3 Musicians Who Became Major Players in New Genres During Breaks From Their Bands

True creative spirits never like to stay in one place for too long. Movement, motion, and motivation are just part of what drives musicians, and through these three things comes the desire to reinvent and toil in creative fields that seem foreign. It is a story as old as time, but a true one. With that in mind, here are three musicians who became major players in new genres during breaks from their bands.

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Darius Rucker

Darius Rucker’s transition into country music just might be one of the most successful genre transformations in music history. In 2008, Hootie & The Blowfish went on an indefinite hiatus that concluded around 2018 after they got back to business with their Group Therapy tour. During those 10 years, Darius Rucker went on to become a major player in Nashville.

During those 10 years, Darius Rucker released several incredibly notable songs, such as “Come Back Song”, “Alright”, and, of course, the fan favorite, “Wagon Wheel”. Released in 2013, “Wagon Wheel” went on to become a No. 1 hit on the United States country charts.

Annie Lennox

In 1990, Annie Lennox took a break from her former band, Eurythmics, and embarked on a major solo career. With the Eurythmics, Lennox focused on synth-pop, a staple of the 1980s. However, after she left and started her own thing, she focused on genres such as jazz, soul, and R&B.

Lennox’s 1992 debut solo album, Diva, was a smashing success, as it peaked at No. 23 on the Billboard 200. Some notable singles in Lennox’s solo catalog include “Put A Little Love In Your Heart”, “Walking On Broken Glass”, and “Why”.

Gwen Stefani

In 2004, No Doubt announced a major hiatus. Since then, the band has reunited several times, some of which have included Gwen Stefani. However, since Gwen Stefani stepped away from the band in 2004, she has gone on to become one of the biggest solo pop stars in the world. Also, unlike No Doubt, who are a pop-rock band, Stefani has made a career for herself in strictly pop.

Since going solo, Gwen Stefani has not only become a fixture of The Voice, but has also scored five top 10 hits and a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. Furthermore, on the Billboard 200, Stefani has landed three top 10 albums, one of which went to No. 1.

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