Most agree when it comes to rock and roll groups, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. There have been many great bands, but some have ended too soon. Here are the six best bends that ended far before they should have.
The Beatles
The most well-known group to ever disband was the Beatles in 1970, following years of fighting and turmoil that arose following the 1967 death of their manager, Brian Epstein. While the Beatles would go on to play separately on a couple of Ringo Starr’s solo albums, never again would the Fab Four play together as a band. The most infamous band in the world left behind millions of fans at the break up, but they left behind a legacy that will last for years to come.
Led Zeppelin
Begun as The New Yardbirds in 1968, the quartet of Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Bonham and John Paul Jones broke up in 1980 following the death of Bonham, who died after a night of heavy drinking. The band felt they could not go on as before without him, and the days of Zeppelin sadly ended.
The Doors
Led by charismatic singer Jim Morrison, The Doors stormed onto the music scene in the 1960’s. Their success was marred by Morrison’s drunken on- and off-stage antics and legal problems. After recording one of their biggest hits in 1971, L.A. Woman, Morrison took a leave of absence from the band and headed to Paris with his girlfriend. Morrison tragically passed away with the official cause of death being heart failure. The band never reformed, but their legacy continued on for years to come.
The Grateful Dead
The psychedelic jam band the Grateful Dead was another 60’s band with longevity and a huge worldwide following of Deadheads. Led by guitarist/vocalist Jerry Garcia, the Grateful Dead had been through various permutations due to band members’ drug and alcohol dependencies. The band soldiered on even when Garcia’s substance abuse and diabetes that put him into a diabetic coma. After recovering, he entered rehab, where he was found dead of heart failure on August 9, 1995.
The Clash
Punk rockers The Clash formed in the 70’s. By the early 80’s, drummer Topper Headon’s drug used caused his removal from the band. The remaining members were unable to keep the band together, and fans across the world were disappointed.
Nirvana
Nirvana emerged in the late 80’s from the Seattle grunge scene. Singer Kurt Cobain struggled drug addiction until his death. The band broke up after this, and fans were left wanting more Nirvana and more grunge.