Jeff Buckley
When Jeff Buckley released his debut album Grace in 1994, mainstream audiences were slow to catch on, but those in the know hailed the bold new Californian singer-songwriter as a future superstar. Tragically, Grace proved to be the only completed studio album from Buckley, as he drowned in May 1997. Several albums of his live recordings and uncompleted demos have since been released.
The La’s
For a time, The La’s looked poised to be the biggest thing to come out of Liverpool since The Beatles. Their 1988 single There She Goes became an all-time classic, and their 1990 self-titled debut album was hailed as a masterpiece. Unfortunately, personal and professional woes saw the band fall apart. While they’ve reformed in various incarnations over the years, they’ve never made another album.
Lauryn Hill
After skyrocketing to stardom with The Fugees, rapper and singer Lauryn Hill’s debut solo album made a major sensation. Since hitting shelves in 1998, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill has sold over 20 million copies, on top of winning five Grammy awards. Yet to the dismay of fans everywhere, Hill has yet to record another album, her career having been derailed by various personal issues.
Derek and the Dominos
Though somewhat unfairly remembered by many as a solo project for guitarist and singer Eric Clapton, Derek and the Dominos were a full-fledged (albeit short-lived) band in their own right. Their one album, 1970’s Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, was surprisingly not that well-received on release, which contributed to the band’s early dissolution. However, the album was soon reassessed as an all-time classic.
The Modern Lovers
Throughout much of his career, punk pioneer Jonathan Richman has credited his backing band as The Modern Lovers – but the original, true line-up of the band only recorded one album. When The Modern Lovers’ self-titled debut was released in 1976, the recordings were four years old and the group had already split. Nonetheless, the album blazed a trail for the burgeoning punk scene.
New Radicals
New Radicals made a big splash with their debut single You Get What You Give in late 1998, by which time their debut album Maybe You’ve Been Brainwashed Too was already in stores. Their distinctly soulful brand of alternative rock proved hugely popular, yet they quickly tired of the limelight and disbanded in 1999. They’ve reformed only once, to play at President Joe Biden’s inauguration.
Sex Pistols
Arguably no band in rock history have made a greater impact with one album than the Sex Pistols. The London punks prompted such controversy that their contribution to music was often overlooked. Formed in 1975, they released their only album in 1977 and split in 1978, with bassist Sid Vicious’ 1979 death making it final. They’ve since reunited for tours but never recorded again.
Them Crooked Vultures
A collaboration between Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters), Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age) and John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin), Them Crooked Vultures formed in 2009, recorded one album, toured into 2010 – and, to date, that’s about it. While it was always understood the band would only be a side project for the busy rockers, hopes remain high that a second album may eventually happen.
The Seahorses
After quitting iconic British indie rock band The Stone Roses in early 1996, guitarist John Squire wasted little time getting a new band together. The Seahorses’ debut album Do It Yourself followed in 1997 and sold well. However, intense interest early on saw the band burn themselves out quickly. They split by early 1999, then Squire went solo before later reuniting with The Stone Roses.
Minor Threat
The Sex Pistols weren’t the only punks to record one hugely impactful album then call it a day. The same was also true of Washington, DC band Minor Threat, who proved enormously influential in the US hardcore punk scene but produced only one full-length studio album, 1983’s Out of Step, before splitting. Several Minor Threat EPs, live recordings and demo compilations have also been released.
Mother Love Bone
Seattle-based quintet Mother Love Bone had a huge impact on the rock scene during their short existence. The band had finished recording their 1990 debut album Apple, before their charismatic yet troubled frontman Andrew Wood died of a drug overdose. Mother Love Bone guitarist and bassist Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament went on to form Pearl Jam, who enjoyed extraordinary success throughout the 1990s and 2000s.
The Postal Service
Supergroups are often short-lived, with members dipping in for a while before returning to their main project. The Postal Service proved to be no exception, formed by Death Cab for Cutie’s Ben Gibbard, Jimmy Tamborello – or Dntel – and Rilo Kiley’s Jenny Lewis. The group released their only album Give Up to favorable reviews in 2003, before returning briefly in 2013 to reissue the album.
