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Singers Who Went Solo

Can you name the groups these artists sang with before going solo?
Quiz by Quizmaster
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Last updated: June 3, 2017
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First submittedSeptember 9, 2012
Times taken66,999
Average score59.1%
Rating4.39
5:00
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 / 22 guessed
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Hint
Answer
John Lennon
The Beatles
Diana Ross
The Supremes
Beyonce
Destiny's Child
Ozzy Osbourne
Black Sabbath
Lou Reed
The Velvet Underground
Sting
The Police
Iggy Pop
The Stooges
Justin Timberlake
'N Sync
Freddie Mercury
Queen
Gwen Stefani
No Doubt
Phil Collins
Genesis
Hint
Answer
Rob Thomas
Matchbox 20
Robbie Williams
Take That
Zayn Malik
One Direction
George Michael
Wham!
Lauryn Hill
The Fugees
Gloria Estefan
The Miami Sound Machine
Fergie
The Black Eyed Peas
Michael Jackson
The Jackson 5
Morrissey
The Smiths
David Lee Roth
Van Halen
Robert Plant
Led Zeppelin
93 Comments
+1
Level 66
Sep 28, 2012
Very hard quiz! I was able to get everything with 2 seconds left.
+4
Level 44
Aug 21, 2016
Horses for courses I guess. I found it ridiculously easy and had 3:07 left on the clock, but then music is by far my strongest subject.
+3
Level 89
Mar 6, 2021
Horses for courses, eh? I've never come across that idiom before.

I also found it to be fairly easy, only missed Robbie Williams.

