Going Solo: Ranking the Careers of Pop Stars Who Broke up the Band

After the large luck of the Pussycat Doll’s debut album in 2005, lead singer Nicole Scherzinger set to work on a debut studio album entitled Her Name is Nicole. It used to be introduced for liberate in summer time of 2007, however after 4 consecutive singles—”Whatever U Like,” “Baby Love,” “Supervillain” and “Puakenikeni”—didn’t make any affect at the charts, the album used to be shelved and he or she returned to the crowd for Doll Domination, their 2d and ultimate album, in 2008.

After the crowd disbanded, two solo albums—2011’s Killer Love and 2014’s Big Fat Lie—have been recorded, although neither have been ever given an reputable liberate Stateside. Scherzinger’s maintained a presence in the United Kingdom, the place she’s charted smartly, with a judging position on The X Factor. She returned to the crowd as soon as once more in 2019 to a mini-reunion excursion around the pond after debuting new unmarried “React” on British TV.

After opting to mention with the Backstreet Boys’ control corporate The Firm in 2002 after the crowd expressed their need to go away, Nick Carter started paintings on a solo album whilst the remainder set to work on an album of their very own. Now or Never, Nick’s debut solo LP, used to be launched on October 29, 2002 at No. 17 at the Billboard 200 prior to falling out of the highest 50 per week later. It used to be in the end qualified Gold, however not one of the tracks had a lot affect on pop song. By 2004, he’d reconciled with the crowd and gave the impression on their 2005 album Never Gone. He launched two extra solo albums, one in 2011 and the opposite in 2015, however neither charted within the U.S.

After convey the globe to a halt together with her 1998 resolution to take the Ginger out the Spice Girls recipe, Geri Halliwell launched her debut solo album, Schizophonic, in 1999. The album debuted at No. 42 at the Billboard 200 prior to falling by the wayside whole throughout the subsequent month. However, in her local UK, it peaked at No. four. Before rejoining the crowd for the wildly a success reunion excursion in 2007, she launched two extra albums, 2001’s Scream If You Wanna Go Faster and 2005’s Passion. While neither made a lot of an affect, the duvet of “It’s Raining Men” off the previous used to be featured because the lead unmarried at the Bridget Jones’s Diary soundtrack.

After sudden everybody in early 2015 by means of pronouncing his departure from One Direction, Zayn Malik got here out the gate robust with the discharge of lead unmarried “Pillowtalk” in January 2016, incomes him his first No. 1 at the Hot 100. Two months later, Mind of Mine debuted at No. 1 as smartly, making him the primary British male artist to debut at No. 1 in each the United Kingdom and the United States with each debut unmarried and album. His 2018 follow-up, Icarus Falls, wasn’t as fortunate, peaking at No. 61, however he stays an in-demand solo artist, lending his voice to a pop duvet of “A Whole New World” for Disney’s 2019 live-action adaptation of Aladdin, so we are not counting him out simply but.

After starting up a Jonas Brothers break-up in 2013 that would depart his circle of relatives in disarray for years, Nick Jonas become the “It” pop boy of the instant when he launched the lead unmarried “Chains” off his eponymous 2014 solo studio album—if truth be told his 2d, following 2005’s Nicholas Jonas, recorded prior to the JoBros have been a factor. (Certainly, the copious photographs of his newly beefed-up bod did not harm.) Second unmarried “Jealous” peaked gave his his largest luck, peaking at No. 7, whilst the LP peaked at No. 6. 2016’s follow-up, Last Year used to be Complicated, carried out even higher, peaking at No. 2, however a string of singles from a proposed 3rd album technology that didn’t generate a lot warmth and a need to get the band again in combination introduced him again to the JoBros in time for his or her huge 2019 reunion.

After pronouncing her departure from Fifth Harmony in December 2016, issues appeared rocky for Camila Cabello. Her debut solo unmarried, the moderately generic “Crying in the Club,” peaked at handiest No. 47 after its launched in May 2017, but if she honed in on her Cuban heritage for the Latin pop observe “Havana” in August, she discovered her candy spot. The observe would in the end achieve No. 1 and assist refocus writing periods on her debut album, Camila, which debuted at No. 1 in January 2018 stuffed with Latin-influenced tracks.

By June, “Havana” had change into Spotify’s most-streamed track ever by means of a solo feminine artist with over 888 hundreds of thousands streams on the time. It and “Never Be the Same” made her the primary artist to best the Mainstream op 40 and Adult Top 40 airplay charts with the primary two singles from a debut album.

The following June, she earned her 2d No. 1 at the Hot 100 when she and boyfriend Shawn Mendes launched “Senorita.” Her 2d LP, 2019’s Romance, debuted at No. three in December and has already been qualified Gold.

What started as a hiatus for NSYNC become one thing a lot more everlasting when Justin Timberlake launched hist debut solo album Justified in November 2002. Debuting at No. 2, the album helped mature JT’s symbol, spawned hit singles “Like I Love You,” “Cry Me a River,” Rock Your Body” and “Senorita,” and bought over 10 million copies international in its first decade. Since the 2006 liberate of follow-up FutureSex/LoveSounds, Timberlake has earned 4 consecutive No. 1 debuts at the Billboard 200, promoting over 32 million albums globally.

He’s received 10 Grammys, 9 Billboard Music Awards, and a Contemporary Icon Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 2017, Billboard named him the most efficient appearing male soloist within the historical past of the Mainstream Top 40. A yr later, he headlined the Super Bowl LII halftime display. His profession is the fashionable gold usual for boy band individuals taking a look to move solo, the trail all others aspire to.

Did you in reality be expecting any individual else? Since debuting atop the Billboard 200 with Dangerously in Love in June 2003, Beyoncé Giselle Knowles has confirmed she is de facto with out rival. She is the primary and handiest musical act within the Billboard 200 chart historical past to debut at No. 1 with their first six solo studio albums. She is probably the most nominated girl in Grammy historical past and probably the most awarded artist on the MTV VMAs. She’s bought over 100 million information international. In 2018, she become the primary black girl—and handiest particular person in this checklist—to headline Coachella. Hell, the marvel drop of 2013’s Beyoncé actually modified the trade, converting the theory of the way song may well be launched and when. She is the GOAT, the undisputed queen. Long would possibly she reign.