Pandora Reveals Most-Thumbed Songs by Artists Who Have Gone Solo
From Beyoncé to Stevie Nicks, Harry Styles to Camila Cabello, artists branching off from the groups that initially made them famous is a tale as old as time in the music industry. While many critics have weighed in on their favorite songs by artists striking out on their own, Pandora has done a deep dive into its listener data to deliver the definitive list of the most popular tracks by musicians who have gone solo — Pandora’s Most-Thumbed Songs by Artists Gone Solo. The Top 30 songs made the cut for this playlist, which was determined by how many thumbs up each earned from Pandora listeners. Some notable entries:
Justin Timberlake, who started out in boy band *NSYNC, tops the list with “Can’t Stop The Feeling!”
Beyoncé’s “Sorry” (#2) and Kelly Rowland’s “Motivation” (#7) make Destiny’s Child one of two groups to spawn two artists in the Top 10. The other is N.W.A.
Ice Cube’s “It Was a Good Day” (#3) edges out former N.W.A. member Dr. Dre’s “Forgot About Dre” (#4) for the top rap solo track.
Two singles by members of One Direction appear on the playlist — ZAYN’s “Pillowtalk” (#6) and Harry Styles’ “Sign of the Times” (#22).
Phil Collins is the highest ranked classic rock artist to earn a spot on the list with “In the Air Tonight”(#8), but not the only member of Genesis to do so. Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes” (#27) also made the cut.
Hootie & the Blowfish frontman turned country star Darius Rucker is the only artist with a track on the list to have jumped genres when he went solo. His rockin’ cover of “Wagon Wheel” (#14) is one of his many country hits.
Gregg Allman made the list “covering” a song he wrote and originally recorded with the band he started out in. “Midnight Rider” was originally recorded by the Allman Brothers in 1970. The version of it on the playlist at #15 is a re-recording from Gregg’s solo debut in 1973.
Listen to Pandora’s Most-Thumbed Songs by Artists Gone Solo HERE.
Justin Timberlake “Can’t Stop The Feeling!”
Beyoncé “Sorry”
Ice Cube “It Was A Good Day”
Dr. Dre “Forgot About Dre (feat. Eminem)”
Sevyn Streeter “It Wont Stop”
ZAYN “PILLOWTALK”
Kelly Rowland “Motivation (Feat. Lil Wayne)”
Phil Collins “In the Air Tonight”
Lauryn Hill “Ex-Factor”
Ozzy Osbourne “Crazy Train”
Michael Jackson “P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)”
Omarion “Post To Be (Feat. Chris Brown & Jhene Aiko)”
Camila Cabello “Never Be the Same”
Darius Rucker “Wagon Wheel”
Gregg Allman “Midnight Rider (Early Mix)”
Stevie Nicks “Edge of Seventeen”
Juicy J “Bandz A Make Her Dance”
John Lennon “Imagine”
Sisqo “Incomplete”
Big Boi “All Night”
Don Henley “The Boys Of Summer”
Harry Styles “Sign of the Times”
Nick Jonas “Close (feat. Tove Lo)”
Fergie “Glamorous (feat. Ludacris)”
Bobby Brown “Roni”
Gwen Stefani “Hollaback Girl”
Peter Gabriel “In Your Eyes (2012 Remastered)”
Belinda Carlisle “Heaven Is A Place On Earth”
Method Man “I’ll Be There For You/You’re All I Need To Get By (Puff Daddy Mix) (feat. Mary J. Blige)
Pharrell Williams “Despicable Me”