Make Up To Break Up

Its inevitable sometimes. A group or band come up together from a young age, go through the trials of tribulations of fame and success, only to break up like high school sweethearts.

Music is littered with tales of broken up groups. As common as it is for groups to form, its just as true that they will break up eventually, leaving devoted fans shocked and dismayed, longing for one last "reunion".

Quick, name three groups or bands who have stayed together for longer than 10 years. Without the assistance of iTunes or the ability to phone a friend, you'd be hard pressed to answer this pop quiz (you coulda named De La Soul, Aerosmith or Metallica, but its too late now). There are different types of 'break-ups'; those that occur and one or two individual artists emerge triumphant or the break ups that destroy the entire formula leaving members to regret ever thinking of it.

When Destiny's Child first came on to the scene, it was pretty clear to even a blind man that Beyonce` Knowles was the "Michael" of the group. Of course, the group was a wise marketing choice in the end; begin as a group, hit it big with several hits, laying the foundation for Beyonce's inevitable solo career. Even her former bandmates have managed to stay relevant in the industry (except LaTavia, ouch). Some talents are just too big to be confined in a group where the roles and fame are supposedly egalitarian (we'll call this the "Diana effect"). Chaka had to break away from Rufus, Patti took her LaBelle from the LaBelles and even Tito wasn't mad at Michael for going solo.

On the other hand you have Digable Planets. Now for casual hip hop observers you might remember their one mainstream hit "Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)", which hit the charts in 1992. However, their second album, Blowout Comb was a groundbreaking combination of jazz and hip hop not yet seen on that level before. The proverbial "creative differences" is the cause of the group's breakup and neither of the trio has really been heard from since (save Ladybug who appears on Snoop's "Candy" video). One could also argue that New Edition (above) was never quite as good solo as they were as a collective (obviously Bobby would firmly disagree with that statement).

Band breakups are a toss up. Sometimes you are left with the next great solo artist or the next candidate for a milk carton.