The history of pop music is replete with band members who broke out as solo artists. Michael Jackson, Lauryn Hill, Stevie Nicks and Sting are just some of the best-known names who outgrew the shared limelight and made a successful bid for standalone success. 

While many solo stars born from bands have since hung up the microphone, others in this illustrious club remain active in 2022. The most recent player in the bandmate-turned-solo-star game is former One Direction singer Harry Styles, who released his third album, Harry's House, on May 20.

Along with Styles, these 10 superstars got their start in great company — and are still thriving on their own today.

Harry Styles

To track how far Harry Styles has come from his One Direction days, go back a decade to the group's 2012 music video for "One Thing," which features a big-haired and wholesome Harry riding buses and busking through London. Fast forward to 2022, and he's sharing intense scenes with Florence Pugh in the trailer for Olivia Wilde's upcoming psychological thriller, Don't Worry Darling, fresh from headlining Coachella with a strutting, sequined hit-filled set. 

Since making his solo debut with the soaring ballad "Sign of the Times" in 2017, Styles has earned several labels: chart topper, style icon, boundary pusher and even GRAMMY winner. (His subtly provocative smash "Watermelon Sugar" earned the Best Pop Solo Performance GRAMMY in 2021.) 

Styles' latest single, "As It Was," helped add record breaker to that list. The song broke the record for most single-day streams on a song by a male artist in global Spotify chart history, setting the stage for the highly anticipated May 20 release of his third solo album, Harry's House. 

His upcoming touring schedule shows his star power, too. The singer recently announced mini residencies in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Austin and Toronto, including 10 nights each at famed venues Madison Square Garden and The Forum. Although he's the only One Direction member to play venues of that size on his own, Styles makes sure to still honor his boy band start, keeping 1D's breakout single, "What Makes You Beautiful," in his set list — most recently inviting his buddy Lizzo to perform it with him at Coachella.

Beyoncé

"Sorry I'm not Beyoncé," Billie Eilish joked from the main stage at Coachella in her first year as the festival's headliner this April. The quip was an acknowledgement of the former Destiny's Child member's titanic solo career to date — and, of course, her showstopping headline performance at Coachella in 2018 that was later immortalized in Homecoming: A Film By Beyoncé (and dubbed Beychella by fans). 

In the nearly 20 years since her solo debut, 2003's Dangerously In Love, Beyoncé has released six albums — all of which have reached No. 1 on the all-genre Billboard 200 albums chart — and has scored six No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 as a solo or featured artist. 

Among countless other accolades, the "Halo" star has become a GRAMMY legend: Beyoncé has won 28 GRAMMYs (and has received 79 nominations), making her the winning-most female artist in GRAMMY history.

This year, after receiving her first Oscar nomination for "Be Alive" from the King Richard soundtrack, Beyoncé opened the 2022 Academy Awards with a stunning, all-lime-green performance from a tennis court in Compton, Calif., the hometown of Venus and Serena Williams. Whatever her next move, it's sure to be received rapturously.

Ricky Martin

Latin pop sensation Ricky Martin got his start in the early 1980s in the long-running Puerto Rican boy band Menudo, joining the group as a young teen. His big break as a solo star came with his fourth studio album Vuelve (1998), and its English-language follow-up, Ricky Martin (1999), which featured the breakout hit single, "Livin' la Vida Loca." 

Martin made his GRAMMY stage debut performing "La Copa De Vida" at the 41st GRAMMY Awards in 1999. That year, he took home Best Latin Pop Performance for "Vuelve"; Martin scored his second GRAMMY nearly 20 years later, winning Best Latin Pop Album for A Quien Quiera Escuchar in 2016. (He has also won four Latin GRAMMYs, in addition to being honored as Person Of The Year in 2006.)

After building a legacy as one of Latin pop's best-selling artists of the '90s, Martin continues to leave an impact. His 2020 EP, Pausa, landed in the top 10 of the Latin Pop Albums chart and earned him his eighth GRAMMY nomination in 2021. And although he's still releasing music today, Martin loves calling back to the good old days: he released two singles with 2000s Latin stars Reik, and teamed up with Enrique Iglesias for a co-headlining tour in 2021.

