When lead singers destroyed their bands

When bands break

Lead singers are usually the main voice and face of a band. They help make the music special and exciting. But sometimes, things don’t go so well. A lead singer might have a big personality, fight with other band members, or go through tough times.

This can cause problems that make the band fall apart or stop making music together. There are some lead singers whose actions or struggles led to their bands breaking up.

Chester Bennington (Linkin Park)

Chester Bennington was the lead singer of Linkin Park. In July 2017, Chester died by suicide at age 41. His death shocked fans and deeply hurt the band. Right away, Linkin Park canceled all their upcoming shows and took a break from music.

The band said they needed time to grieve and think about their future. Chester’s death was the main reason the band went on break.

Scott Stapp (Creed)

Scott Stapp was the singer for Creed. In 2004, the band broke up mainly because of his drug use and bad behavior. He had serious addiction problems and fought with the other band members.

They got back together in 2009, but the same problems came back. This caused another break. Stapp’s troubles and fights with his bandmates made Creed unstable for years.

His actions hurt the band’s success and made it hard for them to stay together. His struggles are a big reason Creed broke up more than once and could not keep their success going.

Paul Di’Anno (Iron Maiden)

Paul Di’Anno’s behavior and problems with drugs and alcohol led to his firing from Iron Maiden in 1981. He missed rehearsals and shows, and the band members thought he wasn’t giving enough effort. Di’Anno admitted he wasn’t able to be fully committed anymore.

The band’s founder, Steve Harris, and other members said that Di’Anno’s behavior hurt the band. After he left, Iron Maiden replaced him with Bruce Dickinson and became even more successful. Di’Anno’s actions changed the band’s early lineup and led to his departure.

David Lee Roth (Van Halen)

David Lee Roth’s big ego and creative problems with Eddie Van Halen led to his firing in 1985. Eddie confirmed in a 2015 interview that Roth’s attitude and desire for solo success made it impossible for them to keep working together.

After Roth left, Van Halen did well with Sammy Hagar, but the magic and popularity of the Roth era were never matched again. Roth’s behavior was a key factor in breaking up the original lineup of Van Halen.

Cedric Bixler-Zavala (At The Drive-In)

Cedric Bixler-Zavala was the lead singer of At The Drive-In. In 2001, the band broke up because the members had problems getting along. The biggest fights were between Cedric and guitarist Jim Ward. They had different ideas about music and personal issues, too.

Cedric also spent more time on a new side project called The Mars Volta, which made things worse. All these problems built up and made it too hard for the band to keep going. Band members later talked about how the breakup happened because of these creative and personal conflicts.

Shannon Hoon (Blind Melon)

Shannon Hoon was the lead singer of Blind Melon. On October 21, 1995, while the band was on tour, Shannon died from a cocaine overdose. He was only 28 years old. He was found unresponsive on the band’s tour bus in New Orleans, just hours before they were supposed to perform.

Shannon had just left rehab and still had drug problems. After his death, the band canceled their tour and tried to go on, but it didn’t work. In 1999, Blind Melon officially broke up. Shannon’s overdose directly ended the band’s first run.

Mark E. Smith (The Fall)

Mark E. Smith led the band The Fall from 1976 until he died in 2018. He was the only person who stayed in the band the whole time. In more than 40 years, he fired around 66 different musicians.

People knew him for being quick to fire band members, even for small things like dancing to the wrong song or eating a salad. The band’s lineup kept changing, and that gave them a wild and unstable reputation.

Michael Gira (Swans)

Michael Gira started the band Swans and was its leader. He had a strong and strict way of running the group. He made all the big decisions and controlled the music style.

Over time, this caused stress and tension in the band. In 1997, the band broke up because of creative fights and personal problems. Many say Gira’s intense leadership made it hard for others to keep working with him.

Still, in 2010, Swans came back together with Gira leading again. But the 1997 breakup is mostly blamed on how hard it was to work under his strict control.

Gary Numan (Tubeway Army)

Gary Numan was the main leader and face of the band Tubeway Army. In 1979, after their hit song “Are ‘Friends’ Electric?” and the album Replicas, Numan started a solo career with The Pleasure Principle.

