# List of pre-fame band departures

While many notable bands go through several lineup changes throughout their careers, this list of artists who left right before their bands became famous only lists members who quit or were fired from a band shortly before the band achieved mainstream commercial success.
Artists who were only meant to be temporary stand-ins in their bands should not be included in this list. The bands the listed artists left must be notable, can be from any genre of music, and include vocal groups whose members do not play instruments. Because these artists left before their former bands' mainstream breakthrough, they should not be considered part of their former bands' "classic" lineups.

## Notable examples

Of these "nearly-men", drummer Pete Best, who was fired from the Beatles in 1962, just a year before "Beatlemania" started, has been cited as the best-known archetype. Best has since become "famous for not being famous".
Jason Everman left two bands that went on to become famous: he was fired from Nirvana in 1989 and Soundgarden in 1990. According to The New York Times, Everman "wasn't just Pete Best ... He was Pete Best twice."
Some of these artists eventually went on to find mainstream success in another band or as a soloist. For example, Metallica's original lead guitarist, Dave Mustaine, formed his own thrash metal band Megadeth in 1983 after he was fired from his former band. While Metallica went on to achieve massive commercial success, Mustaine's Megadeth also enjoyed commercial success, selling 50 million records worldwide.

## Alphabetic list

Artists are listed alphabetically by their surname, followed by the band they left, their former role in the band, the year they left, and the year their former band achieved mainstream success. Additional comments on the way the artist left (fired or quit) and their replacement, if any, may be added at the end. All entries are referenced with reliable sources.
| Artist | Band the artist left | Role | Year the artist left | Year of band's commercial breakthrough | Notes | Ref |
| George Baldi | Boyz II Men | Vocalist | 1988 | 1991 | Quit | |
| Syd Barrett | Pink Floyd | Guitarist, vocalist | 1968 | 1973 | Fired and replaced by David Gilmour | |
| Tina Barrett | Mis-Teeq (then known as Face2Face) | Vocalist | 1998 | 2001 | Left to join S Club 7 who also gained success, scoring 11 top 10 singles. | |
| Ole Beich | Guns N' Roses | Bassist | 1985 | 1988 | Either quit or was fired. Replaced by Duff McKagan. | |
| Pete Best | The Beatles | Drummer | 1962 | 1963 | Fired and replaced by Ringo Starr | $^{:2}$ |
| Josh Brainard | Slipknot | Guitarist | 1998 | 1999 | Replaced by Jim Root. Recorded for some tracks of Slipknot but left the band before the album's release. | |
| Elbridge Bryant | The Temptations | Vocalist | 1963 | 1964 | Fired and replaced by David Ruffin | $^{:12}$ |
| Tanya Candler | Kittie | Bassist | 1999 | 2000 | Played on debut album Spit and appeared on the cover of its original release, but quit Kittie two months before its release. She was replaced by Talena Atfield, who appears on the cover of all reissues of the album since 2000. | |
| Maddy Chan | Steps | Vocalist | 1997 | 1997 | Quit and replaced by Claire Richards and Faye Tozer | |
| Chad Channing | Nirvana | Drummer | 1990 | 1991 | Quit and replaced by Dave Grohl | |
| Tony Chapman | The Rolling Stones | Drummer | 1962 | 1963 | Quit and replaced by Charlie Watts | $^{:4}$ |