Paul McCartney

Just one month before the Beatles delivered what would be their final album, 1970's Let It Be, Paul McCartney unveiled McCartney, hinting that a solo career was on the horizon. Though McCartney II wouldn't come until a decade later (mostly because he spent the '70s fronting Wings), the road to 2020's McCartney III solidified the former fresh-faced Beatle as one of music's all-time greats.

While McCartney's solo career hasn't spawned quite as many iconic hits as the Beatles' catalog, his stacked list of accolades includes a spot in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (both as a member of the Beatles and on his own), Kennedy Center Honors and a knighting by Queen Elizabeth for his contributions to music. Along with his 18 GRAMMY wins, he was also honored with the GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award in 1990. (And with 81 career nominations, McCartney is the second-most nominated artist of all time.)

He also remains a touring titan, currently selling out arenas and stadiums across the U.S. on his Got Back Tour. As he's done for years, McCartney ensures his set lists include numerous callbacks to his legendary band, such as "Can't Buy Me Love," "Got to Get You Into My Life," "Hey Jude" and "Helter Skelter." This time around, he even features a "virtual duet" with John Lennon on "I've Got A Feeling," thanks to restored never-before-seen footage of the band's legendary 1969 rooftop concert from director Peter Jackson's 2021 documentary, The Beatles: Get Back.

Justin Timberlake

After a stint on "The Mickey Mouse Club," Justin Timberlake emerged as a fresh-faced heartthrob in *NSYNC. Following a whirlwind five-year span of global success with the group, Timberlake put his frosted tips behind him and became a pop phenomenon of his own. 

Launching into the limelight in 2002 with his debut solo album, Justified, Timberlake has landed 36 songs in the Billboard Top 100 to date, including five No. 1 hits. While Justified reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200, Timberlake has since celebrated four No. 1 albums, including 2018's Man Of The Woods. Along the way, the singer scooped up 10 GRAMMYs and 31 nominations (he has 39 noms in total, thanks to the impressive eight he earned with *NSYNC).

In addition to collaborations with everyone from Madonna and Beyoncé to Jay Z and Chris Stapleton, Timberlake is also an accomplished actor, winning acclaim for his roles in The Social Network, Inside Llewyn Davis and last year's Palmer. While relatively low-key of late, Timberlake lent his unmistakable croon to "Parent Trap" for Jack Harlow's new album, Come Home the Kids Miss You. Any Timberlake fan knows that the multi-hyphenate is not one to stay under the radar for long.

Camila Cabello

Following what she has called a "super awkward" split from girl group Fifth Harmony, Camila Cabello has confidently scaled new heights as a solo artist. The true making of Camila Cabello as a solo star came in 2017 with "Havana," the Young Thug-featuring Latin pop sensation that topped the Billboard Hot 100 and has since climbed to over one billion views on YouTube. The song earned Cabello a nomination for Best Pop Solo Performance in 2019, with her debut solo album, Camila, also earning a nomination for Best Pop Vocal Album that year.

Cabello went to No. 1 again in 2019 with "Señorita," a steamy collaboration with Shawn Mendes that earned her a GRAMMY nomination for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. (The sultry track doubled the streaming success of "Havana" on Spotify, surpassing 2 billion streams in November 2021.) 

In April, Cabello released her third solo studio album, Familia, which explores her musical heritage through the lens of Latin pop. As she continues to honor her Latin roots, Cabello seemingly has her eye on the movie and film world as well, making her acting debut in the 2021 Amazon Prime remake of Cinderella.

Pharrell Williams

Before Pharrell Williams was the smooth superproducer we know today, he was the livewire frontman of funk-rock-rap group N.E.R.D. But it didn't take long for Williams to prove himself as a star on his own: As N.E.R.D. continued to release music, Williams teased a solo career with features on tracks with Jay-Z, Britney Spears and Snoop Dogg before emerging with his debut solo single — the top-five hit "Frontin'" (another Jay-Z team-up) — in 2003.

