5 British Rock Bands That Helped Launch The Most Successful Solo Careers

British rock has given rise to some of the most influential bands in the genre. At the same time, these groups have also acted as launching pads (or rocket launchers) for highly successful solo careers. Sure, it might be sad to see bandmates drift apart and popular outfits change their sound (or even call it quits altogether), but blimey, you can't stop fate from happening. The future wants what the future wants!

There are times when an artist goes solo, but they still return to the group after a while — think Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath as a major example — though a debate will always rage whether these musicians are better solo or with their original bands. In the end, that's a question that only the fans can answer, honestly and passionately. From the Beatles to Genesis, let's celebrate the British rock bands that helped launch the most successful solo careers.

Genesis didn't only catapult one successful career but two. After all, this is the British rock band that can count both Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins as their former singers. With Gabriel at the helm, Genesis carved out a proggy sound to shape the musical landscape, creeping into the Billboard 200 with a few of their technical masterworks in the '70s.

Gabriel departed Genesis in 1975 and went on to have major success, skyrocketing to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 with the savage hit "Sledgehammer" in 1986. He would win multiple Grammy Awards and be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Genesis as well as a solo musician.

The Collins-led version of Genesis would taste even more success than before, entering the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 with songs such as "Invisible Touch," "Land of Confusion," and "I Can't Dance." As a solo performer, Collins dominated the charts, hitting No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 seven times with timeless bangers like "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)," "Another Day in Paradise," and "Two Hearts." Like Gabriel, Grammy Awards and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductions followed for him, but Collins' greatest achievement is how he'll be remembered as the guy who dressed like Robert from the accounts department but sang like an angel for the world.

As part of Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne made history. The band attracted the attention of the world thanks to their macabre brand of menacing music. Their stellar 1970 album "Paranoid" climbed to No. 12 on the Billboard 200 chart and produced speaker-blasting songs like "War Pigs," "Iron Man," and "Paranoid" that the world still loves to this day. Ozzy and Sabbath continued to rock 'n' roll throughout the '70s; however, the group parted ways with their charismatic frontman in 1979.

What followed was a twisty journey that saw Sabbath try out different singers and Ozzy embark on a ridiculously successful solo career. His 1980 album "Blizzard of Ozz" charted higher than Sabbath's post-Ozzy release with Ronnie James Dio, "Heaven and Hell"; Ozzy reached No. 21 on the Billboard 200, while Sabbath only managed No. 28. From there on out, Ozzy's solo adventures went from strength to strength, with the singer winning multiple Grammys and becoming a bigger superstar than the band he started out with.

Black Sabbath and Ozzy would eventually reach the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200, which they achieved together through the release of 2013's "13." One could say that the different versions of Black Sabbath were all pretty good, but there was only one Ozzy Osbourne.

From the late 1970s to the early '80s, you couldn't escape the Police. No, not law enforcement officers, but the British rock band featuring Sting, Andy Summers, and Stewart Copeland. Their hit "Every Breath You Take" stalked its way to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, while they released a plethora of other chart-friendly tracks, including "Roxanne," "Message in a Bottle," and "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da."

The cracks, though, started to show, and all that glittered wasn't gold here. "The Police wasn't a particularly happy experience for me," Sting told Rolling Stone in 2015. "Getting what I had desired for so long — success — and finding it didn't equate with actual happiness made me even more unhappy." He wanted to pursue something outside the confines of the group, so Sting left the Police and chased the sun of his own solo career, though the Police regrouped on the odd occasion.

Sting certainly didn't do too badly for himself, racking up 11 albums in the Billboard 200's Top 10 and securing a No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hit thanks to his collaboration with Bryan Adams and Rod Stewart on "All for Love." He also secured a whopping 17 Grammy Awards — including five shared with the Police — as he firmly established himself as one of the most celebrated pop musicians of all time. Not too bad for a guy who shares a moniker with a legendary wrestler.

What is there left to say about the Beatles that hasn't been said before? They're one of the greatest bands of all time, and they have the numbers to back it up. They hold 20 No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hits, while 19 of their albums went to No. 1 on the Billboard 200. This type of success isn't just incredible — it's extraordinary.

The power of Beatlemania wasn't only confined to when the Fab Four combined their talents, as each of the members tasted success in their own right after the Beatles broke up. Paul McCartney went on to have nine No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, while John Lennon secured two on the same chart before his tragic death in 1980. (Surprisingly, "Imagine," which is arguably Lennon's most recognizable song, only reached No. 3.) George Harrison grabbed three No. 1 tracks, while Ringo Starr managed two.

It's a remarkable feat when you think about it. As a group, the Beatles dominated the charts and music industry like nothing anybody had ever seen before. When they split up, they did the exact same thing as individuals. If anything, it's testament to the fact that all four of them were world-class musicians and songwriters.

The Who remains a seminal British band that rocked the world with their unique and evolving sound. They also had the success to back it up, with 33 of their albums landing in the Billboard 200 and 11 cracking the Top 10. Lest we forget, they also provided one of the greatest theme songs to a TV show when their earworm "Who Are You" served as the long-running intro song for "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation."

Considering all the songwriting talent in the band, it surprised no one that the various members pursued solo careers as well. Bassist John Entwistle saw five of his albums enter the Billboard 200, with 1981's "Too Late the Hero" peaking the highest at No. 71. Not to be left behind, The Who's vocalist Roger Daltrey crooned his way onto the Billboard 200 chart nine times with his albums, with his soundtrack for the 1980 film "McVicar" charting the highest at No. 22. Guitarist Pete Townshend also saw 10 of his records enter the Billboard 200, while he also had a Top 10 single on the Billboard Hot 100 with the upbeat "Let My Love Open the Door" peaking at No. 9 in 1980.

Take nothing away from their solo successes, because these are sensational achievements that most musicians would sell their soul to achieve. Yet there's no disputing that The Who, collectively, remains better than what each member did individually.