Thunderclap Newman
Thunderclap Newman was a band set up by The Who’s Pete Townshend, who wanted to showcase the talents of his flatmate and chauffeur John ‘Speedy’ Keen, Jimmy McCulloch, and Andy ‘Thunderclap’ Newman. The group released their critically acclaimed album Hollywood Dream in 1970, which featured the number one single Something in the Air.
Margo Guryan
Margo Guryan is another example of a great talent being discouraged by the limelight. She released her debut album Take a Picture in 1968, which included 11 self-penned songs. Upon releasing the album, Guryan came to realize that she was a songwriter at heart, not a performer seeking celebrity status. So, instead of touring, she went back to her desk and carried on writing songs for other artists.
Cassie
When Cassie Ventura released her self-titled debut album in 2006, it seemed she was set for stardom. The paparazzi began their pursuit, the media began speculating about her relationships and personal life, and the pressure became too much. While she has released a handful of singles and a mixtape since, Cassie is yet to return with a full-length album, instead finding success as a model and dancer.
Dennis Wilson
Perhaps best known for being the only member of The Beach Boys who actually surfed, Dennis Wilson embarked on a solo career in 1977, releasing his one and only album Pacific Ocean Blue. Unfortunately, Wilson’s party lifestyle and drug use stalled his productivity and stopped him from finishing off his second record before his untimely death in 1983.
The Monks
The Monks were an avant-garde rock band, formed by five American GIs who were stationed in Germany. The band blended confrontational lyrics with banjo accompaniment, all while wearing costumes that mimicked Catholic monks. The world wasn’t ready for them when they released their album Black Monk Time in 1966, and they quickly disbanded.
The Exploding Hearts
The Exploding Hearts were busy touring their 2003 debut album Guitar Romantic when three of the four members were tragically killed in a car crash returning from a gig. The album received positive reviews upon its release, with the band beginning to solidify their reputation in the 2000s rock scene.
Young Marble Giants
The Welsh post-punk trio Young Marble Giants released their only album Colossal Youth in 1980. The album leaned in favor of quieter, minimalist performances, free of shouting and major guitar distortion. They built up a cult following, with their audience having included the likes of Kurt Cobain, who was a huge fan.
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
Damon Albarn loves a musical project, having forged an incredibly successful career with both Blur and Gorillaz. The Good, The Bad & The Queen was a supergroup he formed with The Clash’s bassist Paul Simonon, keyboardist Simon Tong, and percussionist Tony Allen. The project was only intended to be brief, with the group coming together to record and release their self-titled album before returning to other projects.
Temple of the Dog
Following the death of Mother Love Bone’s Andrew Wood, Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell, who was Wood’s flatmate, wrote an album of songs in tribute to the fallen frontman. He brought together the members of Mother Love Bone, members of Soundgarden, and Eddie Vedder to form Temple of the Dog, who released their self-titled album before the individuals went on to forge successful careers for themselves with other bands.
Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers
Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers was a band formed in 1975 by guitarist Johnny Thunders and drummer Jerry Nolan, who had both just left the New York Dolls. While touring with the Sex Pistols, the band recorded their album, L.A.M.F., which initially caused Nolan to leave the band as he deemed the audio quality to be too poor. Updated mixes have unearthed some gems, both songwriting-wise and playing-wise.
Germs
Since nobody in the band Germs could be trusted to sit still for five minutes, recording an album was a near-impossible task. Backed by producer Joan Jett, the band eventually managed to conceive their one and only album GI in 1979. Tragically, Germs would go on to disband shortly after, following singer Darby Crash’s death from an intentional overdose in 1980.
Madvillain
Rapper MF Doom and producer Madlib came together as Madvillain in 2002 and started working on Madvillainy, their critically acclaimed debut (and to date only) album. The stylistically diverse record pushed the boundaries of rap music, with the album referred to by many as one of the all-time greats.
The Shaggs
It says a lot about a band when they only stick around for one album but end up having a Broadway musical written about their story. The band consisting of three sisters, The Shaggs’ music was bizarre to the extreme, but legendary artist Frank Zappa stated they were better than The Beatles. Their only album, Philosophy of the World, unsurprisingly didn’t achieve widespread commercial success, and the band disbanded after their dad, who was also their manager, passed away.
