Failed Solo Missions
Artists who attempted a solo career — and stumbled.
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Failed Solo Missions - With Justin Timberlake’s hugely successful solo career, it’s easy to forget that he started out as frontman of the pop boy band 'NSYNC. Despite that group’s record-breaking commercial achievements — including releasing two of the best-selling albums of all time — Justin’s success on his own was by no means guaranteed. Just check out these other musicians who went solo and stumbled. (Photo: Theo Wargo/Getty Images)
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Pras - Pras was the weakest link in the Fugees before their split in 1997. He followed up their six-times platinum triumph The Score with his own smash solo single, “Ghetto Superstar,” but that was pretty much the last anyone would hear from him. His solo album, also titled Ghetto Supastar, flopped.(Photo: John Ricard / BET)
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Dawn Robinson - Dawn Robinson helped lead En Vogue to blockbuster success, but left the group and went solo, briefly signing to Dr. Dre’s Aftermath. In 2000, she dropped a moderately successful gold-selling album with Lucy Pearl in 2000 before dropping a mostly forgotten solo album in 2002. (Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
Photo By Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Music Mogul Finals
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Speech - Arrested Development won two Grammys — including Best New Artist — in 1992 thanks to their debut 3 Years, 5 Months & 2 Days in the Life Of... But when Speech, the only member of the group anyone could name, went solo with a self-titled album in 1996, no one paid much attention. (Photo: Vagabond Records)
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Nicole Scherzinger - Nicole Scherzinger led the Pussycat Dolls to millions of record sales worldwide, but she still didn’t launch a successful solo career. Passing on two songs that became huge hits for other artists — Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” and Rihanna's “We Found Love” — probably didn’t help. (Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)
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