| Simon Colley | Duran Duran | Bassist | 1979 | 1981 | Quit and replaced by John Taylor, who was already a member of the band, switching from guitar to bass guitar. | |
| Anders Colsefni | Slipknot | Vocalist, percussionist | 1997 | 1999 | Replaced as vocalist by Corey Taylor and switched to percussion, then left the band and was replaced by Greg Welts. | |
| Jason Cropper | Weezer | Guitarist | 1993 | 1994 | Fired and replaced by Brian Bell | |
| Alan Curtis | Duran Duran | Guitarist | 1980 | 1981 | Quit and replaced by Andy Taylor | |
| John Curulewski | Styx | Guitarist | 1975 | 1975 | Left and replaced by Tommy Shaw | |
| Támar Davis | Destiny's Child (then known as Girl's Tyme) | Vocalist | 1993 | 1997 | Fired and replaced by LeToya Luckett | |
| Bob Debank | Coast to Coast | Guitarist | 1979 | 1980 | Quit | |
| Stephen Duffy | Duran Duran | Vocalist/bassist/ drummer | 1979 | 1981 | Quit and replaced by Andy Wickett | |
| Jason Everman | Nirvana | Guitarist | 1989 | 1991 | Fired | |
| Jason Everman | Soundgarden | Bassist | 1990 | 1992 | Fired and replaced by Ben Shepherd | |
| Frank Farrell | Supertramp | Bassist | 1970 | 1972 | Left and replaced by Dougie Thompson | |
| Jason Galasso | NSYNC | Vocalist | 1995 | 1997 | Quit and replaced by Lance Bass | |
| Pete Garner | The Stone Roses | Bassist | 1987 | 1989 | Quit and replaced by Mani | |
| Michael Garrett | Westlife | Vocalist | 1998 | 1999 | Fired and replaced by Nicky Byrne and Brian McFadden | |
| Terry Glaze | Pantera | Vocalist | 1986 | 1990 | Quit and replaced by Phil Anselmo | |
| Peter Griesar | Dave Matthews Band | Keyboardist | 1993 | 1994 | Quit | |
| Mike Grose | Queen | Bassist | 1970 | 1974 | Quit, replaced by Barry Mitchell, then Doug Bogie, then John Deacon | |
| Tracii Guns | Guns N' Roses | Guitarist | 1985 | 1988 | Quit and replaced by Slash | $^{:5}$ |
| Dale Hibbert | The Smiths | Bassist | 1982 | 1983 | Fired and replaced by Andy Rourke | |
| Kim Hill | Black Eyed Peas | Vocalist | 2000 | 2003 | Quit and later replaced by Fergie | |
| Doug Hopkins | Gin Blossoms | Guitarist | 1992 | 1993 | Fired and replaced by Scott Johnson | $^{:2}$ |
| Crystal Jones | TLC | Vocalist | 1991 | 1992 | Fired and replaced by Rozonda Thomas | |
| Jeff Jones | Rush | Vocalist, bassist | 1968 | 1974 | Left and replaced by Geddy Lee | |
| Graham Keighron | Westlife | Vocalist | 1998 | 1999 | Fired and replaced by Nicky Byrne and Brian McFadden | |
| John Kiffmeyer | Green Day | Drummer | 1990 | 1994 | Replaced while at college by Tré Cool | |
| Stella Kim | Girls' Generation | Vocalist | 2007 | 2007 | Quit | |
| Abigail Kis | Spice Girls (then known as Touch) | Vocalist | 1994 | 1996 | Quit and replaced by Emma Bunton | |
| Bob Klose | Pink Floyd | Guitarist | 1965 | 1967 | Quit | |
| Derrick Lacey | Westlife | Vocalist | 1998 | 1999 | Fired and replaced by Nicky Byrne and Brian McFadden | |
| James Lilja | The Offspring | Drummer | 1987 | 1994 | Quit and replaced by Ron Welty | |
| Jonathan Lippmann | 98 Degrees | Vocalist | 1996 | 1998 | Quit and replaced by Drew Lachey | |
| Bob Livingson | Santana | Drummer | 1968 | 1969 | Quit and replaced by Michael Shrieve | |
| Robin Lynn Macy | Dixie Chicks | Guitarist | 1992 | 1995 | Quit | |
| Barbara Martin | The Supremes | Vocalist | 1962 | 1964 | Quit | $^{:2}$ |
| Ron McGovney | Metallica | Bassist | 1982 | 1986 | Quit and replaced by Cliff Burton | |
| Zena McNally | Mis-Teeq | Vocalist | 2001 | 2001 | Quit | |
| Alan Mills | Coast to Coast | Vocalist | 1980 | 1980 | Quit and replaced by Sandy Fontaine | |