Ten years later, Williams had arguably the biggest year of his career in 2013 thanks to Daft Punk's "Get Lucky," Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" and his own smash, "Happy." All three earned Williams GRAMMY nominations, winning Record of the Year and Won Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for "Get Lucky" and Best Pop Solo Performance and Best Music Video for "Happy." (To date, Pharrell has won 13 GRAMMYs and earned 38 nominations overall.)

In the nearly 10 years since, Williams has continued his balancing act of in-demand producer and solo artist, even reuniting with N.E.R.D. in 2017 for No One Ever Really Dies. Williams recently served as both featured artist and producer on Jack Harlow's Come Home the Kids Miss You and Pusha T's It's Almost Dry (on which he co-wrote and produced seven of the 12 tracks).

Nick Jonas

Almost a decade after the Jonas Brothers parted ways in 2013 (though not forever, as it turned out), Nick Jonas continues to write his own story. His breakout song as a solo artist — 2014's "Jealous," which peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 — set the stage for his self-titled album that also saw hits in "Chains" and deluxe track "Levels." (All three singles went to No. 1 on Billboard's Dance Club Songs chart.)

Jonas continued to hone his signature pop-meets-R&B sound on 2016's Last Year Was Complicated, which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and delivered the catchy Tove Lo collab "Close." As he continued his solo music, Jonas also expanded his acting resume, earning a starring role in the drama series Kingdom and guest starring on the satirical slasher show Scream Queens.

Reuniting with his brothers for a chart-topping comeback in 2019, Jonas served as a coach on "The Voice" in 2020 and returned in 2021. Amid the revamped Jonas Brother mania,  Jonas released his third solo LP, Spaceman, in 2021, teaming up with his bros for the deluxe cut "Selfish."

Next, the Jonas Brothers will launch a five-date Vegas residency in June. (Joe Jonas is also making a comeback this year with his dance-rock project DNCE.)

Diana Ross

Since beginning her career as the lead singer of the Supremes, Diana Ross has become one of the most celebrated solo artists still working today. Building on the myriad hits she released throughout the 1970s on Motown Records, Ross entered a new era with Diana in 1980, the best-selling album of her career with the timeless classics "Upside Down" and "I'm Coming Out." 

The '80s saw another string of hits for Ross, including her classic 1981 duet with Lionel Richie, "Endless Love." While her releases became more sporadic at the turn of the 21st century, Ross' genre-spanning accomplishments earned her the GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012.

Still going strong in the seventh decade of her career, Ross released her 25th album, Thank You, in 2021. Her first release in 15 years was produced by current pop chart whisperer Jack Antonoff and ushered in a new phase for the living legend. 

This year, she collaborated with psych-rockers Tame Impala on "Turn Up The Sunshine" for the new Minions soundtrack and will play the "Legend" slot at the UK's renowned Glastonbury Festival in June.

Gwen Stefani

As No Doubt hit their commercial peak in the early 2000s, Gwen Stefani officially broke off with 2004's "What You Waiting For." For three years straight, Stefani served up several smashes including the Fiddler-on-the-Roof-sampling "Rich Girl," the Akon-featuring "Sweet Escape" and the Billboard Hot 100-topping anthem "Hollaback Girl."

Following a string of No Doubt reunion shows in 2015, Stefani released This Is What the Truth Feels Like in 2016, marking her first solo album in 10 years and her first No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Four years later, her headline-making romance with fellow "The Voice" coach (and her now husband) Blake Shelton resulted in two Country Airplay No. 1s in 2020 with "Nobody But You" and "Happy Anywhere."

In January 2021, Gwen Stefani shared the music video for her don't-call-it-a-comeback single, "Let Me Reintroduce Myself." The song's bright, reggae-tinged feel is matched by its video, which sees Stefani revisiting looks from both her No Doubt days and her solo times with the Harajuku Girls. 

Stefani continues to inspire the next generation, too. Olivia Rodrigo has cited Stefani as one of her biggest inspirations, telling TIME that Stefani is the artist she'd most like to write a song with. Stefani's response? "I'd be honored."

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From vinyl records by the 1975 and U2, to album reissues and previously unreleased music, record stores around the world are stocking limited and exclusive releases for Record Store Day 2024. 

