SUCCESS BEYOND SUCCESS

Did You Know These 10 Solo Artists Came Out Of Previous Bands?

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Breaking out on your own after having found massive success with a collective outfit is not a decision to be taken lightly. Many have done just that, and their careers have gone the way of the Dodo. But a handful of talented and lucky stars have been able to strike gold twice.

Read on and learn about ten incredibly successful performers who emerged from very popular bands of their day.

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Diana Ross might be a household name these days, but it wasn’t always the case. Once upon a time, there was a band called The Supremes. Then, management decided to switch it to Diana Ross and the Supremes.

While this went quite well for Diana and the commercial success of the band, it didn’t feel that way for the rest of the Supremes, whose egos were a bit bruised by the whole affair. Eventually, Ross would leave the group entirely, embarking on an extremely successful solo career, including several number-one hits.

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The Commodores was a hit band in the 1970s, and a big reason for that was the co-lead singer of the band, Lionel Richie, who had the voice and the talent to be a star in his own right.

Richie would head off to do his solo thing, and the success of the Commodores propelled his career. Hits like "All Night Long" and "Hello" made it clear that he could still get his groove on but also still drop a ballad on you.

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What do Derek and the Dominos, Cream, and the Yardbirds have in common, aside from cool 1960s hair? The answer is Mr. Slowhand himself, Eric Clapton. These bands enjoyed the talent and artistry of Mr. Clapton’s guitar, and when the time felt right, the axe man moved on to do his solo thing.

Aside from his early albums, Eric Clapton lost the rock sound to a degree and got more acoustic and mild, but the success remained, with classics that resonate to this day.

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Sure, everybody knows who Beyonce is these days. But there was a time when she was part of an ensemble of equals called Destiny’s Child. Granted, she was the leading girl of the group, but still, it was a band.

As the story goes, Beyonce left to pursue a solo career and rose to a fame level that had eluded the popular group she came from.

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A person who can play drums in a prog-rock giant band like Genesis and sing at the same time has some serious talent. Phil Collins had the chops and the attitude to front a band from behind the drumkit and even take it to an unprecedented level of fame and success.

When Phil left Genesis, he became one of the biggest solo artists of the ‘80s with a string of hits. He would eventually win an Oscar for Best Original Song as well.

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One of the greatest bands of the 1980s, The Police gave us quite a few hits, from Message in a Bottle to Every Breath You Take, Don’t Stand So Close To Me, King of Pain, etc. And, as if that wasn’t enough, the lead singer and bassist went on to become one of the most successful pop artists of all time.

Penning almost as many hits as with his old band, starring in films, fronting noble causes, and traveling all over the globe, Sting's career has been diverse. He has not only retained but also increased his popularity tenfold.

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You must have done something right in the music business if David Bowie is producing your solo albums. That is the case of Lou Reed, who started his public career as the frontman of The Velvet Underground, a highly artistic music act whose first album cover was painted by Andy Warhol (as you can see, good connections were a recurring theme in Reed’s life).

When he went solo, Bowie produced his iconic Transformer album, which had hits like Satellite of Love, Walk On The Wild Side, and more.

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Few musicians could aspire to invent a musical genre, but the "Prince of Darkness" was one of them. As the lead singer of Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne played a huge part in the development of heavy metal music.

And when the whole band thing didn’t cut it for him anymore, Ozzy went on a solo project that led to similar levels of success. Eventually, Ozzy and the guys from Black Sabbath made amends and played together again quite a few times.

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Even if you’ve never heard the name Fleetwood Mac, you’ve probably heard their songs. Their music is everywhere and righteously so since it is great. With her voice and stage charisma, Stevie Nicks was an instrumental part of their success.

Her 1981 debut solo album "Bella Donna" was a number-one album and went platinum four times over. In the following years, Nicks played and collaborated with legendary artists like Tom Petty, and made a name for herself beyond her previous band.

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The Jackson Five were a huge success in the early 70s. They had catchy songs, great voices, and the whole brother-band thing going on for them. Oh, and they had Michael Jackson.

There is no way to overstate the success Michael had in the 80s and 90s as a solo artist. Within 12 years, he released Off The Wall, Thriller, Bad, and Dangerous, four albums with more hit songs than most multi-decade bands could only dream of. Yes, he had already found success with his brothers, but as a solo artist, he rose to a different level altogether.

TALKIN' THE TALK

From The 1930s To Today: 10 Slang Words That Defined The Decades

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Fashions are always changing, and everyday language is no exception to this rule. Have you listened to teenagers talk lately? Their vocabulary is full of words we don't quite understand. But come on, we did it too: every decade has had its own set of slang words and expressions. Have you ever said "Bread," "Radical," or "Talk to the hand"? Today, we'll look back at 10 slang words and expressions that have defined each decade from the 1930s to today! Let's "chillax" and read!