| Lianne Morgan | Spice Girls (then known as Touch) | Vocalist | 1994 | 1996 | Quit and replaced by Melanie C | |
| Dave Mustaine | Metallica | Guitarist | 1983 | 1986 | Fired and replaced by Kirk Hammett | $^{:4}$ |
| Marc Nelson | Boyz II Men | Vocalist | 1989 | 1991 | Quit | $^{:13}$ |
| Derek O'Brien | Steps | Vocalist | 1997 | 1997 | Quit and replaced by Lee Latchford-Evans | |
| Henry Padovani | The Police | Guitarist | 1977 | 1979 | Fired and replaced by Andy Summers | |
| So-yeon Park | Girls' Generation | Vocalist | 2007 | 2007 | Quit | |
| Matt Pelissier | My Chemical Romance | Drummer | 2004 | 2004 | Fired and replaced by Bob Bryar | |
| Anthony Phillips | Genesis | Guitarist | 1970 | 1972 | Quit and replaced by Steve Hackett | $^{:6}$ |
| Justin Quinn | Another Level | Vocalist | 1997 | 1998 | Left and became a solo UK garage singer known as JJ, appearing on two top 10 hits by DJ Luck & MC Neat in 2000. | |
| Niall Quinn | The Cranberries | Vocalist | 1990 | 1993 | Quit and replaced by Dolores O'Riordan | |
| Heidi Range | Atomic Kitten | Vocalist | 1999 | 1999 | Quit and replaced by Natasha Hamilton, Range would later find success with Sugababes. | |
| Scott Raynor | Blink-182 | Drummer | 1998 | 1999 | Fired and replaced by Travis Barker | |
| Richie Rock | Boyzone | Vocalist | 1994 | 1994 | Fired and replaced by Mikey Graham | |
| John Rutsey | Rush | Drummer | 1974 | 1974 | Left and replaced by Neil Peart | |
| Chris Salih | Twenty One Pilots | Drummer | 2011 | 2015 | Quit and replaced by Josh Dun | |
| Doug Sandom | The Who | Drummer | 1964 | 1965 | Fired and replaced by Keith Moon | |
| Kate Schellenbach | Beastie Boys | Drummer | 1984 | 1986 | | |
| Jon Shoats | Boyz II Men | Vocalist | 1988 | 1991 | Quit | |
| Eric Stefani | No Doubt | Keyboardist | 1994 | 1995 | Quit | $^{:7}$ |
| Michelle Stephenson | Spice Girls | Vocalist | 1994 | 1996 | Quit and replaced by Abigail Kis, prior to Emma Bunton | |
| Mitch Stevens | Steps | Vocalist | 1997 | 1997 | Quit and replaced by Claire Richards and Faye Tozer | |
| Ian Stewart | The Rolling Stones | Keyboardist | 1963 | 1963 | Fired, but retained as studio and touring member | |
| Scott Sundquist | Soundgarden | Drummer | 1985 | 1992 | Quit to spend time with his family and replaced by Matt Cameron | |
| Stuart Sutcliffe | The Beatles | Bassist, vocalist | 1961 | 1963 | Quit to pursue a career as a painter | |
| Nikki Taylor | Destiny's Child (then known as Girl's Tyme) | Vocalist | 1993 | 1997 | Fired and replaced by LeToya Luckett | |
| Nina Taylor | Destiny's Child (then known as Girl's Tyme) | Vocalist | 1993 | 1997 | Fired and replaced by LeToya Luckett | |
| Jeff Thomas | Duran Duran | Vocalist | 1980 | 1981 | Quit and replaced by Simon Le Bon | |
| Nick Thomas | Twenty One Pilots | Bassist | 2011 | 2015 | Quit | |
| Mark Wahlberg | New Kids on the Block | Vocalist | 1985 | 1988 | Quit and replaced by Joey McIntyre | |
| Marguerite Walker | Boyz II Men | Vocalist | 1988 | 1991 | Quit | |
| Mark Walton | Boyzone | Vocalist | 1994 | 1994 | Quit | |
| Greg "Cuddles" Welts | Slipknot | Percussionist | 1998 | 1999 | Replaced by Chris Fehn | |
| Andy Wickett | Duran Duran | Vocalist | 1980 | 1981 | Quit and replaced by Jeff Thomas, prior to Simon Le Bon | |
| Hye-rim Woo | Miss A | Vocalist | 2010 | 2010 | Left and joined Wonder Girls instead | |
| Hiro Yamamoto | Soundgarden | Bassist | 1989 | 1992 | Quit and replaced by Jason Everman | |
| Annette Zilinskas | The Bangles | Bassist | 1983 | 1986 | Quit and replaced by Michael Steele; Zilinskas later rejoined the band in 2018. | |