He kept the same musicians, but the band name Tubeway Army was no longer used. Numan has said the band was just a way to launch his dreams.

When he went solo, Tubeway Army ended. His solo move in 1979 officially broke up the group. Even though the band name stopped, the music style and people stayed mostly the same behind him.

Peter Murphy (Bauhaus)

Peter Murphy was the singer of Bauhaus. The band broke up in 1983 because of fights and creative problems. Many of these issues involved Murphy. He missed important recording sessions because he was sick, and he had different ideas than the others.

This caused stress and tension in the group. His growing fame also made things harder. The band members and Murphy have both said these problems made it too hard to keep going.

People agree that Murphy’s actions and disagreements were a big reason Bauhaus split up. In later years, they got back together, but the first breakup lasted a long time.

Mark Lanegan (Screaming Trees)

Mark Lanegan’s addiction to heroin and alcohol caused many problems for Screaming Trees. He missed shows, had long breaks between albums, and caused tension with the other band members.

Guitarist Gary Lee Conner said that Lanegan became withdrawn and unproductive because of his drug use, which slowed the band’s progress.

Lanegan also had creative differences with other members, and this made it harder for the band to work together. Because of these issues, Screaming Trees broke up in 2000.

Shane MacGowan (The Pogues)

Shane MacGowan’s alcoholism and erratic behavior caused big problems for The Pogues. As the lead singer and songwriter, MacGowan’s drinking made him miss shows and give bad performances. His behavior upset the other members of the band.

In 1991, The Pogues had enough and fired MacGowan, even though he was very important to the band. After he left, The Pogues never did as well creatively or commercially. MacGowan’s drinking and actions are mostly blamed for breaking up the band’s classic lineup.

Richey Edwards (Manic Street Preachers)

Richey Edwards’s disappearance in 1995 had a huge impact on Manic Street Preachers. Edwards disappeared without a trace, and his car was found near the Severn Bridge. He was declared legally dead in 2008.

The band almost broke up because of his loss, but they chose to continue as a trio. Edwards was an important writer and creative force for the band. His disappearance changed the band’s sound and image, and it remains one of the greatest mysteries in music history.

John Frusciante (Red Hot Chili Peppers)

John Frusciante’s drug addiction and personal struggles made him leave the Red Hot Chili Peppers more than once. He first quit in 1992 because of heroin use and feeling uncomfortable with being famous.

This hurt the band’s sound and made them lose momentum. The group had to find new guitarists and deal with changes. John came back in 1998, which helped the band bounce back, but his issues kept causing problems.

His leaving and returning made the band’s journey rocky in the 1990s. His troubles affected the group’s direction and team spirit during that time.

Axl Rose (Guns N’ Roses)

Axl Rose’s strange behavior, perfectionism, and need to control everything caused big problems in Guns N’ Roses. He often showed up late, started fights, and made decisions without the band.

Slash, Duff McKagan, and Izzy Stradlin all said they left because of Axl’s attitude and control issues. By the late 1990s, Axl was the only original member left.

Former bandmates, managers, and many sources agree that Axl’s actions were the main reason the classic band broke up and stayed unstable for years.

Just like big awards shows, like Shōgun leads the way at the 2025 Golden Globes can change how fans feel about bands and TV shows.

Liam Gallagher (Oasis)

Liam Gallagher’s constant fighting with his brother Noel was the main reason Oasis broke up in 2009. The brothers always had a tough relationship, and it got worse. The final fight happened backstage in Paris before a concert.

Noel later said, “I simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer,” confirming that Liam’s behavior ended the band’s successful run.

This was shown in the Supersonic documentary, which showed how their fighting and inability to work together broke up the band after years of success.

Interestingly, many of these artists, like those featured in music icons who learned on their own, developed their talents independently, which sometimes led to strong personalities and creative clashes within their bands.

If any of these iconic lead singers’ stories surprised you or reminded you of your favorite band breakups, share your thoughts!

Read More From This Brand:

• Country Singers Born Under the Sign of Cancer
• Country Music Singers (Check Them Out!)
• Upcoming Country Singers Tours in 2025

Don’t forget to follow us for more exclusive content right here on MSN

If you liked this story, you’ll LOVE our FREE emails. Join today and be the first to get stories like this one

This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.