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This phrase originated in the early 20th century but reached its peak popularity in the 1930s. What does a monkey have to do with your uncle or with being surprised? Well, those are some of the questions that have come to mind because "I'll be a monkey's uncle" was used to express great surprise, as if to say, "I can't believe this!"

And wait until you hear its origin. The expression is believed to have arisen in response to Charles Darwin's theory of human evolution! Someone very shocked-and probably not understanding Darwin's proposal- might have said, "Well, if humans and apes are related, then I'll be a monkey's uncle!"

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Fortunately, we have thousands of ways to express affection to those we love, and giving a "smooch" is one of them.

The origins of the slang "smooch" are disputed, but it is believed to have emerged sometime before the 1940s in America, appearing as an onomatopoeic imitation of the sound an affectionate kiss makes. Other sources suggest that the term arises from an adaptation of the British English dialectal verb "to smouch," meaning to kiss.

In general, this slang expresses much love and care. So, have you "smooched" today?

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While this expression may seem like the title of a horror movie or the name of some strange insect that lives in the jungle, its actual meaning is much cuter than that.

"Ankle bitter" rose to popularity in the 1950s to refer to toddlers. It makes sense: they are just starting to walk, and they're still tiny, very close to the floor, and, well, also close to our ankles.

As time went by, the expression also began to be used to refer to another type of creature that can get close to - and literally bite - our ankles: that's right, puppies!

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Have you ever been ready to pay for something and suddenly realized you didn't have any "bread"? What? Wait, let us explain.

While it appeared for the first time many years earlier, the term "bread" became popular in the 1960s, particularly among young people, to refer to cash or money in general.

Many sources suggest that the term originated from an association between money as a primary means of subsistence and bread as the basic food. While it's still used, it's not as widespread as it once was.

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If someone tells you a story that is too good to be true, you've probably encountered a "jive turkey."

Originated in African-American Vernacular English and popularized in the 1970s, this expression is used to describe someone who is not entirely honest, cheats to get what they want, makes empty promises, or someone who just says things that aren't totally true.

The term "jive" had already been slang in its own right for a few decades and was used to describe people who were frivolous or simply deceitful. The 1970s came along to give some more charm and humor to the expression. Thus, the word "turkey" was added. Does any jive turkey come to mind?

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Besides spandex, big hairstyles, and neon colors, the 80s had a good variety of slang terms, many of which survive to this day.

One of the most popular slang words of those years was "radical." The term initially gained popularity among surfers and skateboarders in the California area, who used it to describe something too cool, awesome, or impressive, like a "radical wave."

Over time, the expression transcended the sport and started popping up everywhere.

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If there is something more nineties than grunge and low-rise pants, it is this slang phrase.

"Talk to the hand" was a popular saying among 90s youth, particularly associated with the stereotypical "cheerleader girl" style. However, with the term appearing in many popular movies and sitcoms of the time, it gained ground in popular culture.

When someone responded, "Talk to the hand," it basically meant they didn't care what you had to say or that they weren't going to listen. If you plan to use this expression, remember the most important part: you must accompany it with the classic raised hand gesture.

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But it's not only movies and TV that influence the way we talk; music does, too. So it was back in the late 1990s and early 2000s when hip-hop culture gave birth to the term "bling," remember?

"Bling" (or "bling-bling" if you were really cool) was slang for jewelry. But not just any jewelry; the term specifically referred to the big, shiny pieces typical among popular rappers and hip-hop artists of the time. In fact, the expression is also found in the titles and lyrics of many of their songs.

As time went by -and as it usually happens- the word expanded its meaning to refer to an ostentatious or luxurious lifestyle. The fame of "bling" was such that it was eventually added to many dictionaries.

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For several years now, another significant factor has been shaping our lexicon: social media. If you were online in the 2010s, you definitely read or heard the term "bae."

This slang expression has two theories about its origins: the first claims that the word arises as a short form of "babe" or "baby." The second holds that "bae" means "before anyone else." As you might guess, the expression refers to a significant other, such as a boyfriend or girlfriend.

The term is believed to have originated specifically on Twitter (now "X"), following a viral tweet that used it.

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This term has gained a lot of popularity in recent years, being present in music, Instagram, and TikTok.

When someone says something like "I'm serious, no cap," it means they're stating the truth or being honest. On the other hand, when the expression is just "cap," it implies the opposite, a lie or exaggeration, such as "They say he's the greatest quarterback ever, but that's cap."

Some theories propose the term originates from the gesture of removing your hat or cap as a sign of respect and authenticity. Would you use it?