History Main / SoloSideProject

** In 2001, Damon Albarn released ''[[Music/GorillazAlbum Gorillaz]]'', which was more-or-less a solo album tied together with a VirtualBand concept and art by [[ComicBook/TankGirl Jamie Hewlett]]. It ended up being a huge success, spawning many more Music/{{Gorillaz}} albums over the years and [[BreakupBreakout outsizing Blur in general popularity, especially stateside.]] When Blur released ''Think Tank'', which was made in the absence of Graham Coxton, many noted that it sounded a lot more like a Gorillaz album than a Blur one. Ironically, Gorillaz wound up becoming Albarn's main project post-''Think Tank'' -- Blur only released one more album in 2015 and have been mostly on hiatus since its supporting tour, while Gorillaz still maintains a steady stream of new releases. Albarn has also released several solo albums under his own name, with the first being in 2014, curiously making them solo side projects ''to'' the solo side project. (And that's not getting into his involvement in [[AttentionDeficitCreatorDisorder multiple supergroups, various soundtracks, production work, an entire opera...]])

** Jonny has done work with the BBC as a composer-in-residence, and has done the soundtrack for Film/NorwegianWood, Film/ThereWillBeBlood, Film/Bodysong, and Film/WeNeedToTalkAboutKevin.

* After the release of Music/{{Boston}}'s second album, ''Don't Look Back'', songwriter and lead guitarist Tom Sholz got mired in legal conflicts with the band's producers, causing a long delay in the production of their third album. In the meantime, backup guitarist Barry Goudreau, along with singer Brad Delp, recorded a solo album titled ''[[SelfTitledAlbum Barry Goudreau]]''. Goudreau later went on to split away from the group, forming his own band, Music/OrionTheHunter (which featured the ''future'' Boston vocalist Fran Cosmo, and backup vocals from Brad Delp), and, later, with Delp, Music/{{RTZ}}.

* Davey Havok and Jade Puget of Music/{{AFI}} started a side project called Black Audio, releasing an album called ''Cex Cells''.

** In 2001, FaceOfTheBand Damon Albarn released ''[[Music/GorillazAlbum Gorillaz]]'', which was more-or-less a solo album tied together with a VirtualBand concept and art by [[ComicBook/TankGirl Jamie Hewlett]]. It ended up being a huge success, spawning many more Music/{{Gorillaz}} albums over the years and [[BreakupBreakout outsizing Blur in general popularity, especially stateside.]] When Blur released ''Think Tank'', which was made in the absence of Graham Coxton, many noted that it sounded a lot more like a Gorillaz album than a Blur one. Ironically, Gorillaz wound up becoming Albarn's main project post-''Think Tank'' -- Blur only released one more album in 2015 and have been mostly on hiatus since its supporting tour, while Gorillaz still maintains a steady stream of new releases. Albarn has also released several solo albums under his own name, with the first being in 2014, curiously making them solo side projects ''to'' the solo side project. (And that's not getting into his involvement in [[AttentionDeficitCreatorDisorder multiple supergroups, various soundtracks, production work, an entire opera...]])

* Music/{{KISS}} mainly did this with a set of four solo studio albums by each member at the time, released together in 1978. Peter Criss also released a second solo album, ''Out of Control'', during his time in the band.

* Music/{{KISS}} did this with a set of four solo studio albums by each member at the time, released together in 1978.

* Music/{{KISS}} did this, with all four members releasing solo albums at the same time.

** In 2001, FaceOfTheBand Damon Albarn released ''[[Music/GorillazAlbum Gorillaz]]'', which was more-or-less a solo album tied together with a VirtualBand concept and art by [[ComicBook/TankGirl Jamie Hewlett]]. It ended up being a huge success, spawning many more Music/{{Gorillaz}} albums over the years and [[BreakupBreakout outsizing Blur in general popularity, especially stateside.]] When Blur released ''Think Tank'', which was made in the absence of Graham Coxton, many noted that it sounded a lot more like a Gorillaz album than a Blur one. Ironically, Gorillaz wound up becoming Albarn's main project post-''Think Tank'' -- Blur only released one more album in 2015 and have been mostly on hiatus since its supporting tour, while Gorillaz still maintains a steady stream of new releases.

