10 Rock Bands That Quit At The Top

It's never a good thing when bands decide to call it quits. Even if you aren't the biggest fan of a certain band or artist, it always disheartening when they decide to lay their instruments down for the final time. Then again, if you must leave, you may as well do it while still at your best.

Over the years, there have been plenty of acts who have stayed way too long at the party and claim to still be at the top of their game. However, these acts are the exception to the rule, who were either being realistic about living up to expectations...or just happened to implode at the exact right time. While not every one of these acts necessarily left on glowing terms, there's at least some comfort in knowing that the legacy remained untouched. Even if some of these acts eventually reunited for a handful of shows or even a comeback album, it doesn't negate the near-flawless track record they had when they were still firing on all cylinders.

From pop rock darlings to some of the beefiest bands in the metal scene, these guys knew how to get in-blow minds- and get out before you even came to your senses. It sucks that we may not see too much more from them, but it was a hell of a ride while it lasted.

No one can really trace back the beginnings of alternative music. Though the era of off-kilter rock music tends to have its inception in the '90s, its real start was a decade earlier with bands like R.E.M. and the Pixies making waves on the indie scene. If there were any indie gods though, it would have to have been the Smiths.

Throughout the age of synths and hairspray, these lads from Manchester were creating some of the beautiful pop music ever made, fitting somewhere between the poetic lyricism of someone like Joni Mitchell while also being rooted in the uptempo jangle coming from Johnny Marr's guitar. Through albums like The Queen is Dead and Meat Is Murder, Marr's chemistry with frontman Morrissey led to songs that felt like they could touch your soul from the minute you heard them.

On the contrary, those open-hearted songs don't always equate to the most pleasant professional relationships. With Morrissey getting more and more involved with political matters and the rest of the band feeling restless, they soon parted ways after their 4th album Strangeways Here We Come. Even though the guys are still making quality music on there own these days, it's best to leave their legacy secure as one of the greatest indie bands to ever grace the stage.