+3
Level 15
Aug 7, 2017
I only got No Doubt and One Direction :)
+15
Level 65
Feb 6, 2018
WOW, I only got 7 myself, but you really didn't know John Lennon was from the Beatles?
+5
Level 48
Dec 6, 2019
must be a zoomer
+8
Level 37
Sep 28, 2012
I think 'The Jacksons' should count for MJ
+2
Level 74
Oct 1, 2014
They were originally called The Jackson Brothers.
+5
Level 63
Aug 7, 2017
Exactly, that was the name of the group when he went solo
+2
Level 60
Sep 28, 2012
Def Leppard should be accepted for Phil Collins. Also, the Quarrymen should be accepted for John Lennon.
+30
Level 73
Sep 21, 2013
Yeah, who's heard of The Beatles anyway? I've got all the Quarrymen's CDs. Remember Quarrymenmania? Ah, heady times. Heady times. And just take a look at Phil Collins, dude. Does he look like the kind of bloke who would sing in a metal band?
+1
Level 79
Apr 28, 2020
The Beatles is one of the most well-known bands in the UK. We play their music all of the time.
+1
Level 58
Mar 8, 2021
certainly not a hair metal band!
+2
Level 20
Jan 8, 2014
phil Collins was the lead singer of genesis and phil Collins was a drummer in def leppard 2 different people
+8
Level 58
Mar 10, 2015
Phil Collen played guitar with Def Leppard, and Phil Collins sang and played drums for Genesis.
+1
Level 83
Mar 11, 2015
Rick Allen is the drummer.
+1
Level 68
Mar 10, 2015
Likewise, Wild Orchid for Fergie
+1
Level 58
May 9, 2024
Never heard of him. I tried Man united.
+5
Level 68
Mar 10, 2015
BTW you got the wrong Phil. Phil Collen was on DL. Not Phil Collins
+6
Level 74
Apr 8, 2017
Somebody has Phil Collins and Phil Collen mixed up...
+9
Level 75
Jan 18, 2018
Could people please stop saying Phil Collen and Phil Collins - it's making me dizzy
+1
Level 61
Jan 30, 2019
I'm assuming this is a joke.
+1
Level 58
Mar 8, 2021
It's amazing how confidently people get things completely wrong. This is why humans will wipe themselves out eventually
+2
Level 61
Sep 28, 2012
Phil Collen, not Collins (for Def Lep). Close, though!
+2
Level 60
Sep 28, 2012
Ah, thank you for that. I was apparently misinformed.
+2
Level 21
Sep 28, 2012
No Eminem/D12? c'mon
+6
Level 74
Nov 25, 2019
technically he did a bunch of solo work before D12 put out an album, so maybe he's not considered someone who "went solo"
+3
Level 69
Oct 1, 2012
Zep rules!
+2
Level 52
Nov 28, 2012
no pete townshend and the who?
+1
Level 28
Mar 10, 2015
he hardly had a distinguished solo career
+13
Level 46
Aug 8, 2017
But Freddie Mercury and David Lee Roth did?
+1
Level 58
Mar 8, 2021
yes
+3
Level 74
Jan 6, 2015
Do you know who also went solo?? DEBBIE HARRY
+7
Level 58
Jul 5, 2017
Debbie Harry is only the one other person in the whole history of popular music on this list who went solo...? Wow, you live and learn...
+1
Level 72
Oct 10, 2019
Yes, that is exactly what he said, that she is the only one. Exams must have been tough for you if you read things that arent there.
+6
Level 65
Mar 10, 2015
I am amused by the comments regarding "omissions"; you could make it a 300 question quiz if you included everybody that fits the category.
+8
Level 67
Mar 10, 2015
Yes, they made a quiz and some people who went solo are not on it. It's not the end of the world. No Debbie Harry?! No Pete Townshend?! No Rod Stewart?! No Brandon Flowers?! No Lionel Ritchie?! No Natalie Merchant?! It would go on forever. It's not the quizmaker's job to cater to your particular tastes. There are lots of people who could be on here. This is who you get. If you don't like it, make your own quiz.
+7
Level 74
Mar 10, 2015
I don't care if QM caters to others' tastes, I just want him to cater to mine. I'm too lazy and ignorant to make my own quiz. Besides, it's fun to whine.
+1
Level 65
Mar 10, 2015
Well played!
+1
Level 74
Apr 8, 2017
Actually I've been happily married for 42 years, but I have a very tolerant husband. :)
+3
Level 82
Mar 10, 2015
Morrissey. Not one s. Two.
+1
Level ∞
Mar 10, 2015
Fixed
+3
Level 40
Mar 10, 2015
Reading these comments seriously made my day. Hilarious!
+2
Level 40
Mar 10, 2015
ps - you all know that Phil Collins plays the drums right? And that Rick Allen, who is the drummer for Def Leppard only has one arm right? Phil Collins has two. Sooooooo......there should not be any confusion.
+10
Level 32
Mar 11, 2015
Freddie Mercury may have had some solo material, but he was in Queen until his death.
+1
Level 27
Mar 15, 2015
When it comes to Genesis and solo acts, it's always the question: Gabriel oder Collins?
+4
Level 55
Jul 7, 2015
Morrissey is too low in the answers stat list
+2
Level 65
Jan 23, 2024
smiths the goat
+1
Level 65
May 7, 2024
Who?
+3
Level 75
Apr 13, 2016
There's no way that Robbie Williams should be described as an artist
+2
Level 40
Dec 27, 2016
RIP George Michael
+1
Level 86
Jun 7, 2017
Zayn Malik seems very out of place on this list for some reason.
+2
Level 91
Aug 7, 2017
Why is that? Because he's the youngest out of everyone here?
+4
Level 43
Oct 2, 2018
I mean he went solo from one of the most famous bands of this century, it doesn't matter how young he is
+1
Level 91
Mar 6, 2021
I mean it kinda does... nobody else on this quiz debuted in the 2010s.
+2
Level 68
Aug 7, 2017
I think Belinda Carlisle should be added with The Go Gos
+1
Level 85
Aug 7, 2017
Great quiz! Was able to get all with 3:58 left on first try.
+1
Level 65
Aug 7, 2017
Nice to revisit this quiz and still struggle with Rob Thomas and Iggy Pop. In the U.K. Rob Thomas is only known for that dam song he did with Santana....
+4
Level 61
Aug 14, 2017
.......and Camila Cabello
+1
Level 54
Aug 16, 2017
Where's the quiz about bands dumping their lead singers?
+3
Level 82
Sep 27, 2017
In Eddie Van Halen's pocket.
+1
Level 66
Mar 14, 2018
A couple more you could add if you want to: Ronnie James Dio (also Black Sabbath), Sisqo (Dru Hill), Debbie Harry (Blondie), Pharrell (N*E*R*D), Lionel Richie (Commodores).
+1
Level 68
Mar 14, 2018
Please don't require "the" for The Black Eyed Peas.
+1
Level 49
Apr 10, 2018
Missed a few, good quiz tho. How could I forget The Smiths?
+1
Level 61
Jan 30, 2019
I probably should have remembered Matchbox 20 for Rob Thomas, but I only know the name Robbie Williams from this website, and I have never heard of Take That before this quiz, so I refuse to feel bad about not getting all of the answers.
+1
Level 89
Mar 6, 2021
Good call, it's definitely not worth feeling bad about.
+2
Level 67
Apr 11, 2019
You should have Camila Cabello.
+2
Level 56
Nov 26, 2019
Should have Limahl from Kajagoogoo on here.
+4
Level 84
Apr 24, 2020
what about the runaways. Lita Ford and Joan Jett.
+2
Level 25
Jul 1, 2020
There's a lot wrong with the world when more people have heard of Matchbox 20 than the Stooges.
+2
Level 67
Nov 11, 2020
rip one direction :(
+1
Level 91
Mar 6, 2021
Nothing lasts forever.
+1
Level 67
May 7, 2024
Niall and Styles were a Payne for Zayn
+1
Level 71
May 9, 2024
Louis the forgotten one! :(
+1
Level 67
Mar 4, 2021
I saw the title and immediately thought John Lenon.
+3
Level 67
Mar 6, 2021
Lou Reed is the worst person in music.
+4
Level 51
Mar 6, 2021
Obviously you haven't heard of many musicians.
+3
Level 67
Mar 13, 2021
I know a ton of musicians. I was speaking a little tongue-in-cheek. Obviously musicians who killed or physically violated people are worse, but Lou Reed was pretty much a monster who abused everyone in his life, and physically abused several romantic partners. The fact he wrote a few good songs should not overshadow the fact that he was an awful person.
+6
Level 68
Mar 6, 2021
Freddie Mercury never left Queen, so did Robert Plant 'cause Led Zep broke up. The same is with Moressey and Lou Reed.

