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Posted by: awardinary 24th November 2016, 10:45 PM

Hello all, and welcome to The Solo Challenge!

The purpose of this event I'm running, with the support of the Chart mods, is to discover, with your input, who the best solo artist is who formerly was a member of a group, but has gone on to achieve some level of chart success in their own rights.

When you consider that so many different artists decide to break free from their groups to pursue their own music career, it's no wonder that a topic on this subject be created and discussed.

In this thread, I am looking for suggestions for both male and female recording artists who were formerly in a group but who have pursued solo projects.

The criteria is that the artist must have been in a group of 3 or more members, and that they have achieved a UK Top 40 single in their own rights.

Once all the best and most noteworthy names are collated, a series of finals will be run to determine the overall winner, both male and female, of the best solo artist formerly of a group.

From my own research, and from the input of others, here is who we have so far;

The Boys (in no particular order)

Michael Jackson (from Jackson 5)
Robbie Williams (from Take That)
Gary Barlow (from Take That)
Ronan Keating (from Boyzone)
Sting (from The Police)
Phil Collins (from Genesis)
Simon Webbe (from Blue)
Aston Merrygold (from JLS)
Zayn Malik (from One Direction)
Bryan McFadden (from Westlife)
Justin Timberlake (from N'Sync)
Dane Bowers (from Another Level)
Paul McCartney (from The Beatlesa)
Sisqo (from Dru Hill)
Brian Harvey (from East 17)
Travie McCoy (from Gym Class Heroes)
Nick Jonas (from Jonas Brothers)
Pharrell Williams (from N*E*R*D)
Darren Hayes (from Savage Garden)
Lionel Richie (from The Commodores)
Nathan Sykes (from The Wanted)
Marti Pellow (from Wet Wet Wet)
Kevin Simm (from Liberty X)
will.i.am (from The Black Eyed Peas)
Boy George (from Culture Club)
Dappy (from N-Dubz)
Matt Willis (from Busted)
Niall Horan (from One Direction)
Donny Osmond (from The Osmonds)
Freddie Mercury (from Queen)

The Girls (in no particular order)

Geri Halliwell (from Spice Girls)
Victoria Beckham (from Spice Girls)
Emma Bunton (from Spice Girls)
Melanie B (from Spice Girls)
Melanie C (from Spice Girls)
Mutya (from Sugababes)
Siobhan Donoghy (from Sugababes)
Cheryl Cole (from Girls Aloud)
Nadine Coyle (from Girls Aloud)
Nicola Roberts (from Grils Aloud)
Alesha Dixon (from Mis-Teeq)
Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes (from TLC)
Beyoncé Knowles (from Destiny's Child)
Kelly Rowland (from Destiny's Child)
Gwen Stefani (from No Doubt)
Louise (from Eternal)
Tulisa (from N-Dubz)
Lisa Scott-Lee (from Steps)
Rachel Stevens (from S Club 7)
Liz McClarnon (from Atomic Kitten)
Nicole Scherzinger (from Pussycat Dolls)
Kym Marsh (from Hear'say)
Annie Lennox (from Eurythmics)
Fergie (from The Black Eyed Peas)
Diana Ross (from The Supremes)
Debbie Harry (from Blondie)
Björk (from The Sugarcubes)
Belinda Carlisle (from Go-Go's)
Selena Gomez (from Selena Gomez & The Scene)
Sharleen Spiterri (from Texas)
Heather Small (from M People)
Mollie King (from The Saturdays)

Please continue to suggest others.

Posted by: Danvember 24th November 2016, 10:50 PM

George Michael shouldn't count as Wham! were a duo.

Posted by: awardinary 24th November 2016, 10:51 PM

Amended!

Posted by: Danvember 24th November 2016, 10:51 PM

Additionally, you can add all three members of Swedish House Mafia to this (Axwell, Sebastian Ingrosso and Steve Angello).

Posted by: awardinary 24th November 2016, 10:54 PM

But technically they were solo artists before forming a group.

Posted by: UltraBasicWitch 24th November 2016, 10:54 PM

Everybody favourite Girls Aloud member, Kimberley Walsh *.*

(Also Jade Ewen and Lauren Bennett!)

Posted by: Better Man 24th November 2016, 11:00 PM

If we compare the solo success vs band's success then:

Boys:
- MJ
- Robbie
- Sting
- George Michael
- Justin

* I'd like to say Freddie is the best artist in this list but I can't call him as successful solo artist *

Girls:
- Beyoncé

p.s. Maybe you could add Brandon Flowers, John Grant, Bryan Ferry, Annie Lennox

Posted by: awardinary 24th November 2016, 11:03 PM

Kimberley Walsh's only Top 40 chart success outside of Girls Aloud was as a featured artist with Aggro Santos, so technically not in her own right, but I may be lienient and add her later due to a shortage of girls.

Jade Ewen was a good suggestion, but like Swedish House Mafia suggested by Dan, she had solo success before joining the Sugababes, so I don't necessarily think she would count.

Lauren Bennett has the same predicament as Kimberley Walsh above for featuring on another artist's track.

But I like your thinking though!

Posted by: jafetsigfinns 25th November 2016, 09:49 AM

Hayley Williams (of Paramore) - no solo songs but she's featured on a couple of hits/non-hits from B.o.B, Zedd and Chvrches.
Annie Lennox (of Eurythmics)
Florence Welch (of Florence + The Machine) - F+TM is a band and she's gotten a couple of songs outside of the band w/ Calvin Harris, Lady Gaga, etc.
Fergie (of Black Eyed Peas)

will.i.am (of Black Eyed Peas)

Posted by: awardinary 25th November 2016, 11:47 AM

Oh these are great!

Posted by: Cameron 25th November 2016, 03:16 PM

Mollie doesn't have a top 40, she flopped in at #90

Posted by: Lewis17 25th November 2016, 06:36 PM

Two suggestions ...

Donny Osmond (Osmonds)
Diana Ross (Supremes)

Posted by: Martyn 25th November 2016, 08:52 PM

Do we count her sales position?

Posted by: awardinary 25th November 2016, 10:29 PM

Ok, you've got a point there, regrettably, so I shall remove her.

Posted by: awardinary 25th November 2016, 10:31 PM

Added.