10 Rock Music Bands That Quit On Top
5. Nirvana
A substantially bleaker example here. Nirvana “quit”, of course, due to the suicide of Kurt Cobain. That’s about as stark an endpoint as a band can possibly have.
And yet, there are plenty of groups that have gone on after the loss of a major player. While the continuation of a band after the death of the frontperson is rare - Joy Division’s rebirth as New Order may be the closest parallel - it does happen, with the likes of Queen and The Doors limping on with limited success.
The cash that would have been on the table back in 1994 would have been staggering. Nirvana had already confounded the industry with their unwillingness to truly cash in on their sudden superstardom. This could have been an opportunity for Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl to grab a final, gigantic payday.
Instead, they let the band rest with the bandmate they lost. Nirvana’s legacy is deservedly enormous; three incredible albums, some solid offcuts, some captivating live footage. Many fans speculate on what they’d have become had Cobain not died, but their brief reign as the band of the youth remains incredibly influential.