Very inaccurate quiz. Should check other names too.

+1
Level 80
Mar 9, 2021
The quiz doesn't say they necessarily left their original bands, just that they "went solo" which Freddie Mercury certainly did (he released 2 solo albums). The inference you made was all yours.
+1
Level 60
Mar 26, 2021
'Going solo' would imply a clean break to most, except pedants who need to add superfluous caveats to the original questions.
+1
Level 73
May 7, 2024
Led Zeppeling splitting up is a long way of saying that Robert Plant left Led Zeppelin, it’s just that the other two remaining members decided to leave the band at the same time. And Le Plant has gone to have a fairly successful solo career, all told. I hear he won a Grammy not too long ago?
+1
Level 45
Mar 6, 2021
Dion---Dion and The Belmonts Johnny Maestro-The Crests
+1
Level 44
May 7, 2021
I had no idea Ozzy Osbourne used to be in Black Sabbath! The whole time I kept on writing Post Malone.🤣
+1
Level 70
Aug 16, 2021
Fugees are dope
+1
Level 32
May 7, 2024
Nah
+2
Level 75
Oct 15, 2021
My mind always goes blank when I do these music quizzes.
+2
Level 59
May 1, 2022
Jacksons for Jackson 5
+1
Level 32
May 7, 2024
Missed Iggy pop. Only discovered him with "Candy" and the B52s
+1
Level 82
May 7, 2024
Can The Jacksons also be accepted for Michael? Since that was what the Jackson 5 became once they signed with CBS
+1
Level 60
May 7, 2024
How can Robert Plant "go solo" in 1982 when Led Zeppelin ceased to exist in 1980?
+1
Level 63
May 8, 2024
Freddie Mercury had a solo album, but he didn't really go solo. He never toured solo.
+1
Level 52
May 8, 2024
Freddie never went solo, He made a solo album, but never left to "go solo"