17 Popular Bands That Split Up and Never Regrouped
When brands break up, it’s a messy affair, whether caused by artistic differences, bad behavior, death, or just a lack of desire to continue.
In some cases, iconic bands have reformed because a promoter pays them millions to do so. For others, the issues that caused the split are impossible to reconcile. It’s a great shame for fans, but some bands went their separate ways and have yet to reform.
Since many of these music acts broke up at the height of their fame, we’re left wondering what they could have become.
1. Talk Talk
The creative force behind Talk Talk withdrew from public life after the band split in 1991. Mark Hollis was the singer and chief songwriter behind a group that enjoyed cult status amidst some minor chart success.
“It’s My Life” remains their most recognizable tune and a fitting legacy. Sadly, Hollis passed away in 2019, ending any faint hopes of a Talk Talk reunion.
2. The Clash
For some bands on this list, the possibility of a comeback at a later date remains, but that’s not the case for The Clash. The classic lineup broke down in 1983 when Mick Jones was fired and the group continued with lower-quality releases.
Jones and Clash singer Joe Strummer became friends, with the latter writing for Jones’ new band Big Audio Dynamite. A reunion seemed possible, but Strummer’s untimely death in 2002 dashed our hopes.
3. Creedence Clearwater Revival
We’re fortunate that Creedence Clearwater Revival packed many great songs into a brief four-year existence. However, a bitter split in the band meant that they never reformed, and when lawsuits are involved, the likelihood of a reunion is almost zero.
John Fogerty continued to play CCR songs in his set, while there are mixed-quality tribute bands to help fill the gap left behind.
4. R.E.M
Michael Stipe always seemed like a character who would not go back on his word. When the brilliant R.E.M. split in 2011, fans knew this was the end. There’s still time for the group to reunite, but former members don’t offer hope.
In 2023, Stipe stated that any return would be “tacky and money-grabbing.” He was happy with the decision to leave R.E.M. behind, although all four original members appeared onstage together at a 2024 event in Athens, Georgia.
5. The Smiths
Tensions between the two driving forces behind The Smiths have worsened. Singer Morrissey has publicly criticized guitarist and songwriter Johnny Marr, and his issues include a bizarre accusation that Marr is using his name as “clickbait.”
Smiths’ bassist Andy Rourke died in 2023, but the problems between the band members had already appeared irreconcilable, and a reunion of the surviving members would be a huge shock.
6. The Runaways
One of the first significant all-girl bands, The Runaways, split in 1979, but many fans felt the group lost its appeal when vocalist Cherie Currie left two years earlier. Lita Ford and Joan Jett enjoyed later solo careers, while Jett and Currie briefly reunited to produce a video game version of “Cherry Bomb.”
There was talk of a possible full reunion in the 1990s, but Lita Ford said the timing was off. Drummer Sandy West died in 2006, meaning the classic Runaways lineup will never reform.
7. The Jam
At the peak of their powers, The Jam shocked fans by splitting in 1982. The driving force behind the break up was singer and chief songwriter Paul Weller, who has since enjoyed a successful solo career.
A reunion seems impossible; at least, that’s the view of Weller, who feels that it would go “against everything the band stood for.” Bassist Bruce Foxton seems more optimistic, hinting that the trio almost reunited in 2015.
8. Ramones
Several bands continue without an original member in their lineup, but it wouldn’t work with the Ramones. Joey, Johnny, and Dee Dee were the essential participants in the band, and Joey’s death in 2001 ended any speculation of a reunion.
The group split in 1996, and we don’t want to see any random “brothers” named Kevin, Earl, Wayne Ramone, or anyone else.
9. The Beatles
At points during this list, we’ll have to address the definition of a “reunion.” In the case of The Beatles, we’re confident that an AI-generated single featuring a deceased band member is not sufficient grounds. To make a genuine comeback, each member of the Fab Four would need to be involved, and sadly, that isn’t possible.
Among the many tragedies surrounding John Lennon’s death is the belief that the band would eventually make up and get back together.
10. Joy Division
We know that Joy Division rebranded as New Order following the death of singer Ian Curtis in 1980, but why didn’t they continue with the name? The band had gained tremendous momentum and was about to tour America when Curtis tragically took his own life.
It would have been easy to continue as Joy Division, and the move may have led to more success. Still, the group had an agreement not to continue without its four key members. True to their word, Bernard Sumner, Stephen Morris, and Peter Hook established New Order and changed to a more electronic sound.
11. Led Zeppelin
It’s rare for a drummer to be indispensable, but the band decided it couldn’t continue when Led Zeppelin’s John Bonham died in 1980. Zeppelin remains among the best-selling artists of any genre, and if they’d wanted to reform, they could have named their price.
Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, and John Paul Jones played with Bonham’s son Jason at a 40th anniversary concert for Atlantic Records in 1988. They previously performed at Live Aid, but the performances were of poor quality, and few Led Zep fans class these as actual reunions.
12. The Housemartins
Some bands are linked to a specific period in music history, and a later reunion would feel out of place, as their music is “of its time.” That’s the case with The Housemartins, whose clever indie hits perfectly fit the 1980s.
The band has continued to work on different projects, with bassist Norman Cook reinventing himself as Fatboy Slim. Fans would love to see them back, but there’s little serious talk of a Housemartins reunion.
13. Elastica
Excitement built among Elastica fans when photos emerged of the band at Abbey Road Studios in 2017. The group was essential to the Britpop movement but split in 2001. They were on good terms, and rumors of a second coming have persisted.
Sadly, those hopes were unfounded, as Elastica had merely gathered at Abbey Road to listen to remastered tapes of their debut album.
14. Talking Heads
While Talking Heads briefly reunited for their 2002 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, three songs do not make a full reunion. The band had been involved in a bitter breakup, with leader David Byrne threatening a lawsuit if the other members carried on with the Talking Heads name.
Byrne subsequently conducted interviews, listing why the group would never reform and calling reunion tours an “exercise in nostalgia.”
15. XTC
Honestly, it’s a little surprising Britpop group XTC survived until 2006. After their formation in 1972, the group stopped touring after singer Andy Partridge could not overcome stage fright.
They continued to record, but complex relationships within the band meant that their output became less frequent, and their final album came out in 2006. Talk of a reunion centers on Partridge, but recent interviews suggest that XTC has drifted too far apart.
16. Gentle Giant
While other bands enjoyed more significant acclaim, Gentle Giant was one of the most underrated groups of the progressive rock era. Those with an interest in the genre who have yet to discover Gentle Giant are in for a treat. The group formed in 1970 and split 10 years later when they began to struggle with the creative process.
More than 40 years on, a reunion is unlikely, but there’s an extensive back catalog and plenty of reissues to explore.
17. The Kinks
Around the time Oasis and the Gallaghers were on their way to dominating the new Britpop movement, another pair of siblings called it a day. The Kinks broke up in 1996, and tensions between Ray and Dave Davies will likely mean we’ll never see the British pop band again.
Formed in 1963, The Kinks left a string of hits, including “Lola” and “You Really Got Me.” They’ve even been credited with inventing the distorted guitar sounds prominent in heavy metal, and that’s quite a legacy.