The first Record Store Day kicked off in 2008 and every year since, the event supporting independently owned record stores has grown exponentially. On Record Store Day 2024, which falls on April 20, there will be more than 300 special releases available from artists as diverse as  the Beatles and Buena Vista Social Club. 

In honor of Record Store Day 2024 on April 20, here are 10 limited and exclusive drops to watch out for when browsing your local participating record store. 

David Bowie — Waiting in the Sky (Before The Starman Came To Earth

British glam rocker David Bowie was a starman and an icon. Throughout his career, he won five GRAMMY Awards and was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006. 

On RSD 2024, Bowie's estate is dialing it back to his Ziggy Stardust days to make Waiting in the Sky (Before The Starman Came To Earth) available for the first time. The record features recordings of Bowie's sessions at Trident Studios in 1971, and many songs from those sessions would be polished for his 1972 album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. 

The tracklisting for Waiting in the Sky differs from Ziggy Stardust and features four songs that didn’t make the final album.

Talking Heads — Live at WCOZ 77

New York City-based outfit Talking Heads defined the sound of new wave in the late '70s and into the next decade. For their massive influence, the group received two GRAMMY nominations and was later honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021.

While promoting their debut album Talking Heads: 77, the quartet recorded a live performance for the New Albany, Pennsylvania radio station WCOZ in 1977. The Live at WCOZ 77 LP will include 14 songs from that performance at Northern Studios, including seven that will be released for the first time. Among the previously unheard cuts are "Love Goes To A Building On Fire" and "Uh-Oh, Love Comes To Town." During that session, Talking Heads also performed songs like "Psycho Killer" and "Pulled Up."

The Doors — Live at Konserthuset, Stockholm, September 20, 1968

The Doors were at the forefront of the psychedelic rock movement of the 1960s and early '70s. One of Jim Morrison's most epic performances with the band will be available on vinyl for the first time. 

Live at Konserthuset, Stockholm, September 20, 1968 includes recordings from a radio broadcast that was never commercially released. The 3-LP release includes performances of songs from the Doors’ first three albums, including 1967’s self-titled and Strange Days. In addition to performing their classics like "Light My Fire" and "You're Lost Little Girl," the Doors and Morrison also covered "Mack the Knife" and Barret Strong's "Money (That's What I Want)" live during this session. 

Dwight Yoakam — The Beginning And Then Some: The Albums of the '80s

Over the course of his 40-year career, country music icon Dwight Yoakam has received 18 GRAMMY nominations and won two golden gramophones for Best Male Country Vocal Performance in 1994 and Best Country Collaboration with Vocals in 2000.

On Record Store Day 2024, Yoakam will celebrate the first chapter of his legacy with a new box set: The Beginning And Then Some: The Albums of the '80s. His debut album Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. and 1987’s Hillbilly Deluxe will be included in the collection alongside exclusive disc full of rarities and demos. The 4-LP set includes his classics like "Honky Tonk Man," "Little Ways," and "Streets of Bakersfield." The box set will also be available to purchase on CD.  

The Beatles — The Beatles Limited Edition RSD3 Turntable

Beatlemania swept across the U.S. following the Beatles’ first appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show" in February 1964, setting the stage for the British Invasion. With The Beatles Limited Edition RSD3 Turntable, the band will celebrate their iconic run of appearances on Sullivan’s TV program throughout that year.

The box set will include a Beatles-styled turntable and four 3-inch records. Among those records are the hits "I Want To Hold Your Hand," "Till There Was You," "She Loves You," and "I Saw Her Standing There," which the Beatles performed on Sullivan's TV across several appearances. 

Among 23 GRAMMY nominations, the Beatles won seven golden gramophones. In 2014, the Recording Academy honored them with the Lifetime Achievement Award.   

Olivia Rodrigo and Noah Kahan — From The BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge LP

Olivia Rodrigo and Noah Kahan are two of the biggest pop stars in the world right now — Rodrigo hitting the stage with No Doubt at Coachella and near the end of her global GUTS Tour; Kahan fresh off a Best New Artist nomination at the 2024 GRAMMYs. Now, they're teaming up for the split single From The BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge LP, a release culled from each artist's "BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge" sessions. 

