10 Rock Music Bands Who Had Huge Potential (And Wasted It)
These bands had the world in their hands, but they let it slip through their fingers.
It takes a lot of hard work to make it in the music business; hours of practicing, writing, rehearsing, touring, self-promotion and, most importantly of all, figuring out what outfits to wear.
That's what makes it so heart-breaking when, after years of putting in the grind, a band finally reaches the brink of success, only to throw it all away.
Self-sabotage is tragically common throughout music history, as the pressures of fame and fortune prove too much for some. You would need hundreds of hands to count the number of artists who have blown it for themselves right at the pivotal moment, but for this list, it's been whittled down to just ten.
Whilst all of these stories are sad in one way or another, a few contain some more overtly unpleasant details, particularly entry 4. Drink, drugs, personal grievances getting out of hand, there are plenty of reasons why a band falls apart, and all of them and more will be covered here.
Just to be clear, none of these bands can really be considered "failures". They just never made it as big as they probably should have.
10. Big Star
Irony was clearly the order of the day when this band named itself, as they all had the chances to be big stars, but fate other ideas.
Formed in Memphis, Tennessee in 1971, Big Star were initially inspired by acts like The Beatles and Simon & Garfunkel, but would eventually find their own sound that was years ahead of its time. Retrospectives on the band claimed that they were forerunners of the alternative rock movement that would take over the mainstream in the 1990s.
Names from R.E.M's Peter Buck to KISS' Paul Stanley have cited them as an influence, which isn't bad going at all.
The group put out three albums in the 1970s, but were hampered by poor marketing from their label, Stax Records. A lack of commercial success led to tensions between the members, which resulted in the band splitting before the release of their third album.
A few months after it came out, original guitarist Chris Bell died in a car crash, ending any chances of a reunion.
Though they have found a place in history as a cult act, Big Star never shone as brightly as they could have.