Saying goodbye was difficult for these seven bands that reunited after announcing a grand farewell tour for their fans.

However, for some of these acts, the challenge may not have been the farewell itself, but rather the potential profits from reuniting for a tour.

Regardless of the circumstances, here are seven prominent rock and metal bands that returned after their farewell tours and the duration it took each to reconsider.

Judas Priest

Year of farewell tour: 2011-12

Year reunited: 2014

Length: two years

What happened: Judas Priest was prepared to end their journey with the 120-show Epitaph World Tour that ran from June 7, 2011, through May 26, 2012, covering five continents.

The tour faced challenges even before it began. Guitarist K.K. Downing left the band less than two months prior to the first show and was replaced by Richie Faulkner. This was also the tour during which Rob Halford fell off a motorcycle onstage in Brazil.

Despite these setbacks, Judas Priest returned two years later with a new album, Redeemer of Souls, and a subsequent tour.

KISS

Year of farewell tour: 2000

Year reunited: 2002

Length: two years

What happened: For over a year, KISS embarked on a 142-date “farewell” tour that was promoted as the end of the band. Ace Frehley and Peter Criss rejoined Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, and all four original members were set to conclude their journey together.

However, Stanley felt it wasn’t necessary for all of KISS to end.

“After the tour was over, it didn’t take me very long to realize I didn’t want to say goodbye to the band. I wanted to say goodbye to two members,” Stanley told Rolling Stone in 2018.

The band continued to perform one-off shows with new members in subsequent years before launching The World Domination Tour in 2003.

In 2019, KISS commenced their second farewell tour, the End of the Road Tour, which included 250 shows before concluding on December 2, 2023, at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Motley Crue

Year of farewell tour: 2014-15

Year reunited: 2019

Length: four years

What happened: Motley Crue announced The Final Tour during a press conference in January 2014.

The members signed a deal pledging they would never tour together again. The Cessation of Touring Agreement was signed during this conference, ensuring that Motley Crue members would face legal action if they performed any shows following The Final Tour.

The band began their nearly five-month tour in July, which was supposed to end on November 22, 2014. However, this turned out to be just the first leg of The Final Tour. A second leg commenced in Japan on February 11, 2015, concluding in Los Angeles on New Year’s Eve of that year.

The final shows were recorded for “The End – Live in Los Angeles” DVD, with each night ending with Frank Sinatra’s version of “My Way” playing throughout the arena.

A stadium tour prompted them to reconsider their finality.

The idea of a 36-date stadium tour featuring large-scale shows alongside Poison, Def Leppard, and Joan Jett was proposed to Motley Crue in 2019. At that time, band members were already in the studio working on new music for their biopic, The Dirt, which later premiered on Netflix. Another tour made financial sense.

The legality remained uncertain due to the Cessation of Touring Agreement. While the specifics were never disclosed publicly, Motley Crue released a video showing what appeared to be the contract being blown up to announce their reunion in 2019.

Nine Inch Nails

Year of farewell tour: 2009

Year reunited: 2013

Length: four years

What happened: What began as the NIN 2009 tour was renamed the Wave Goodbye tour less than two months later. Trent Reznor indicated that this would be the band’s last for an indefinite period without any assurance of a return.

The tour included several festival dates and performances with Jane’s Addiction across the U.S., Europe, Asia, and Australia. The final scheduled date was at the ETP Festival in Seoul, South Korea on August 15, 2009.

Later on NIN.com, Reznor expressed that upon reflection, this run didn’t feel like an appropriate send-off for Nine Inch Nails and that they would add shows at mid-sized indoor venues in New York, Chicago, Toronto, and Los Angeles.

“Upon reflection, the NIN/JA tour felt rushed due to limited set lengths and many shows occurring during daylight – it just didn’t feel right to conclude NIN that way.”

Nine Inch Nails ended their hiatus in 2013 following the release of Hesitation Marks, their eighth studio album.

Ozzy Osbourne

Year of farewell tour: 1992

Year reunited: 1995

Length: three years

What happened: After releasing his No More Tears album, Ozzy was initially diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (later determined to be a misdiagnosis). What was intended as the No More Tears tour transformed into the No More Tours tour due to his need for rest following his diagnosis.

“So we talked and I said I thought it was time to call it a day,” his wife Sharon recounted in her autobiography published in 2005. “The constant touring and abuse from alcohol and drugs had finally taken its toll. But he would be going out on a high.”

The tour concluded with two shows in Costa Mesa, California featuring Black Sabbath as the opener. Judas Priest’s Rob Halford filled in for Ronnie James Dio during Sabbath’s performance. Ozzy also reunited with Black Sabbath for four songs during their set.

Less than three years later, Ozzy experienced a change of heart. He launched his aptly named Retirement Sucks tour in Nottingham, England on June 9, 1995.

Scorpions

Year of farewell tour: 2010

Year reunited: 2012

Length: two years

What happened: Scorpions were ready to retire after touring in support of their 17th studio album, Sting in the Tail, in 2010. However, additional dates kept being added to their schedule.

A report from Ultimate Classic Rock in 2012 indicated that Scorpions members had reconsidered and decided to rethink how they approached touring and recording schedules.

Singer Klaus Meine stated in January 2013 during an interview with Classic Rock Magazine, “The response from Scorpions during the tour helped keep us motivated.”