Rock + Metal Singers Who Left Bands and Came Back

There have been quite a few rock and metal singers who left their respective bands, and then came back years later for another round (or two).

Sometimes the grass seems greener on the other side, but isn't. These singers were either curious about what would happen if they took another direction in their careers, or they were furious with how things were going in the bands they were part of.

Left the Band, Not Fired

We rounded up a list of rock and metal singers who left bands and then came back. The key word here is "left," so singers who were fired don't count. Unfortunately, that means Ozzy Osbourne, Motley Crue's Vince Neil, Van Halen's Sammy Hagar and a handful of others aren't included.

Some reports state that Hagar left Van Halen, but in 2023, he told Rolling Stone, "Oh, I was fired. I was told that I quit by Eddie."

Band Breakups + Reunions Don't Count Either

Additionally, full band breakups don't count either — the vocalist had to have left on their own. There's only one exception to this rule, which you'll see in the gallery.

Scroll below to see rock and metal singers that left bands and then came back.

Rock + Metal Singers Who Left Big Bands and Came Back

These singers willingly left the rock and metal bands they were in, and then rejoined later on.

Gallery Credit: Lauryn Schaffner

20 Bands That Reunited With All of Their Original Members

It's cool to see a band reunite with all of its original members, so we came up with 20 examples of that happening. Of course, that doesn't mean they necessarily stayed together with all original members after. So, here, we show how long they were together — both originally and on their comeback(s).

Gallery Credit: Philip Trapp