As someone who grew up loving boy bands—and still quite enjoys them—when the bands break up, it can be hard. Though on the bright side, those who break away and go solo can sometimes become even bigger stars. From the Beatles to One Direction and beyond, boy bands have become a staple in pop culture, yet it can be the individual young men in them who go on to leave an impact.
Without further ado, here are six solo artists who have grown past their boy band eras to another level of success.
Daniel Seavey
I’ve been obsessed with Seavey since 2017 when I discovered the boy band Why Don’t We. He was a part of it along with four other members until the band ended due to a lawsuit with the remaining four members having to pay their former manager a dollar each, with Seavey having gotten out of the contract years earlier due to declaring and filing for bankruptcy. Since then, he has gone on to become a solo act with his first song, “Can We Pretend That We’re Good?”, dropping in September of 2022, and his newest album, Second Wind, having just come out in March. With over one million monthly listeners, going on his own headlining tour, and having opened for Benson Boone, Seavey is taking off in his career and is only on the up from here. For more about him, read fellow Her Campus member Ashley Ciambrelli’s article here!
Harry Styles
I mean, really, I could add any One Direction member to this list and it would be accurate, but Styles really just took off on an entirely different level compared to his former bandmates. With over 46 million monthly listeners, multiple sold-out tours, several acting credits, and awards, Styles has a devoted fan base and created his own cultural legacy. He has even been the inspiration for fanfictions that have gone on to become movies, such as the After series and The Idea of You. Styles truly has become one of the biggest pop stars of his generation, not only breaking records with the song “As It Was” but with his iconic tour, “Love On Tour.”
Justin Timberlake
Timberlake is one of Billboard’s top music artists of the 21st century, coming in at no. 14. He got his start with Disney Channel’s All-New Mickey Mouse Club in 1993 (along with Ryan Gosling) before being selected to join the boy band *NSYNC. He released his first solo album in 2002 and quickly grew from there with songs like “Cry Me a River,” “Rock Your Body,” and “Senorita.” He also starred in the controversial 2004 Super Bowl halftime show with Janet Jackson. Timberlake’s career only took off with the release of “SexyBack,” and winning awards such as the Grammys, Billboard Music Awards, and People’s Choice Awards. He also tried his hand at acting for a few years, appearing in films such as The Social Network, Trolls, and Friends with Benefits. With over 43 million monthly listeners, Timberlake truly has become a pop icon in his own right.
Michael Jackson
For those who don’t know, Jackson used to be a singer for the Jackson 5, featuring his four brothers, but quickly eclipsed the band when he struck out on his own. Jackson is the first artist in music history to have had Top 10 singles in five different decades on the Billboard Hot 100. He’s won 90 awards, including at the BRIT Awards, Emmy Awards, and 13 Grammys. Sadly, he passed away in 2009 at the age of 50. A Broadway musical has been inspired by his life and the making of his 1992 Dangerous World Tour. His songs “Billie Jean,” “Beat It,” “Smooth Criminal,” and “Rock with You,” (and more) have all charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Jackson truly has left behind a legacy that only grows, with the title “King of Pop” that still belongs to him. Though he has since passed away, Jackson’s name and reputation have come under fire with sexual abuse allegations. His estate continues to deny all allegations, just as Jackson did in his lifetime.
Ricky Martin
I didn’t even know that Martin was in a boy band! Until the age of 18, he was part of a teen singing group called Menudo. Martin’s most well-known song has to be “Livin’ la Vida Loca,” his first English single. He’s had eight Grammy nominations and two wins, along with countless other awards and nominations. His first album, Ricky Martin, came out in 1988, with a second album the following year. Martin came out in 2010 after welcoming twin sons in 2008 via a surrogate and stepping away to focus on being a dad. He is now married and has four children with his husband. He also founded the Ricky Martin Foundation, a foundation committed to providing access to education, health, and justice, particularly for those affected by human trafficking.
Phil Collins
While his band, Genesis, might not technically have been a typical boy band, I’m still adding Collins to the list. I know Collins from his amazing soundtracks, such as Tarzan, and the song “In The Air Tonight.” Collins is an insanely talented musician with over 24 million listeners a month on Spotify. He has been around for five decades, is a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, though with his band and not as a solo artist, and is in the Songwriters Hall of Fame with countless other award nominations (29) and wins (25) under his belt. He has won at the Golden Globes, Grammys, Oscars, and American Music Awards, just to name a few. Collins is a truly remarkable musician who won’t be forgotten anytime soon.
With countless boy bands and artists getting popular every day, it can be hard to narrow down the list. I definitely didn’t mention all the male artists that have grown to be successful in their own rights, if I did, I would have included all the former One Direction boys, even the Jonas Brothers solo careers before they rejoined, or even the side careers that the 5 Seconds of Summer’s members have. Though, thanks to boy bands, we have been introduced to these amazing artists!