The special vinyl release will include Rodrigo's live cover of Kahan's breakout hit "Stick Season." The single also includes Kahan’s cover of Rodrigo’s song "Lacy" from her second album, GUTS. This month, they performed the song live together on Rodrigo’s Guts World Tour stop in Madison Square Garden.  

Buena Vista Social Club — Buena Vista Social Club

Influential Cuban group Buena Vista Social Club popularized genres and sounds from their country, including son cubano, bolero, guajira, and danzón. Buena Vista Social Club's landmark self-titled LP won the GRAMMY for Best Tropical Latin Album in 1998.

The following year, a documentary was released that captured two of the band's live performances in New York City and Amsterdam. To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the documentary, the Buena Vista Social Club album will be released on a limited edition gold vinyl with remastered audio and bonus tracks.

Buena Vista Social Club is one of the 10 recordings to be newly inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame as part of the 2024 inductee class.

Danny Ocean — 54+1

Venezuelan reggaeton star Danny Ocean broke through on a global level in 2016 with his self-produced debut single "Me Rehúso," a heartbreaking track inspired by Ocean fleeing Venezuela due to the country's economic instability and the lover he had left behind. 

With "Me Rehúso," Ocean became the first solo Latin artist to surpass one billion streams on Spotify, on the platform with a single song. "Me Rehúso" was included on his 2019 debut album 54+1, which will be released on vinyl for the first time for Record Store Day.

Lee "Scratch" Perry & The Upsetters — Skanking With The Upsetter

Jamaican producer Lee "Scratch" Perry pioneered dub music in the 1960s and '70s. Perry received five GRAMMY nominations in his lifetime, including winning Best Reggae Album in 2003 for Jamaican E.T.

To celebrate the legacy of Perry's earliest dub recordings, a limited edition run of his 2004 album Skanking With The Upsetter will be released on Record Store Day. His joint LP with his house band the Upsetters will be pressed on transparent yellow vinyl. Among the rare dub tracks on the album are "Bucky Skank," "Seven & Three Quarters (Skank)," and "IPA Skank." 

Read more: Lee "Scratch" Perry Documentary Director Sets The Record Straight On The Reggae Icon's Legacy — Including A Big Misconception About Bob Marley

Notorious B.I.G. — Ready To Die: The Instrumentals

The Notorious B.I.G. helped define the sound of East Coast rap in the '90s. Though he was tragically murdered in 1997, his legacy continues to live on through his two albums. 

During his lifetime, the Notorious B.I.G. dropped his 1994 debut album Ready to Die, which is widely considered to be one of the greatest hip-hop releases of all-time. In honor of the 30th anniversary of the album (originally released in September '94), his estate will release Ready To Die: The Instrumentals. The limited edition vinyl will include select cuts from the LP like his hits "Big Poppa," "One More Chance/Stay With Me," and "Juicy." The album helped him garner his first GRAMMY nomination in 1996 for Best Rap Solo Performance. The Notorious B.I.G. received an additional three nominations after his death in 1998. 

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While in a studio, Andrew Watt bounces off the walls. Just ask Mick Jagger, who once had to gently tell the 33-year-old, "Look, I can deal with this, but when you meet Ronnie and Keith, you have to dial it down a little bit."

Or ask Pearl Jam's Stone Gossard. "He really got the best out of [drummer] Matt [Cameron] just by being excited — literally jumping up and down and pumping his fist and running around," he tells GRAMMY.com.

As Watt's hot streak has burned on, reams have rightly been written about his ability to take a legacy act, reconnect them with their essence, and put a battery in their back. His efficacy can be seen at Music's Biggest Night: Ozzy Osbourne's Patient Number 9 won Best Rock Album at the 2023 GRAMMYs. At the last ceremony, the Rolling Stones were nominated for Best Rock Song, for Hackney Diamonds' opener "Angry."

On Pearl Jam's return to form, Dark Matter, due out April 19. Who was behind the desk? Take a wild guess.

