Unless you're the Rolling Stones, no band can last forever, and in 2014 we lost plenty of wonderful bands. Some split up due to internal differences, while others felt like they had done all they could do artistically. Here are 10 bands that broke up in 2014.
1. The Knife
Back in August, acclaimed Swedish electronic duo The Knife announced that they would be disbanding following their "Shaking The Habitual" tour, which ended on Nov. 8 in Reykjavik, Iceland. The duo formed in 1999 and consisted of siblings Karin and Olof Dreijer. Their final album, Shaking The Habitual, was released in 2013.
2. Orbital
The Knife weren't the only European electronic duo of siblings to split in 2014. British techno pioneers Orbital, consisting of Phil and Paul Hartnoll, called it quits for the second time this year, simply saying "it's time to stop." However, Paul Hartnoll revealed in their break-up statement that he would be embarking on a solo career under the name 8:58.
3. Crystal Castles
In October, Crystal Castles singer Alice Glass announced that she would be leaving the beloved Canadian synthpop duo, citing reasons "both professional and personal." Though Crystal Castles is no more, Glass revealed that she would be embarking on a solo career.
4. Death Grips
While most bands tend to break up long after their creative apex, Death Grips realized that they weren't going to get any better than they were in 2014. "We are now at our best," read a Facebook post from July, "and so Death Grips is over." The first half of their final album The Powers That B, subtitled N***as On The Moon, was released in June, while the album's second half Jenny Death is still to come.
5. The Allman Brothers Band
Though the Allman Brothers Band had split up twice before, in 1976 and again in 1982, the legendary Southern Rock group retired for good this past October, playing their final show on Oct. 28 at New York's Beacon Theater and closing with the first song they ever played together: Muddy Waters' "Trouble No More."
6. Guided By Voices
Legendary indie rockers Guided By Voices first broke up in 2004, but when they reunited in 2010, they made up for lost time by releasing six full-length albums from 2012 to 2014. Then, while in the middle of a tour this past September, the group suddenly split up once again without giving any reason. GBV fans don't need to fear, however: insanely prolific frontman Robert Pollard has two more bands, Circus Devils and Ricked Wicky, as well as a solo career to keep himself occupied.
7. The Civil Wars
Unlike the seemingly sudden splits of some other bands on this list, the break-up of folk duo The Civil Wars has been a few years in the making. The group went on hiatus in 2012, citing "internal discord and irreconcilable differences in ambition," and though they released an album in 2013, they officially announced their break-up this past August, and shared a cover of "You Are My Sunshine" as a goodbye.
8. Vivian Girls
One of the unsung heroes of the '00s New York indie scene was garage pop trio Vivian Girls, who combined '60s pop and fierce guitar noise like no other band since the Jesus and Mary Chain. Though they've been largely inactive over the last few years, the Girls announced their official break-up in January 2014.
9. Beady Eye
When Britpop legends Oasis broke up in 2009 following the departure of lead guitarist and lead songwriter Noel Gallagher, his brother Liam rounded up the band's remaining members and formed Beady Eye, which was basically Oasis 2.0. However, Beady Eye didn't even last half as long as Oasis, with Liam Gallagher taking to his Twitter account in October to announce, "Beady Eye is no more."
10. Danity Kane
In 2014, girl group Danity Kane contentiously split up for the second time since their formation on the MTV series Making The Band in 2005. The group first split up in 2009, only to reunite in 2013, but following an alleged recording studio fistfight between Dawn Richard and Aubrey O'Day back in August, Danity Kane split up once again.
What other bands broke up in 2014? Let us know down in the comments section below!
© 2024 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
