Can you name some former rockers from a band who turned into a solo singer songwriter?

John Lennon, for a start

Paul McCartney.

Rod Stewart was with the Jeff Beck Group before he went solo.

Jumpin’ Jiminy Hendrix was with Curtis Knight and then the Experience, before he went solo.

Paul Simon

Michael Nesmith of The Monkees. He wrote a couple of Monkees tunes, but when they broke up, he took up a solo singing career that was more country in style, but he wrote all of his own songs.

One of my favorite songs of all time, which was written by Papa Nez, as he’s often called, is Joanne

Sting

Robert Plant

Neil Young

Bono

Gwen Stefanni

Ozzy
Lou Reed
Bruce Dickinson
Morrisey

Billy Joel.

Noel Gallagher.

Chris Cornell

David Lee Roth of Van Halen went solo for a while. George Michael of Wham! went solo—his music definitely changed.

Justin Timberlake (N’Sync), Beyonce (Destiny’s Child), Michael Jackson (Jackson 5), Sting (The Police), Ricky Martin (Menudo), Natalie Merchant (10,000 Maniacs), Lauren Hill (Fugees)... didn’t Simon LeBon of Duran Duran try to go solo, too?

Pete Townshend has spoken about the challenge of writing solo songs after doing band songs with the Who.

Eric Clapton
Peter Gabriel

@filmfann I really enjoyed Pete Townsend’s solo stuff. I should dig that out again.

Serj Tankian from System of a Down

Duece from Hollywood Undead

@MilkyWay Yes, I love me some Noel Gallagher. I saw Oasis once, it was amazing, but I realized it was Noel, not Liam that really has the heart and the soul of the music.. I almost wept outloud when I heard Talk Tonight

donald fagen. steve winwood. henry rollins. natalie merchant.

Phil Collins
Rob Thomas
Robbie Williams

Alexander – edward sharpe
courtney love – hole
all 4 of the strokes
jack white
Rain Mada
Jay Malinowski

Clapton

@Kardamom I love Noel Gallagher, that song’s great. You should listen to his latest
track too :)

Noel Gallagher is a pompous son of a bitch. In a SPIN Magazine article, he bashed Radioheads, “In Rainbows.” and criticized Radioheads lack of realization of reality. What a prick. He just needs to make music and shut up. Aside from that he does make bright sounds.