Top 10 Musicians with Multiple Successful Bands
Most musicians would kill to be in one good band. Join http://www.WatchMojo.com as we count down our picks for the top ten musicians with multiple successful bands. We're basing our picks on the two respective bands' popularity and critical acclaim.
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Top 10 Musicians with Multiple Successful Bands
Top 10 Musicians with Successful Band and Solo Careers
Most musicians would kill to be in one good band. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we're counting down our picks for the top ten musicians with multiple successful bands. For this list, we're looking at a list of musicians or singers that are a member in two or more successful bands. We're basing our picks on the two respective bands’ popularity and critical acclaim.
Top 10 Musicians with Successful Band and Solo Careers
#10: Johnny Marr
Top 10 Musicians with Successful Band and Solo Careers
You might recognize Johnny Marr as the guitarist of The Smiths, one of the most important and influential rock bands in the 1980's indie scene. Marr has also been a part of many smaller bands, including Electronic, The The, and The Cribs, but it's his role in the American rock group Modest Mouse that is most notable within his post-Smiths career. He toured extensivelywith the band throughout 2006 and 2007, and their album We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank was Marr’s first number one album in the United States.
Top 10 Musicians with Successful Band and Solo Careers
#9: Chris Cornell
Top 10 Musicians with Successful Band and Solo Careers
Cornell is easily one of the most distinct singers in rock, known for his four octave range and vocal belting, so naturally, his abilities are well respected. Cornell served as lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of Soundgarden, a seminal group in the formation of the grunge movement before fronting another hard rock outfit, Temple of the Dog. He was also the lead vocalist of Audioslave, a supergroup consisting of Cornell and the instrumental members of Rage Against the Machine. Audioslave received three Grammy nominations and hold the distinction of being the first American rock band to perform in Cuba.
Top 10 Musicians with Successful Band and Solo Careers
#8: Jack White
Top 10 Musicians with Successful Band and Solo Careers
White is a major player in the garage rock revival of the 2000s, thanks in large part to his band The White Stripes, formed in 1997 with his then wife Meg White. They saw early success with the song “Fell In Love With a Girl” and took the world by storm with the immensely successful “Seven Nation Army.” In 2005, White started The Raconteurs with Brendan Benson, and their album Broken Boy Soldiers was nominated for a Grammy for Best Rock Album, helped by the single “Steady, As She Goes”. After creating The Dead Weather in 2009, he has since embarked on a solo career.
Top 10 Musicians with Successful Band and Solo Careers
#7: Paul McCartney
Top 10 Musicians with Successful Band and Solo Careers
McCartney is the man that needs no introduction. As the bassist for The Beatles, McCartney saw immense fame the likes of which were unheard of; their influence is still felt today, and their albums continue to prove popular. However, McCartney announced his departure on April 10, 1970 over business disagreements, and went on to form the band Wings with his late wife Linda, which began touring in 1972. They saw success one year later with the singles “My Love” and “Band on the Run” as well as the Academy Award nominated James Bond theme song “Live and Let Die”.
Top 10 Musicians with Successful Band and Solo Careers
#6: Damon Albarn
Top 10 Musicians with Successful Band and Solo Careers
If you don't recognize Damon Albarn as anything other than your man from Blur, there's a good reason: in his other band he's a cartoon. Serving as the lead vocalist for the virtual band Gorillaz, Albarn and company have sold over fifteen million albums and have seen critical success through a multitude of awards. In addition to Gorillaz, Albarn is also the vocalist of supergroup The Good, the Bad & The Queen and, of course, Britpop pioneers Blur. With Blur Albarn was the voice behind the US hit “Song 2” and the quirky British hit “Parklife”, which saw him share vocal duties with actor Phil Daniels.
Top 10 Musicians with Successful Band and Solo Careers
#5: Ritchie Blackmore
Top 10 Musicians with Successful Band and Solo Careers
Ritchie Blackmore first served as one of the founding members of the seminal rock group Deep Purple- a band famous for their song “Smoke on the Water” and the majesty that is “Highway Star”. In 1974, Blackmore received cello lessons from ELO’s Hugh McDowell and subsequently quit Deep Purple to form his own band, the massively successful Rainbow. Post-Rainbow, Blackmore has built a solid and successful career playing renaissance-like folk music in Blackmore's Night, proving his willingness to go wherever the music leads him.
Top 10 Musicians with Successful Band and Solo Careers
#4: Jimmy Page
Top 10 Musicians with Successful Band and Solo Careers
While being the guitarist and resident genius of Led Zeppelin would be enough to impress anyone, it's not for Jimmy Page. A former session player, Page first found the spotlight when he stepped out of the studio to play bass in the Yardbirds before stepping up to co-lead guitar and ultimately inheriting lead guitar duties from the departing Jeff Beck. When the Yardbirds folded before they completed a scheduled tour, Page was left in need of a new group which soon became the heartbreaking, whole lot of loving, on rambling Led Zeppelin. Post-Zep Page teamed up with Whitesnake vocalist David Coverdale to form Coverdale/Page, played in the Honeydippers, The Firm, and has toured on occasion with Led-Zep frontman Robert Plant.
Top 10 Musicians with Successful Band and Solo Careers
#3: Ronnie James Dio
Top 10 Musicians with Successful Band and Solo Careers
Well-known for making the heavy metal “devil horns” popular, Dio is one of metal's greatest contributions to music, and his talent was spread throughout many outlets during his robust career. He first came to fame as the front man and lyricist for Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow. While Blackmore glided towards more commercial territory Dio left and stepped into the big, batty shoes of Ozzy Osborne as lead vocalist for Black Sabbath. Dio also found massive success partnering with drumming Vinny Appice and future Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campell, under the “Dio” name. Dio closed out his legacy by teaming back up with his former Black Sabbath bandmates to form Heaven & Hell just before his death in 2010.
Top 10 Musicians with Successful Band and Solo Careers
#2: Dave Grohl
Top 10 Musicians with Successful Band and Solo Careers
Dave Grohl is easily one of the most robust, funny, and most caring figures of rock, known for his love and devotion to the craft and honest connection to the fans. Grohl has also definitely been around the rock world and has been fortunate to playwith some of its greatest icons. He drummed for Them Crooked Vultures, alongside Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones and lead singer Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age, who he also used to drum for. Grohl's two biggest claims to fame, however, would be his tenure as Nirvana's longest serving drummer, and as frontman, guitarist, and vocalist for the Foo Fighters. Before we look at our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Kim Deal Pixies, The Breeders Josh Homme Queens of the Stone Age, Eagles of Death Metal, Them Crooked Vultures Alex Turner Arctic Monkeys, The Last Shadow Puppets Joan Jett The Runaways, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts Vivian Campbell Dio, Whitesnake, Def Leppard
Top 10 Musicians with Successful Band and Solo Careers
#1: Eric Clapton
Top 10 Musicians with Successful Band and Solo Careers
A three-time inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Eric Clapton has had a life most can only dream of. His signature song, “Layla”, was recorded with Derek and the Dominos - the ninth band he'd recorded with by that point. Prior, Clapton found fame with the Yardbirds, and was given “God” status during his time with Bluesbreakers. Clapton built on his growing guitar-hero reputation with his loud, milky, bluesy guitar work in Cream before splitting in favour of the folkier, song-driven Blind Faith. Clapton has also had stints with John Lennon, Roger Waters, recorded with The Band, and was the first musician to guest on a Beatles album - all this, plus an untouchable solo career. Do you agree with our list? Can you think of any musician with multiple successful bands? For more diverse top tens published every day, be sure to subscribe to Watchmojo.com.
