By Iris Goldsztajn
11:29am PST, Jan 29, 2026
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Bands are amazing in and of themselves, but we often have these music groups to thank for launching the careers of some of the best solo artists of all time —
Beyoncé, anyone?
Michael Jackson?
Stevie Nicks? Exactly.
Keep reading for our favorite ex-band members who went on to have super successful solo careers…
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Paul McCartney
Obviously,
Sir Paul McCartney is on the list after first making a name for himself as a part of the legendary band The Beatles. The singer went on to give us beautiful
solo songs, as well as
unforgettable duets with the likes of
Stevie Wonder,
Rihanna and
Michael Jackson.
Zayn Malik
One Direction was perhaps
the most successful band of the 2010s. Post-split,
Harry Styles and
Zayn Malik went on to have the most prominent solo careers (so far). Though Malik — who goes simply by ZAYN — stays away from touring, he has performed hit singles including "PILLOWTALK" and "Dusk Till Dawn" with
Sia.
John Lennon
John Lennon, who died in 1980, enjoyed a prominent career post-Beatles, with hits including "Imagine" and "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)."
Michael Jackson
As hard as it feels to remember, there
was a time before
Michael Jackson, the solo artist. As part of The Jackson 5, the King of Pop became famous at age 11, per
History.
Harry Styles
Harry Styles' success post-One Direction has been nothing short of extraordinary, attracting many new fans. Armed with a new look and a new sound, the British heartthrob has hit singles like "As It Was" and "Watermelon Sugar."
Diana Ross
Before
Diana Ross embarked on her solo career, her name had already taken center stage in The Supremes' evolution. The group was later billed as Diana Ross and The Supremes, a change that, according to
Britannica, subtly foreshadowed her future success as a solo artist.
Lisa
Lisa's career may not have surged in the immediate post-BLACKPINK era, but it undeniably flourished during her time with the group. She and several of her bandmates continue to thrive as solo artists while remaining active members of BLACKPINK — a balancing act worth admiring.
Morrissey
Morrissey earned himself an army of fans as leader of the moody rock band The Smiths — and lost himself a whole bunch of them by airing some
deeply controversial opinions. Still, the Brit has enjoyed a thriving solo career.
JENNIE
Like Lisa, Rosé and JISOO, JENNIE releases successful solo music while still being a member of beloved K-Pop girl band BLACKPINK. What can't she do?!
Beyoncé
Beyoncé is pretty much the blueprint for finding success in AND out of a band. Rising to prominence in the '90s as part of Destiny's Child, she's gone on to become one of the most important musicians of the 21st century.
Rosé
Rosé is yet another member of the active band BLACKPINK to release her own music.
Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Hill became a household name as part of The Fugees, but has been a huge solo artist ever since the late '90s, per the
Academy of Achievement.
Sting
Sting was the charismatic frontman for The Police, but has been a giant of the music industry in his own right since 1985, when he first went solo, according to
his website.
Paul Simon
Simon & Garfunkel were the beloved duo who gave us songs like "Mrs. Robinson" and "Bridge Over Troubled Water," but as one half of the group, Paul Simon has gone on to enjoy a beautiful solo career as well. Did you know "You Can Call Me Al" and "Slip Sliding Away" were his doing?
Darius Rucker
Darius Rucker was part of Hootie & the Blowfish. As a solo artist, he has transitioned to country music — and has done amazingly well, too.
Dr. Dre
Dr. Dre has been famous since the '80s, when he was part of the rap group N.W.A alongside
Eazy-E and
Ice Cube. Per
Britannica, he went solo as a performer in 1992, which is also when he embarked on his eminent career as a music producer.
Fergie
Ironically, the Black Eyed Peas were
originally formed sans Fergie, but it's arguably the charming frontwoman who went on to enjoy the most successful solo career. "Fergalicious" and "London Bridge" were formative songs for millennials — for better or for worse.
Justin Timberlake
*NSYNC is legendary, and
Justin Timberlake is legendary. The singer and actor pulled off the rare feat of achieving equal success both as part of a band and as a solo artist. He's probably not crying a river about it.
Phil Collins
While many younger people might see
Phil Collins only as
Lily Collins' dad, their parents well know what a legend the man is. He was
originally a drummer and singer for the band Genesis, before blessing us with timeless hits like "In the Air Tonight."
Lou Reed
Originally a member of iconic band The Velvet Underground, Lou Reed went on to record songs like "Walk on the Wild Side" and "Perfect Day" as a solo artist.
Tyler Hubbard
Country die-hards know this already, but
Tyler Hubbard was once one half of musical duo Florida Georgia Line (the Georgia half, in case you're curious).
Since flying solo, he's had amazing success with extra-catchy tunes like "5 Foot 9" and "Dancin' in the Country."
Normani
The band Fifth Harmony was a total machine. As one of its former members,
Normani has released some
VERY successful songs like "Motivation," plus duets with the likes of
Sam Smith,
Khalid and
Cardi B.
JADE
JADE, a.k.a.
Jade Thirlwall, emerged on the scene as one-quarter of British girl band Little Mix. She
released her first solo single, "Angel of My Dreams," in mid-2024 — and the rest is history.
Stevie Nicks
Having originally made a name for herself as part of Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Nicks remains one of the most beloved figures in the music industry today. Her solo songs include "Edge of Seventeen" and "Rooms on Fire."
Pharrell Williams
Pharrell Williams has had many eras, including being part of the band N.E.R.D. While much of his career involves him being a producer, he has also released some pretty iconic solo songs as a performer like "Happy" and "Marilyn Monroe."
George Michael
Who could forget Wham!, the pop duo of the '80s? One half of the band,
Andrew Ridgeley,
had an inkling George Michael would turn out to be the big success out of the two of them — and he was certainly proven right.
Joan Jett
If you were sentient in the 1970s, or if you've seen the Kristen Stewart movie The Runaways, you'll know that Joan Jett's career began as part of the band by the same name. Still, these days she's mostly known for solo songs like "I Love Rock 'n' Roll."
Lionel Richie
Lionel Richie was
the crooner of the 1980s, but his career originally began as part of the band the Commodores, per
Britannica. As a solo artist, he performed unforgettable hits like "Hello" and "All Night Long (All Night)" — both still staples of wedding dance floors everywhere.
Gwen Stefani
Gwen Stefani rose to fame as part of No Doubt, but is now arguably much more famous in her own right — having given us pop songs like "Hollaback Girl" and "Rich Girl," plus she served as a judge on
The Voice.
Camila Cabello
Camila Cabello became known as a member of Fifth Harmony, but her career since leaving the band has been extraordinary — with smash hits like "Señorita," "Havana" and "Crying in the Club."
