do the same thing as a solo artist and excelled in doing so.
Neil Young
Formerly of Buffalo Springfield, Neil Young saw tremendous success as a solo artist. He had 65 albums on the Billboard charts, compared to the five he had with his band. He is also renowned as one of the most important performers to take to the stage.
He had a truly unique style that made him a guitar genius. Not only could he easily convey melody with his instrument, but he also had distinguished control over distortion, which meant that he could master different effects and make doing so sound easy.
Michael Jackson
If we’re talking about people who made a lot of popular music, it is hard to leave out the man who was aptly dubbed the king of pop. Even though the group he was in, Jackson 5, were prevalent, nothing could prepare Michael Jackson for his success as a solo performer.
He completely dominated the world, not only with his music but also with his stage presence, dancing, and voice. With the flick of a finger, he could make a stadium stand to attention, and his presence is still widely felt throughout pop music today. No star has ever left a successful band and seen the solo prominence that Michael Jackson has.