Operation Ivy
The lifespan of punk bands is typically short, with unhinged behavior, substance abuse, and strained relationships between band members usually putting an end to the fun. With Operation Ivy, it was slightly different, with their breakup shortly after the release of their debut album Energy, stemming from the band’s panic at the thought of mainstream success after they were offered a record deal by EMI.
Rites of Spring
Rites of Spring is another example of a short-lived band containing artists that went on to do bigger and better things. The hardcore band released their self-titled debut in 1985 and are credited with being a huge inspiration for bands such as Fall Out Boy and Panic! At The Disco. While Rites of Spring wouldn’t stray from their hometown of DC, guitarist Guy Picciotto and drummer Brendan Canty went on to form Fugazi, a successful post-hardcore outfit.
Silicon Teens
Silicon Teens’ only release came in the form of Music for Parties, a synthed-up collection of classics from the 50s and 60s. The album is so 1980s, with the classic drum sound, deadpan vocal delivery, and enough synthesizers to make you forget that acoustic instruments ever existed. The album is a brutal murdering of many classic rock ‘n’ roll numbers, but it provides an interesting timestamp in the evolution of music.
Scratch Acid
Scratch Acid made noise and lots of it. Not all of it was intelligible, but it’s unlikely that the band even cared. During their stage shows, they would often throw fake feces at the audience and argue between themselves during performances. Band relations were always on edge, and Scratch Acid’s 1986 debut album Just Keep Eating was also their last.
Green River
Another Seattle grunge outfit formed in the mid-1980s under the name of Green River. The band consisted of Jeff Ament and Stone Gossard, who would go on to be part of Pearl Jam, as well as Mark Arm, who went on to play with Mudhoney. The band released their only album, Rehab Doll, in 1988, before splitting up.
Hermann Szobel
Hermann Szobel’s 1976 debut jazz album Szobel showcased what life was like in the mind of a troubled artist. Just when you think the album is going in a certain direction, Szobel changes things up in a patchwork manner, leaving you unsure of A, what just hit you, and B, what is coming next. After the album’s release, Szobel vanished from the scene, only to be found in 2015, living life as a homeless artist in Jerusalem.
Rockpile
Rockpile drew on inspiration from artists such as Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly, with fast-paced rockabilly songs making up the majority of Seconds of Pleasure, their only album. Only producing one album doesn’t mean the band was unproductive, as they helped out with each other’s solo projects, as well as backing Elvis Costello on tour.
Convicts
Convicts’ 1991 self-titled album was their only offering, featuring songs marred with racism and sexism that rightfully wouldn’t make it out of the doors of the studio if they were made today. Back in the early 1990s, shock rap was a thing, with artists very heavily pushing the boundaries with what they were writing about.
Skip Spence
Alexander ‘Skip’ Spence’s infatuation with LSD led him down a dark path, which came to a head when he axed the door of his Moby Grape bandmate’s hotel room down in a crazed attempt to free him from himself. After spending half a year in a psychiatric ward, Spence would record his one and only album, Oar, in 1969. The album was released with minimal promotion and ended up being Columbia record’s lowest-selling release.
CRU
CRU’s one and only album Da Dirty 30 was released to critical success, although lacked the commercial success that the group craved. The album has a long list of features, with Black Rob, Antoinette, and Anthony Hamilton, to name a few, all making cameos.
Life Without Buildings
Life Without Buildings were never meant to be a successful commercial band, according to their guitarist Robert Johnston. After releasing their debut album in 2002, the band broke up because singer Sue Tompkins wanted to focus on her career as a visual artist. The band has stated they don’t wish to ever reform or play another gig together.
The Pulsars
The Pulsars were formed by brothers Dave and Harry Trumfio in Chicago in 1994, and produced synthesizer-heavy music, mainly orbiting around the subject matter of robots, spaceships, and aliens. They released their only album Pulsars in 1997 and began working on the follow-up shortly after. However, the group split halfway through recording, and the record was never released.
Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers
The story of Frankie Lymon is a tragic one, as is so often the case with child stars. Lymon hit the ground running, recording a handful of hits in the mid-50s which were bundled into an LP by his record label. As the majority of his audience was too young to afford an LP, it didn’t sell well, and The Teenagers split shortly after. Lymon attempted a solo career, but his voice had broken, and the public was no longer interested. This caused Lymon to fall into a life of substance abuse, which resulted in his death at the age of 25.
The United States of America
The United States of America were one of the first punk bands to incorporate electronic sounds into their music when they released their self-titled debut in 1968. However, substance abuse, fighting between bandmates, ‘musical differences’, and issues with the record label led to the band’s untimely demise.
The Count Five
The Count Five were very much a group of individualists who became known for wearing Count Dracula-style capes on stage. Upon the release of their debut album Psychotic Reaction in 1966, the band had a choice to make. Start writing another record, or go and get an education? It was education that they chose, and the band were no more.
Blind Faith
Blind Faith was borne out of the folding of two former bands, Cream and Traffic. Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood were just jamming together, but the arrival of Ginger Baker saw it cemented into a more solid concept. With Ric Grech making up the foursome, the album came to be in the summer of 1969, and it was a No. 1 hit both sides of the Atlantic. However, Clapton called time when it felt too much like his Cream days.
Lift To Experience
Anyone familiar with Lift to Experience will be thrilled to hear talk of a comeback, but whether Elbow’s Guy Garvey getting Lift to Experience on stage at the Meltdown Festival will help reinvigorate that remains to be seen. What is known is this belter of an album, a truly awesome concept album that depicts Texas, their home state, as the location of the Second Coming, has a mind-blowing intensity that warrants a place on this list.
Sea Hags
The Sea Hags had huge promise – their demo was produced by Kirk Hammett of Metallica, and their debut (and only) album was produced by Mike Clink, who had worked on Appetite for Destruction. It was loaded with excellent songs. So, what went wrong? Well, when they played London’s Marquee club, Ron Yocom was drunk enough to fall head first into a flight case. Oh, and the substance abuse didn’t help. The band split soon after bassist Chris Schlosshardt passed away, and that was the end of the Sea Hags.
Hughes/Thrall
There’s a certain irony to the fact that what makes this one-time album so brilliant was also the reason for its failure back in 1982. The eclectic mix of influences, from soul to new-wave pop to hard rock, meant it wasn’t easy to categorise, and the planned second album never materialized. Even with Glenn Hughes of Deep Purple and Pat Thrall of Pat Travers Band at the helm, it wasn’t enough.
Toy Matinee
Toy Matinee was formed after a rock competition, when Kevin Gilbert (whose band, Giraffe, reportedly came second), impressed Pat Leonard, one of the judges. They had a shared love of Steely Dan and Jethro Tull, and Toy Matinee came to be. However, Leonard wasn’t willing to tour and Gilbert had other interests (one being then-girlfriend Sheryl Crow’s album Tuesday Night Music Club), and the band folded.
Burning Tree
With a sound reminiscent of Cream and the legendary Jimi Hendrix, the solo album from Burning Tree could have been a big hit. Sadly, bad judgement and poor timing meant the opposite, when someone at the music label decided to release nine albums in one day, all under the label Epic Rock. Despite the talents of Marc Ford, who would go on to play guitar in Black Crowes, this one slipped well under the mainstream radar.
Pride Tiger
Pride Tiger are a band most will never have heard of, which is a pity, given that their album was so good, it prompted Classic Rock magazine to create Powerage Records just so they could sign Pride Tiger. Unfortunately, despite a superb set at the Hard Rock Hell festival, their album sold all of 850 copies, and the band split up in 2009..
David + David
Crafted by David Ricketts and David Baerwald, who both found a brief stint of fame as part of the band on Sheryl Crow’s Tuesday Night Music Club, their collab Boomtown didn’t find anything like the same success as Crow’s debut album. Even though the pair saw their efforts reach no. 39 in the US album charts, they soon disbanded.
Coverdale Page
It’s 1993. Take post-Zeppelin Jimmy Page and pair him with post-Deep Purple David Coverdale. This was the spectacular result – although it wasn’t received as well as expected. Some critics loved the pairing, whilst others felt it was just a poor attempt to recreate Led Zeppelin. After a few performances over in Japan, the pair went their separate ways.
