While being dismissed from a prominent band is never ideal, it doesn’t have to signal the end of your career. In fact, many musicians have gone on to achieve great things after being let go, and that humbling experience may have motivated them to pursue their own paths that ultimately led to success.

Indeed, there are numerous notable firings, and not all of them result in positive outcomes. For example, Pete Best was famously dismissed by The Beatles before the band became the world’s biggest act with Ringo Starr. Similarly, Pete Willis faced challenges after being replaced by Phil Collen in Def Leppard as the band’s popularity soared. Many others have simply faded from the spotlight after leaving their bands.

However, this list highlights 10 rock and metal musicians who managed to maintain their musical relevance. All 10 embarked on new ventures after finding themselves free, and each of these “next acts” provided them with the ideal platform to showcase their talents.

READ MORE: <span style="text-decoration: underline">17 Rock + Metal Bands Who Never Had a Lineup Change</span>

Two musicians on this list share a current band — Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony. Hagar was released from Montrose early in his career but built a successful solo career before joining Van Halen. There, he played alongside Anthony, who was later let go from Van Halen. Together, they continued first as part of Chickenfoot and then formed their most recent band, The Circle.

Who else found success after being let go? Dave Mustaine certainly had a motivation after his departure from Metallica and has turned Megadeth into a successful entity in its own right. Additionally, Ozzy Osbourne’s story didn’t end after his late ’70s dismissal from Black Sabbath.

Discover who else made the list of musicians who achieved great success after being fired.

Now let’s take a look at 10 Bands That Weren’t the Same After One Band Member Left.