The 125+ Best Solo Artists Who Used To Front A Band

Ranker Music
Updated April 26, 2024 160.4K views 145 items
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111.5K votes
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Voting Rules
Only musicians who were the lead singers of other bands. Rank them on their solo careers.
Latest additions: Michael McDonald, Omarion, Nico
Most divisive: Paul Simon
Over 8.2K Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The 125+ Best Solo Artists Who Used To Front A Band

Music groups, no matter how successful they may become, tend to have an expiration date. When a rock band or rap group eventually breaks up, not too many of its members go on to have solo success. This list, however, celebrates that small group of musicians who have managed to break out as a solo artist and reach the top on their own. From Sting to Stevie Nicks, every musician on this list are solo artists who used to front a band.

Icons like Neil Young, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Joan Jett and Ozzy Osbourne are great examples of musicians who had success with an earlier outfit but continued on to achieve success on their own as well. All of these artists have been critically and commercially lauded for their solo work and sometimes, their solo material is greater and more popular than the output they had with their original band. The aforementioned artists are great examples of this.

There are plenty of great solo singers on this list who had varying degrees of success with their first band or group or collective. But, we're trying to measure who had the best solo career, not overall career. That's why the frontmen or frontwomen on this list should be judged primarily on their solo careers.

Vote below for whoever you believe are the best solo artists who used to front a band!