Top 5 Reasons Bands Break Up

For many bands, success can be both a blessing and a curse. Ever wondered what it is that breaks up such a great mix of musical talents? Well, you are not the only one trying to figure them out. The fact is that the bands themselves probably don't even know why. But here's a breakdown of the most common factors that could lead to a band break-up.

The Drugs Don't Work, They Just Make You Worse

Perhaps The Verve was onto something when they devised that lyric in the prime of their career. Of course, at the height of their career, they broke up too. And it wasn't because of substance abuse but this has happened to many other famous bands. Drug abuse is prevalent in many a band life. It doesn't have to happen but it does and this almost always gets in the way of how a band performs on and off the stage.

I'm a real musician...not

Some bands also have a hard time keeping together because the musical glue that they have just doesn't work anymore. This phenomenon is also known as "falling out of love" for the music that one is most comfortable with. Eventually, a band will break up and members will take on solo careers that give them the freedom to experiment with other genres of rock or music.

I want to do it alone

Eventually, one of the members in a famous band will become a space hog. He or she will want all the attention and probably does get it. This is particularly true in cases where one member is more publicly known than his or her band mates. In time, they become solo artists and go at a music career alone. In some cases, it doesn't physically happen. The band may still stay together but its name has taken on the lead singers instead.

Where's the money?

Any successful musical career rakes in the money. It's just that all that money goes into a million things other than savings. This list includes new equipment, studio time, parties, the entourage, clothes, make-up, cars, houses, etc. The list is endless. Next thing that happens? Well, bankruptcy and not a dime in the budget to continue writing songs that will keep the money rolling in. Of course, there is always a job at the local 7-Eleven. Another money-related problem could be that there is not enough to entice particular members to continue in the band. And what better way to feed greed except through tons of money?

Artistic Differences

A common excuse, this is probably the one that works the most. The drummer might not like the singer's style; the keyboardist doesn't want to play a riff that the guitarist came up with; the bassist wants to play jazz instead of rock; whatever the reasons are, they are summed up into this one category: artistic difference. This usually happens in a bands career in the song-writing process. Everybody starts to analyze each others craft, criticizing their styles and suggesting something different.

Do you have a band or are you planning to start one? If you ever start experiencing any of the symptoms above, expect the worst. Or you can use this knowledge to your advantage and keep the band going until it becomes so huge, you'll be forced to break up because of old age.