Lowcraft
Post-Britpop Great Britain, at the turn of the millennium, perhaps wasn’t the best timing for the arrival of Lowcraft. Their glam rock sound was reminiscent of the Bowie era, and at that time, not what the music climate of the time was looking for. With such a lukewarm reception, the band were disheartened and split up. A shame, because the album is considered by some to be a lost masterpiece.
Sledgehammer
Whatever you may (or may not) think about the town of Slough, it did at least give rise to one of the best New Wave of British Heavy Metal bands. Sledgehammer’s debut single was included on the 1980 Metal for Muthas compilation, and they supported Motorhead on tour. However, that wasn’t enough to give them the critical and commercial acclaim necessary to make the tardy release of the album in 1983 a success. Thereafter they faded into oblivion, leaving only this album to their name.
Wu Lyf
When it comes to self-promotion, the phrase “less is more” might not ring true. It certainly didn’t help British band Wu Lyf in 2011, who for a very brief window of time enjoyed a fervor that might have continued, had they done interviews, live performances and one of the various record deals that were offered. So despite the sublime melodies and exultation to be found on the album, nothing has been heard of Wu Lyf since frontman Ellery Roberts announced his departure from the band. Quite the anti-climax, really.
Shadow King
Even if you’re not the superstitious type, you have to see the irony in Shadow King playing their only live performance on Friday 13th. Formed by former Foreigner singer Lou Gramm and ex-Whitesnake guitarist Vivian Campbell, you would be forgiven for thinking that the pair were destined to do more than one great album. Not so. Gramm attributed the break-up of the band to a lack of support from the music label, as he moved on to Def Leppard just six months after forming Shadow King.
Band of Gypsys
The Jimi Hendrix Experience went their separate ways in 1969, but Hendrix didn’t let that stop him from performing. He did various collaborations, including the infamous Woodstock performance, and the shows that were recorded at Fillmore East became this final release during Jimi’s lifetime. Received with mixed critical reviews, the album still carries weight for Hendrix fans.
Heaven & Hell
It was whilst Ozzy Osbourne was working on a solo album that the other members of Black Sabbath (Ronnie James Dio, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Vinnie Appice) got together to perform as Heaven & Hell (inspired by a Sabbath album). They did a world tour together before recording The Devil You Know, and it was hugely popular with heavy metal fans. Sadly, Dio passed away from cancer in 2010, which marked the end for Heaven & Hell.
Jasper
Way back in the 1960s, the psych blues scene was going strong – and was led by the band Jasper, who formed in 1967 and whose sole album, Liberation was released in 1969. The album is led by guitarist Steve Radford’s skills and is ably supported by the inclusion of both flute and harpsichord. Comparable to early Jethro Tull in its blues feel, this album was the only one as the band went their separate ways soon after.
Mad Season
Mad Season came to be after Mike McCready, guitarist from Pearl Jam, met John Baker Saunders (of The Walkabouts) in rehab. Post-rehab, they teamed up with Barrett Martin (of Screaming Trees) and Layne Stayley (from Alice in Chains). The album, Above, “just happened within three or four days”, according to McCready when he spoke to Guitar World about it. The record hit gold sales status, but commitment to their other bands proved stronger and this was the only album from this four-piece.
Inside Out
Prior to finding fame and success with Rage Against The Machine, frontman Zack de la Rocha was tearing up the stage in Orange County with his intense band Inside Out. He and co-writer Vic DiCara (who eventually moved on to play in Burn) wrote the incredible six-song album No Spiritual Surrender, which sounds like the missing link between the early days of RATM and the post-hardcore days of Nineties groove. Short but superb.
Palms
It might only feature six tracks, but the self-titled album from supergroup Palms, with vocals from the Deftones’ Chino Moreno (plus three former members of post-metal band ISIS), is far more than the sum of its parts. Described by spin.com as something that “would work on an older sibling’s mixtape next to The Cure, Echo & The Bunnymen, U2, or Depeche Mode”, which goes to show the quality and feel of sound on this fantastic album.
