In the 1960s, rock music was exploding. In a way, the style was almost moving faster than anyone could keep up with it. Soloists were joining bands. Groups popped up and vanished. Others had multiple members find their own solo careers.
It was a mishmash and hodgepodge of grand musical proportions. And that’s just what we wanted to highlight here below. Indeed, these are three rock bands from the 1960s that saw multiple members go solo.
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Crosby, Stills & Nash
When Crosby, Stills & Nash got together, they formed a supergroup. Indeed, David Crosby had just been in The Byrds, Stephen Stills had just been in Buffalo Springfield, and Graham Nash had formerly been in The Hollies. But now, the trio was ready to take on music as their own unit. They released their debut album at the end of the 1960s in 1969, and with it came stunning, harmony-driven tracks like “Wooden Ships”. But it wasn’t long after that when the group added yet another big name to its marquee. Neil Young joined the group in the summer of 1969, and after that they became C.S.N.Y. Of course, the supergroup couldn’t last forever, and when the members disbanded, they all went solo.
The Beatles
It might be strange to think of The Beatles as a group that broke up and spawned solo careers, but that’s just what happened. Today, The Beatles are thought of as the greatest rock group of all time. So, to think of the band post-breakup is a bit strange. But after the Fab Four split around 1970, each of the members went on to enjoy solo careers. From John Legend to Paul McCartney to George Harrison to Ringo Starr, each of the former Mop Tops had their solo days in the sun.
Led Zeppelin
While most people think of Led Zeppelin as a classic rock group from the 1970s, the British-born rockers actually released their debut LP at the end of the 1960s in 1969. That self-titled record included hit songs like “Good Times Bad Times”. It also paved the way for a number of other standout albums. But when the band’s drummer John Bonham died in 1980, Led Zeppelin ended. After that, members like singer Robert Plant and guitarist Jimmy Page enjoyed their own solo careers.
Photo by Tom Copi/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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