10 Traditional Rock Artists Who Left Their Band & Had A Winning Solo Occupation

We continuously fixate on and analyze so many assorted parts of classic rock music with a microscope. Esteem, what makes rock, especially from the ’70s and ’80s time interval, one thing we take into memoir “classic?” What songs from the upper echelon of the genre are still moderately widespread to on the present time on streaming products and services luxuriate in Spotify, to the point that they’ve crossed over a billion streams? Traditional rock still knows one of the best blueprint to uncover our consideration (and our ears) this blueprint, sexy correct down to about a of one of the best bands in classic rock and why they broke up.

These juicy particulars apart, even supposing, what about what came about to these classic rock band ringleaders as soon as the band drama, the disagreements, and the egos bought save to the aspect, and they went solo in its save apart? That freedom doesn’t consistently lead to a lethal blow for these creators who make a choice to rush goal (even supposing now and again the outcomes aren’t mighty). In reality, there are bigger than about a musicians who no longer fully left their groups on the abet of but arguably had equal if no longer bigger success after they chose to rush and plot a title for themselves.

10

Darius Rucker, Hootie & The Blowfish

A Pop-Rocker Goes Nation

Darius Rucker’s band Hootie & The Blowfish used to be (and remains) a staple of ’90s radio pop-rock, profitable two Grammy Awards and having three Top 10 charting singles, as well as an album (1994’s Cracked Rear Window) that’s one among the all-time perfect-promoting records in the US. Whereas the community never truly destroy up up (fully going on a ten-year hiatus in 2008), Rucker first took the chance to rush solo in 2002. Whereas his R&B debut, Support to Then, ​​​​​​didn’t plot waves, it used to be country music the save apart Rucker chanced on added success.

His first country single, 2008’s “Don’t Ponder I Don’t Ponder About It” (off Be taught to Dwell), grew to became the foremost song by a Sunless artist since Charley Pleasure in 1983 to chart at no 1 on the Hot Nation Songs chart. In 2009, Rucker grew to became the foremost Sunless American to gain the New Artist Award from the Nation Tune Affiliation, and he’s routinely been a solo presence on the Nation and Billboard charts with each free up he’s had since.

9

Michael McDonald, The Doobie Brothers

A Soulful Crooner Finds Solo Success

Vocalist Michael McDonald joined rock community the Doobie Brothers in 1975, before all the pieces as a short-term replacement for lead singer Tom Johnston, who used to be going thru sickness. McDonald in the extinguish proved a success ample to defend chunky-time, singing lead on predominant Doobie hits and bringing a soulful groove to songs luxuriate in “Takin’ It to the Streets,” “It Retains You Runnin’,” and “What a Fool Believes” (which earned McDonald a Grammy Award).

After the band’s first farewell tour, McDonald went solo with his 1982 debut album If That’s What It Takes, which featured hit songs “I Gotta Try” and “I Protect Forgettin’ (Every Time You’re Shut to)”. McDonald has had assorted other hit tracks over the years as well, luxuriate in “Sweet Freedom,” “No Lookin’ Support,” and “Rob It to Coronary heart,” and earned two Grammy nominations for his 2007 Motown tribute album Motown. McDonald has fully persisted to be a presence on this planet of R&B, soul, rock, and yacht rock categories into the stylish generation.

8

Sting, The Police

New Waver Finds New Existence Solo

English musician Sting first rose to prominence as the bassist, lead songwriter, and frontman for new wave rock community the Police, from their 1977 formation till they in the extinguish destroy up up in 1986. Mixing rock with the sounds of reggae, punk, and jazz, the band scored hits eventually of their tenure, equivalent to “Roxanne,” “Can’t Stand Dropping You,” “Don’t Stand So Shut To Me,” and “Every Breath You Rob.” Once the trio broke up, even supposing, Sting didn’t rush away out a beat going out on his like.

His debut solo file, The Dream of the Blue Turtles, snappy went triple platinum and bought four Grammy nominations. Over the years, Sting’s solo songs would continue to search out the charts, including “Englishman in New York,” “Fields of Gold,” “If I Ever Lose My Faith in You,” “Note New Day,” and “Focused on Like” (with Rod Stewart and Bryan Adams). Between his solo career and the Police, Sting has offered over 100 million albums, won 17 Grammy Awards, and used to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Popularity.

7

Phil Collins, Genesis

The Drummer Takes The Lead

First and foremost an actor in his younger days, Phil Collins assumed the role of drummer in the rock band Genesis origin in 1970. After musician Peter Gabriel left the community in 1975, Collins took over as lead singer as well, scoring an immediate hit album with the band in 1976’s A Trick of the Tail. Extra success adopted with the community’s 1977 observe-up album,… And Then There Were Three…, as well as 1980’s Duke. Whereas Collins wouldn’t formally rush away Genesis till 1996 (for a time), he first went solo origin in 1981.

That debut album (entitled Face Worth) began a speed of solo dominance for Collins in the last decade, led by assorted LP hit singles luxuriate in “In The Air Tonight,” “I Don’t Care Anymore,” “Sussudio,” “Don’t Lose My Number,” and “Two Hearts.” Within the extinguish, Collins is one among fully three musical artists to ever sell over 100 million albums each with a band and solo, becoming a member of Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson in that uncommon class of popularity.

6

Joan Jett, The Runaways

This Rocker Slays Punk Mastery

Whereas still in her teenagers, guitarist/singer Joan Jett first grew to became segment of the recognition spotlight when she joined the all-girl rock community the Runaways in 1975. In spite of opening for bands luxuriate in Low-cost Trick, Van Halen, and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and having great songs luxuriate in “Cherry Bomb” and “Hollywood” of their catalog, the Runaways never moderately caught on (especially in the united states). By 1979, Jett would seek to pursue a solo career.