Peeping Tom
Many of us will know of vocalist and songwriter Mike Patton, who has been involved in more than his fair share of projects and collaborations. This one was short-lived but stunning – described by Patton as “my version of pop music”. Featuring some great names, including Massive Attack and Norah Jones, it’s an album that sounds like it was fun to make, and the results are excellent.
Probot
Think back to 2004… what were you doing? Well, Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl was busy with his heavy metal supergroup album Probot, which featured an impressive array of metal icons. He was inspired to make the album after hearing Supernatural by Santana, and those he asked were very receptive, with Cronos (of Venom) saying later that “I’m open for everything. And Dave’s cool.” Widely well received by the critics, we’ve yet to see any further Probot action – but never say never.
The Electric Toilet
This album is certainly of its time, hailing from the psychedelic era of the 1960s and full of the blues-style music of that decade. It’s not limited to blues though, with country and acid both featuring. All too sad to note then, that two of the band were killed in a car accident soon after the album’s release. That plus the tiny volumes released makes it a very rare as well as very special record.
Mansionz
After numerous collaborations, including co-writing Justin Bieber’s 2012 hit Boyfriend, Mike Posner and blackbear (formally known as Matthew Tyler Musto) created a full album. Combining pop, hip-hop and R&B, the signature millennial sound from this talented duo is hopefully more than a one-album wonder, although – as with anything – that remains to be seen. Fingers crossed.
Buena Vista Social Club
Described as sounding like “memories of memories” (in an article by the New York Times), this overwhelming blockbuster started out as a week-long project that saw musicians in their twilight years performing decades-old Cuban songs in a studio in Havana. So successful has it been that a 25th anniversary version of the album was issued that included an additional disc of tracks from the original sessions.
Larrikin Love
The cult following that developed during the two-year tenure of Larrikin Love must have been disappointed when they split up only a year after releasing their eponymous album. A mix of folk, punk, reggae and bluegrass – what a variety! – meant what we will always wonder what the next album would have been like. They each found new musical paths, most notably for Micko Larkin, working with Courtney Love before joining the reformed Hole.
Skip Bifferty
You might recognise some of this psychedelic rock band from the 1960s, as some went on to become Ian Drury and the Blockheads. Hailing from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, they were probably best known for their red-painted lawn, as shown – with some outrage – in The Daily Mirror in 1967. Yet surprisingly, given how lauded the album is online, they never found success and so the band didn’t do more than this one album.
Trader Horne
Trader Horne is perhaps most notable for being named after John Peel’s nanny, Florence Horne (so nicknamed Trader in reference to the explorer Trader Horn). The album was the only one from duo Jackie McAuley (formerly of Them), and Judy Dyble (previously lead vocalist in Fairport Convention). The album, Morning Way, was much played by Peel, well-known Radio 1 DJ, and is described by allmusic.com as “British folk-rock with an Olde English fairy-tale air”. Re-released seven times since its first outing in 1970, it’s well worth a listen.
Eire Apparent
Hailing from Northern Ireland, Eire Apparent’s only album, Sunrise, is surprisingly well known – not least amongst Jimi Hendrix fans. Hendrix produced and even performed on (parts of) the album, which is consistently strong and enjoyable. Having said that, it failed to succeed due to a poor presence in the UK and being hard to classify from a musical perspective, which doesn’t lend itself to success in the US.
Skull Snaps
The year 1973 saw the release of the self-titled Skull Snaps album, from a funk group that originated from the mysterious group The Diplomats. Perhaps the most famous thing about Skull Snaps is the much and varied sampling of the drum breaks in the album. The drum pattern from the track It’s a New Day can be found sampled by a number of artists, including but not limited to ODB, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, The Prodigy and Linkin Park (to name but a few). Wow.
Box Car Racer
Box Car Racer weren’t ever meant to be a real band, according to Blink-182 guitarust Tom DeLonge. However, with bandmate Travis Barker on board, even with the idea being primarily a creative outlet rather than anything commercially viable, the album was released in 2002 and was reasonably well received. However, this was at the detriment of the atmosphere in Blink-182, as bassist Mark Hoppus felt betrayed at his exclusion. Perhaps this explains his own 2006 project, +44.