"You want to see them live more than you want to listen to their albums, and they have the ability to look at each other and play and follow each other. I don't like my rock music any other way, as a listener," Watt tells GRAMMY.com. "All my favorite records are made like that — of people speeding up, slowing down, playing longer than they should."

As such, Watt had a lightbulb moment: to not record any demos, and have them write together in the room. "They're all playing different stuff, and it makes up what Pearl Jam is, and singer Eddie [Vedder] rides it like a wave."

If you're more of a pop listener, there's tons of Watt for you — he's worked with Justin Bieber ("Hit the Ground" from Purpose), Lana Del Rey ("Doin' Time" from Norman F—ing Rockwell) and much more. Read on for a breakdown of big name rockers who have worked with Andrew Watt.

Pearl Jam / Eddie Vedder

Watt didn't just produce Dark Matter; he also helmed Vedder's well-received third solo album, Earthling, from 2022. Watt plays guitar in Vedder's live backing band, known as the Earthlings — which also includes Josh Klinghoffer, who replaced John Frusciante in the Red Hot Chili Peppers for a stint.

The Rolling Stones

Dark Matter was a comeback for Pearl Jam, but Hackney Diamonds was really a comeback for the Stones. While it had a hater or two, the overwhelming consensus was that it was the Stones' best album in decades — maybe even since 1978's Some Girls.

"I hope what makes it fresh and modern comes down to the way it's mixed, with focus on low end and making sure the drums are big," Watt, who wore a different Stones shirt every day in the studio, has said about Hackney Diamonds. "But the record is recorded like a Stones album."

Where there are modern rock flourishes on Hackney Diamonds, "There's no click tracks. There's no gridding. There's no computer editing," he continued. "This s— is performed live and it speeds up and slows down. It's made to the f—ing heartbeat connection of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and Steve Jordan.

"And Charlie," Watt added, tipping a hat to Watts, who played on Hackney Diamonds but died before it came out. "When Charlie's on it."

Iggy Pop

Ever since he first picked up a mic and removed his shirt, the snapping junkyard dog of the Stooges has stayed relevant — as far as indie, alternative and punk music has been concerned.

But aside from bright spots like 2016's Josh Homme-produced Post Pop Depression, his late-career output has felt occasionally indulgent and enervated. The 11 songs on 2023's eclectic Watt-produced Every Loser, on the other hand, slap you in the face in 11 different ways.

"We would jam and make tracks and send them to Iggy, and he would like 'em and write to them or wouldn't like them and we'd do something else," Watt told Billboard. "It was very low pressure. We just kept making music until we felt like we had an album." (And as with Pearl Jam and Vedder's Earthlings band, Watt has rocked out onstage with Pop.

Ozzy Osbourne

You dropped your crown, O Prince of Darkness. When he hooked up with Watt, the original Black Sabbath frontman hadn't released any solo music since 2010's Scream; in 2017, Sabbath finally said goodbye after 49 years and 10 (!) singers.

On 2020's Ordinary Man and 2022's Patient Number 9, Watt reenergized Ozzy; even when he sounds his age, Ozz sounds resolute, defiant, spitting in the face of the Reaper. (A bittersweet aside: the late Taylor Hawkins appears on Patient Number 9, which was written and recorded in just four days.)

Maroon 5

Yeah, yeah, they're more of a pop-rock band, but they have guitars, bass and drums. (And if you're the type of rock fan who's neutral or hostile to the 5, you shouldn't be; Songs About Jane slaps.)

At any rate, Watt co-produced "Can't Leave You Alone," featuring Juice WRLD, from 2021's Jordi. Critics disparaged the album, but showed Watt's facility straddling the pop and rock worlds.

5 Seconds of Summer

When it comes to Andrew Watt, the Sydney pop-rockers — slightly more on the rock end than Maroon 5 and their ilk — are repeat customers. He produced a number of tracks for 5 Seconds of Summer, which spanned 2018's Youngblood, 2020's Calm and 2022's 5SOS5.

Regarding the former: Watt has cited Youngblood as one of the defining recording experiences of his life.

