Leaving a successful band can be a huge gamble, especially when fans already love the group exactly as it is. But these 25 musicians stepped out on their own and built solo careers that became just as big, and in some cases even bigger, than the bands that first made them famous.
Michael Jackson Left The Jackson 5 and Became the King of Pop
Michael Jackson became famous alongside his brothers in The Jackson 5 before eventually pursuing his own career. Albums like Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad turned him into one of the biggest solo artists in music history.
Diana Ross Left The Supremes and Became a Superstar in Her Own Right
Diana Ross rose to fame as the lead singer of The Supremes before leaving the group in 1970. She went on to score major solo hits like “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and build a successful acting career.
Beyoncé Left Destiny’s Child and Became One of the Biggest Stars of the Century
Beyoncé became famous with Destiny’s Child, one of the defining girl groups of the late ’90s and early 2000s. Her solo career quickly eclipsed that success with massive albums, tours, awards, and hits spanning more than two decades.
Phil Collins Stepped Out of Genesis and Somehow Became Even Bigger
Phil Collins went from drummer to frontman of Genesis, helping lead the band through some of its most successful years. His solo career produced huge ’80s hits including “In the Air Tonight” and “Against All Odds.”
Stevie Nicks Turned Her Fleetwood Mac Fame Into a Legendary Solo Career
Stevie Nicks became a rock icon with Fleetwood Mac, even as tensions and romantic drama famously complicated life inside the band. She launched a parallel solo career with Bella Donna and hits like “Edge of Seventeen.”
Tina Turner Left Her Famous Duo Behind and Staged an Incredible Comeback
Tina Turner found fame performing with Ike Turner before leaving both their marriage and musical partnership. She later mounted a spectacular solo comeback with Private Dancer and “What’s Love Got to Do with It.”
George Michael Left Wham! and Became a Global Superstar
George Michael became a teen idol alongside Andrew Ridgeley in Wham! before the duo amicably called it quits in 1986. His debut solo album Faith transformed him into one of the era’s biggest stars.
Lionel Richie Left the Commodores and Ruled the ’80s on His Own
Lionel Richie spent years writing and singing some of the Commodores’ biggest songs before leaving for a solo career. He became an ’80s powerhouse with hits including “Hello,” “All Night Long,” and “Dancing on the Ceiling.”
Sting Left The Police at Their Peak and Became a Solo Star
The Police were one of the world’s biggest bands when tensions between Sting and drummer Stewart Copeland helped bring their run to an end. Sting then established a successful solo career with songs like “Fields of Gold” and “Englishman in New York.”
Cher Proved She Could Become an Even Bigger Star Without Sonny
Cher first became a household name performing alongside Sonny Bono as Sonny & Cher before their personal and professional relationship ended. She reinvented herself repeatedly as a solo artist, eventually scoring the enormous comeback hit “Believe.”
Paul Simon Left Simon & Garfunkel and Built an Acclaimed Career of His Own
Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel became one of the defining duos of the 1960s, but their famously difficult relationship eventually contributed to their split. Simon went on to an acclaimed solo career that included the landmark album Graceland.
Ozzy Osbourne Left Black Sabbath and Became a Heavy Metal Icon All Over Again
Ozzy Osbourne’s increasingly troubled relationship with Black Sabbath led to his firing from the band in 1979. He bounced back with a hugely successful solo career launched by Blizzard of Ozz.
Eric Clapton Left Cream and Built a Decades Long Career Under His Own Name
Eric Clapton played guitar in Cream until tensions between the members helped bring the supergroup to an end. He eventually became an even more recognizable solo artist with songs like “Wonderful Tonight,” and “Tears in Heaven.”
Paul McCartney Left The Beatles and Proved His Career Was Far From Over
The Beatles’ breakup was notoriously messy, with business disputes and personal tensions surrounding the end of the band. McCartney quickly moved forward with solo albums and Wings, beginning another enormously successful chapter.
Neil Young Left Buffalo Springfield and Became a Rock Legend
Neil Young was a member of Buffalo Springfield during the band’s brief but influential run in the 1960s. His sprawling solo career later produced classics including Harvest, “Heart of Gold,” and “Old Man.”
Don Henley Took the Eagles’ Breakup and Turned It Into an ’80s Solo Career
Years of tension within the Eagles culminated in the band breaking apart in 1980. Henley found major success on his own with hits including “The Boys of Summer” and “The End of the Innocence.”
Belinda Carlisle Left The Go Go’s and Found a Whole New Level of Success
Belinda Carlisle fronted The Go-Go’s until internal tensions and other problems contributed to the band’s 1985 breakup. She reinvented herself as a solo pop star with hits including “Heaven Is a Place on Earth.”
Lauryn Hill Left the Fugees and Made a Generation Defining Album
Lauryn Hill became a star with the Fugees before tensions within the group accompanied their late-’90s hiatus. Her 1998 solo debut The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill became a massive commercial and critical success.
Justin Timberlake Left NSYNC and Became a 2000s Pop Superstar
Justin Timberlake rose to fame as one-fifth of NSYNC before the group went on hiatus in the early 2000s. Justified quickly established him as a major solo artist.
Robbie Williams Left Take That and Became a Superstar Without the Boy Band
Robbie Williams’ increasingly difficult relationship with his Take That bandmates led to his departure in 1995. He became an enormous solo star in the UK and beyond with songs including “Angels” and “Rock DJ.”
Harry Styles Left One Direction and Became an Even Bigger Star on His Own
One Direction went on hiatus in 2016 after becoming one of the biggest boy bands of their generation. Styles emerged as its biggest solo success, scoring massive hits including “Watermelon Sugar” and “As It Was.”
Camila Cabello Left Fifth Harmony and Quickly Scored a Massive Solo Breakout
Camila Cabello’s 2016 departure from Fifth Harmony became messy when the group and Cabello offered conflicting accounts of how her exit happened. She quickly found solo success, with “Havana” becoming one of her signature hits.
Robert Plant Left Led Zeppelin Behind and Refused to Live in the Past
Led Zeppelin ended after drummer John Bonham’s death in 1980, rather than Plant simply leaving the group. Plant built an adventurous solo career afterward and repeatedly resisted turning Zeppelin into a permanent reunion act.
Gwen Stefani Stepped Away From No Doubt and Reinvented Herself as a Pop Star
Gwen Stefani spent years fronting No Doubt before using the band’s hiatus to explore a completely different sound. Love. Angel. Music. Baby. launched her into solo pop stardom with hits like “Hollaback Girl.”
Cheryl Left Girls Aloud and Became a Solo Star
Cheryl rose to fame as one fifth of Girls Aloud before the group went on hiatus in 2009. She found major solo success with hits like “Fight for This Love” and “Call My Name,” scoring multiple No. 1 singles in the UK.