Releasing her debut solo file in 1980 with backing band the Blackhearts (on her self-began goal file label in the united states), Jett has long gone on to free up twelve entire studio albums beneath the Joan Jett and the Blackhearts title. Three of these records were certified platinum or gold, whereas eleven singles (including “I Like Rock ‘n’ Roll” and “I Hate Myself for Loving You”) charted on the Billboard Hot 100.

5

Peter Gabriel, Genesis

One other Genesis Solo Big title

Earlier than drummer Phil Collins injure up changing into the lead singer of the band Genesis, there used to be Peter Gabriel. One in every of the founders of the community in 1968, Gabriel used to be with the community eventually of their first six studio albums earlier than departing for his like solo career in 1975. Whereas the frontman had first rate outcomes with Genesis, his breakout occurred on his like deserves.

After four a success self-titled records, his fifth LP (entitled So) grew to became his bestseller, going multi-platinum in each the UK and the united states. So singles “In Your Eyes” and “Sledgehammer” led the model in popularity, with the “Sledgehammer” music video going on as one among basically the most conducted in the historic past of the music channel MTV. In entire, Gabriel has won six Grammy Awards and been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Popularity twice, with Genesis and solo.

4

Rod Stewart, The Jeff Beck Community/Faces

A Frontman Goes Even Greater Solo

English singer-songwriter Rod Stewart bought his first mammoth destroy in music with the Jeff Beck Community in 1967, his trademark raspy vocals becoming a member of forces with the extinct Yardbirds guitarist as well as future Rolling Stones musician Ronnie Wood. After a contentious two years, Stewart would leave to affix the Faces in 1969, whereas also launching his solo career the same year. As Stewart’s solo work bought bigger (especially after his 1971 single “Maggie Could”), that grew to became his predominant point of curiosity after the Faces broke up in 1975.

Within the latter half of of the ’70s, Stewart reached the peak of his worldwide popularity, backed by songs luxuriate in “Tonight’s the Evening,” “You’re in My Coronary heart,” and “Hot Legs.” Transitioning to disco and modern wave sounds as time went on, Stewart in the extinguish graduated to a intently soft-rock sound as the ’80s became the ’90s. Stewart even began decoding the Colossal American Songbook in the 2000s on how one can two Rock and Roll Hall of Popularity entries and over forty high-charting singles between the US and UK.

3

Tina Turner, Ike & Tina Turner Revue

A Rock And Roll Redemption Narrative

Tina Turner first rose to prominence as the lead singer of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue alongside with her husband Ike Turner from 1960 till 1976. The soul and R&B-leaning duo seen their popularity commence up to rise as they integrated rock tunes into their repertoire, preserving tracks luxuriate in The Beatles’ “Near Collectively,” the Rolling Stones’ “Honky Tonk Lady,” and Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Proud Mary” (their perfect hit). Unfortunately, Ike Turner’s rising drug components and abuse in opposition to Tina resulted in their destroy up in 1976 (and divorce in ’78).

In 1984, Turner launched a huge solo career comeback alongside with her multi-platinum album Non-public Dancer (and Grammy-profitable single “What’s Like Got to Lift out With It”). This kicked off a global level of success that incorporated one of the best-grossing tour of the ’80s (and second-very best grossing of the ’90s), eleven extra Grammy Awards, two Rock and Roll Hall of Popularity inductions, and a Kennedy Heart Honor. Turner bigger than earned the nickname she’d in the extinguish receive, the “Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll.”

2

Robert Plant, Led Zeppelin

A Rock Frontman Diversifies

Robert Plant used to be one among one of the best and most profound rock and roll frontmen when he helmed the band Led Zeppelin from 1968 till they dissolved in 1980, on a level with Roger Daltrey with the Who or Jim Morrison with the Doorways. Plant sang timeless Zeppelin classics, luxuriate in “Immigrant Track,” “Stairway to Heaven,” “Factual Times Wicked Times,” “Dazed and Puzzled,” and “Sunless Dog,” among so many others save out by the pioneering onerous rockers.

After the community participants went their separate ideas following the loss of life of drummer John Bonham, Plant went thru various shades of rock and roll, each solo (on his most a success 1988 multi-platinum album Now and Zen) and with aspect groups luxuriate in the Honeydrippers (with songs luxuriate in a remake of “Sea of Like”). He even took a significantly acclaimed country/americans-rock flip with bluegrass artist Alison Krauss as segment of a storied, ongoing career.

1

Paul Simon, Simon & Garfunkel

A Folk-Rock Songwriting Royal

There are few duos in the historic past of americans-rock as iconic as the mighty Paul Simon and Artwork Garfunkel, who took the ’60s by storm as the tandem normally referred to as Simon & Garfunkel. Singles luxuriate in “Mrs Robinson,” “The Boxer,” “Bridge Over Vexed Water,” and “The usa” fully commence up to scratch the flooring of their notoriety. Sadly, rigidity between the two participants resulted in Simon fully embracing his solo career with a self-titled LP in 1972 after Simon & Garfunkel formally destroy up in 1970.

Simon didn’t lose a step on his solo creep, even supposing, embracing sounds starting from gospel to reggae, soul, and South African influences on albums luxuriate in Smooth Loopy After All These Years, Graceland, and There Goes Rhymin’ Simon. The twice-inducted Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and winner of 16 Grammy Awards has persisted to ply his skillful songwriting trade well into the 21st century, even being acknowledged in 2007 with the Library of Congress’s inaugural Gershwin Prize for Standard Track.