"I had started working with 5 Seconds of Summer, and a lot of people looked at them as a boy band, but they're not," Watt told Guitar Player. "They're all incredible musicians. They can all play every instrument. They love rock music. They can harmonize like skyrockets in flight. They just were making the wrong kind of music."

So Watt showed 5 Seconds of Summer a number of mainstays of the rock era, like Tears for Fears and the Police. The rest, as they say, is history.

Elton John

A year after Britney Spears was unshackled from her highly controversial conservatorship, it was time for a victory lap with the God of Glitter. What resulted was a curious little bauble, which became a megahit: "Hold Me Closer," a spin on "Tiny Dancer," "The One" and "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" that briefly launched Spears back into the stratosphere.

"Britney came in and she knew what she wanted to do," Watt recalled to The L.A. Times. "We sped up the song a little bit and she sang the verses in her falsetto, which harkens back to 'Toxic.' She was having a blast."

Blink-182

Watt has also worked with pop/punk heroes Blink-182 — but not after Tom DeLonge made his grand return. He produced "I Really Wish I Hated You" from 2019's Nine, back when Matt Skiba was in the band.

Where in the rock world will this tender-aged superproducer strike next? Watt knows.

Songbook: The Rolling Stones' Seven-Decade Journey To Hackney Diamonds

On the first Saturday of Coachella, No Doubt made a striking comeback on the festival's main stage for their first performance together in nine years. 

Originating from Anaheim, California in 1986, the band is celebrated for their eclectic sound that defies easy categorization — from the ska-punk vibrancy of their early days to the polished pop anthems that later defined their career. 

Their big breakthrough album, Tragic Kingdom, was released in 1995 and propelled them to fame with hits like "Don't Speak" and "Just a Girl," which dominated the Billboard charts for 16 weeks. 

Featuring all original members — Gwen Stefani, guitarist Tom Dumont, bassist Tony Kanal, and drummer Adrian Young — No Doubt's Coachella performance was a tribute to their iconic past and a reminder of their beloved eccentricity. 

The standout set was filled with unbeatable stage presence, surprise guests, and showcased the band's timeless appeal nearly four decades into their career. Known for blending introspective brooding with a uniquely sardonic edge, the band has significantly influenced a generation of complex female artistry. Highlights from the performance, including Stefani's magnetic stage presence, heartfelt interactions with fans, and a surprise appearance by Olivia Rodrigo, underscore their palpable appeal and lasting influence on contemporary music. 

Read on to discover five key highlights from their hotly anticipated return at Coachella during their 'Weekend 1' set:

Gen Z And OG Fans United As One

As fans converged on Coachella's main stage for No Doubt's set, the diversity of the audience was immediately apparent. Younger fans, clad in social media-ready outfits inspired by Gwen Stefani’s iconic style (some even recreating her most iconic looks) braved the evening's brisk winds. 

Despite challenges, the alleged bad modern concert etiquette was not apparent, especially after Stefani's call for a return to old-school concert vibes before performing a “Simple Kind of Life.” 

“Let’s do this old school!” Stefani said as she confessed missing the days when fans would belt out all the lyrics at the top of their lungs without much care in the world. It was a sentiment that quickly resonated through the audience and a moment that not only bridged generational divides but also highlighted No Doubt's broad and enduring appeal. 

The Night Was Full Of Nostalgia

Outside of the fact that frontwoman Stefani is allergic to aging, for a group returning after nine years performing together, No Doubt’s stage presence was just as powerful as their past, dynamic performances.  

“There’s no f—king comparison!” Gwen Stefani roared during “Underneath it All,” capturing the intensity of the moment as she dropped to her knees, rhinestones sparkling on her eyebrows and a smile breaking through. 

Read more: GRAMMY Rewind: Watch No Doubt Accept Their GRAMMY Award For “Underneath It All” In 2004

The band's passion burned just as brightly when they were playing local college gigs in Orange County. There was no sign of awkwardness or a single misstep as Stefani showcased the same brilliance of her early days as a burgeoning musician.

She shared the spotlight seamlessly. As Dumont delivered a guitar solo during “Different People,” Stefani playfully skipped and ran across the expansive stage, never missing a note. 

