Failed Solo Missions

Artists who attempted a solo career — and stumbled.

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)

1 / 11

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)

Pras: October 19 - The rapper, who turns 41, shares his birthday week with former Fugees bandmate Wyclef Jean. (photo: John Ricard / BET) 

2 / 11

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)

Dawn Robinson: November 24 - The En Vogue singer celebrates her 44th birthday.  (Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Music Mogul Finals)

3 / 11

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

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)

4 / 11

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)

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)

5 / 11

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)

ADVERTISEMENT
/content/dam/betcom/images/2012/07/Music-07-01-07-15/070912-music-crunchy-black.jpg

6 / 11

Crunchy Black - Crunchy Black helped Three-6 Mafia become one of the most influential rap groups of all time, but left to start an ignored solo career right after they won an Oscar for Best Original Song for their signature hit “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp” in 2006.  (Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Aubrey O'Day: February 11 - The former Danity Kane member turns 29.  (Photo: Alexandra Wyman/Getty Images for Voli Light Vodkas)

7 / 11

Aubrey O'Day - Aubrey O'Day was the loose cannon of Diddy’s reality show group Danity Kane, who landed two No. 1 albums. Since going solo in 2008, she’s become more known for posing for racy spreads in Playboy and other magazines than for releasing quality music. (Photo: Alexandra Wyman/Getty Images for Voli Light Vodkas)

D. Woods: July 6 - The former Danity Kane member celebrates her 28th birthday.(Photo: David Livingston/Getty Images)

8 / 11

D. Woods - D. Woods was kicked out of Danity Kane along with her BFF Aubrey O’Day by Diddy in 2008. Her solo career has stalled since then, producing a few self-released but forgotten mixtapes and EPs. (Photo: David Livingston/Getty Images)

J.C. Chasez - J.C. fronted best-selling boy band NSYNC along with Justin, but he stumbled when he tried to follow in his bandmate’s footsteps with a 2004 solo album.   (Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

9 / 11

J.C. Chasez - J.C. fronted best-selling boy band NSYNC along with Justin, but he stumbled when he tried to follow in his bandmate’s footsteps with a 2004 solo album. (Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Jermaine Jackson - The former Jackson 5-er got booted from his five bedroom, six bath Calabasas, California rental house when the owner lost it to the bank. Luckily, his mom Katherine rented a mansion just blocks away!(Photo: Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)

10 / 11

Jermaine Jackson - Jermaine shared lead duties of the Jackson 5 with Michael, but his brother’s solo success didn’t rub off on him: Jermaine has released 13 solo albums, but only one, 1980’s gold-selling Let’s Get Serious, managed to crack the top 10. (Photo: Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)

Michelle Williams: July 23 - The former Destiny's Child member turns 32.   (Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images For BET)

11 / 11

Michelle Williams - Michelle was the first Destiny’s Child member to release a solo album with 2002’s Heart to Yours, but its moderate success paled in comparison to the chart-topping successes of Destiny’s Child, Kelly (“Motivation” was a No. 1 hit), or, of course, Beyoncé. (Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images For BET)