** In 2001, FaceOfTheBand Damon Albarn released ''[[Music/GorillazAlbum Gorillaz]]'', which was more-or-less a solo album tied together with a VirtualBand concept and art by [[ComicBook/TankGirl Jamie Hewlett]]. It ended up being a huge success, spawning many more Music/{{Gorillaz}} albums over the years and [[BreakupBreakout outsizing Blur in general popularity, especially stateside.]] When Blur released ''Think Tank'', which was made in the absence of Graham Coxton, many noted that it sounded a lot more like a Gorillaz album than a Blur one.

* Graham Coxon of Music/{{Blur}} fame wrote and released his own albums while the band was still together, and has continued his solo career post-breakup.
** Likewise Damon Albarn post-reunion with the release of ''Everyday Robots''. And that's not to mention the numerous musical projects he's also involved with, most of whom revolve around him anyway.

* Andrew Horowitz of Music/TallyHall is "edu" when left to his own devices. He released his debut album only on cassette tape in 2012.

* Hélène de Thoury, one half of the French DarkWave duo Minuit Machine and former keyboardist of the synthpop band Phosphor, records solo as Hante..

* Bill Wyman was the first [[Music/TheRollingStones Rolling Stone]] to release a proper solo album, with the brilliant and underrated ''Monkey Grip'' in 1974. This was followed by the average ''Stone Alone'' in 1976, the great but dated ''Bill Wyman'' in 1982, and finally the awful ''Stuff'' in 1992 (immediately prior to his departure from the Stones). He was also the only Stone to have a major solo hit, with "(Si, Si) Je Suis un Rockstar" in 1981, as well as the minor hits "A New Fashion" and "Come Back Suzanne" in 1982. His first solo single was "In Another Land" from the Stones album ''Music/TheirSatanicMajestiesRequest'' in 1967. He also composed and contributed to the soundtracks for the films ''Green Ice'', ''Phenomena'' and ''Terror At The Opera''.

* Music/PhilCollins started his highly successful solo career in 1981. Around the same time, Music/{{Genesis}} grew more popular, too, with Collins still as their drummer and lead singer. That way, it was pretty much impossible to avoid his music in TheEighties. It wasn't until the late Nineties that Collins left Genesis.

* Brandon Flowers and Ronnie Vanucci of Music/TheKillers both released solo albums in the last few years, but the band are still together and working on a new album.

** Rob Cantor also began a solo career in 2012.

* Music/DavidByrne began his solo career while he was still the frontman of Music/TalkingHeads, with his first two solo albums and his soundtrack to Twyla Tharp's dance project ''The Catherine Wheel'' all appearing on store shelves while the band was still officially around.[[note]]"Officially" being the operative word; the band dissolved immediately after the release of ''Music/{{Naked}}'' in 1988, just one year before Byrne released his second solo album, ''Rei Momo''. However, the band didn't formally announce their breakup until 1991, and as a result, they were technically still considered an actively existing band in 1989.[[/note]] Byrne would continue his solo career after Talking Heads announced their breakup in 1991, released his third solo album just a few months later, and still makes music to this day.
** Similarly to Byrne, the rest of Talking Heads all began their own side-projects while the band was still active. Jerry Harrison's three solo albums were all released during the 1981-1990 period, while Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth's side-band Music/TomTomClub released their first three albums between 1981 and 1988. Like Byrne, Tom Tom Club's career would also outlive Talking Heads, though their output is comparatively more sporadic.

* Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, and Phil Selway of Music/{{Radiohead}}--the frontman, lead guitarist/keyboardist, and drummer, respectively--have all released solo work during the band's time together.

* Hayley Williams of Music/{{Paramore}} has announced a side album titled ''Petals For Armor'', set to be released on May 8th, 2020.