No Doubt has always transcended nostalgia, yet they embraced their history at Coachella. Stefani dressed to the nines in a plaid, avant-garde outfit while background videos played personal and rehearsal footage from the '90s, evoking a simpler time for the group. Stefani appeared barefaced in a plain white tee, bouncing around a beat up truck in a video that explained the band's origins and showed the magnetic charisma that manifested a star turned supernova.

Olivia Rodrigo Made A Surprise Appearance

Right before Stefani took a brief water break, she flashed a mysterious smirk to the crowd. 

As the introspective track “Bathwater” thrummed to life, a brunette donning a glittering “I [love] ND” tank top emerged, her face turned from the audience. The murmurs quickly escalated into screams, particularly from the younger fans, signaling the arrival of pop starlet Olivia Rodrigo. Matching Stefani in energy and presence, Rodrigo proved a formidable presence on stage, trading verses and singing in duet through the chorus, their performance culminating in a sweet embrace. 

No Doubt’s influence on Rodrigo's music is palpable. After all, tracks like Rodrigo’s “Get Him Back!” and No Doubt’s “Bathwater” are cut from the same mascara-stained cloth — each with a poetic, vengeful twist. They were just girls! Living in captivity! The revenge? Being able to put into song the diabolical conditions of womanhood, while allowing themselves to truly feel — whether it be anger, delusion, or plain pettiness. 

The Band Members Have A Bond

No Doubt’s historic return to the stage elevated the entirety of the Coachella-going experience, setting a standard and outshining the majority of the other acts. Throughout their performance, the admiration they had for one another became increasingly evident. 

From Stefani frequently calling out “Tony! Tony!” to (Tony) Kanal during the set’s adlibs to the end of their set when the group remained locked in a hug for several moments, the group was clearly overjoyed to be back together again. Before exiting the stage, Stefani leaped onto the back of Young while she excitedly kicked her feet, as though in protest of having to leave. 

A Coachella backstage supervisor working onsite during their rehearsals candidly confessed that he was taken by the band's natural chemistry. During soundcheck, he stated they were so intrinsically confident and overjoyed about their performance it seemed as though they had never stopped performing with one another. 

They Showed Deep Gratitude For Their Fans

There was nothing but gratitude on display from each and every member during the festival set. After almost every other song Stefani would belt an “I love you!” to the crowd. 

During an experimental instrumental-only tribute to ska-pop, Kanal ran across the stage with a huge smile, at-the-ready to riff back-to-back with members of the group. 

“Indio, put your f—king hands up!” Stefani commanded the crowd as they gleefully complied. Then, as smoke filled the air under the brilliantly shining crescent moon, she celebrated the group coming together for the first time in nine years. 

“Isn’t this so crazy?” Stefani yelped during her performance for “It’s My Life.” “This is our life! Singing I love you!” 

It was an epic return for No Doubt as a band and Stefani as their fierce leader, showing up to Coachella naturally, just a girl. A girl who loves to sing, rile up the audience in a fierce sing-along, and remind everyone that self-acceptance is all their music has ever been about. 

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Right before their hiatus in 2004, No Doubt had one last hurrah with a win for Best Pop Performance By A Pop Duo Or Group With Vocals for "Underneath It All" at the 46th Annual GRAMMY Awards.

In this episode of GRAMMY Rewind, travel back to when they took the stage to accept their award presented by Mathew Perry together.

Drummer Adrian Young began by praising their families, loved ones, and the citizens of Drapers, Jamaica, for "showing us how to have a good time and relax while recording music" Then, bassist Tony Kanal took a turn at the microphone thanking their team, management company, and label, Interscope Records.

Frontwoman Gwen Stefani closed out the speech by acknowledging "Underneath It All" co-writer, David Stewart of Eurythmics; her then-husband, Gavin Rossdale, who inspired the track; and, of course, the fans for "letting us stay alive as a band for all these years."

This Saturday, No Doubt will reunite again (they took a second hiatus in 2015) for a premiere performance on the Coachella stage. 

Press play on the video above to watch No Doubt's complete acceptance speech for their "Underneath It All" win in 2004, and check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of GRAMMY Rewind.

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