2024 was a year of change for many people around the world, even more so for some of music’s favorite bands. The rock and roll universe saw the demise of some the industry’s top players - modern and classic alike - as bands called time on their illustrious careers, bowed out for alternative projects, or retired after the death of major members.
From Jane’s Addiction’s meltdown to Sum 41’s retirement lap around the globe, the last twelve months have been a roller coaster. Yes, fans will always enjoy the ride, but as we look back at the voids in modern music’s playing field, it is important to take a pause and remember some of the biggest bands to break up or retire from music. Here are 13 major bands that stepped off-stage in 2024.
13Aerosmith
Boston Rock Legends Retired In 2024
In August 2024, rock and roll took a hit when the Bad Boys from Boston, Aerosmith announced that they will be retiring from touring. In an Instagram post, the band addressed the state of lead singer Steven Tyler’s voice, a pain-point for Tyler since he suffered a vocal cord injury early into Peace Out: The Farewell Tour.
“Steven’s voice is an instrument like no other,” the band states.“Sadly, it is clear, that a full recovery from his vocal injury is not possible.“Endingfive decades of Aerosmithwas not an easy decision, but to the Blue Army, the band has this to say “Dream on. You’ve made our dreams come true.”
12Fleetwood Mac
Stevie Nicks May Be Releasing New Music, But Fleetwood Mac Will Not
Fleetwood Mac may have released a superfans' dream live album this year, the hits and rarities packed Mirage Tour 82, but they also put any hopes of a Fleetwood Mac reunion to bed. In aninterview with Mojo, Stevie Nicks confirmsthere is no future for the bandwithout the late Christine McVie.
“Without Christine, no can do…Without her, it just couldn’t work,“Nicks told Mojo. In an interview with Mojo,Mick Fleetwood echos, “‘the mothership’” is “harboured permanently,” it is official that Fleetwood Mac is retiring from touring. While fans may be excited to see Nicks on SNL, 2024 closed Fleetwood Mac’s story, giving us a chance to celebrate Stevie Nicks’s new music.
11REO Speedwagon
REO Speedwagon Spent Their Last Life in 2024
Since 1967, REO Speedwagon have filled up arenas with their potent, soft rock. However, as 01-07-2025 the band has officially taken their act off the road. The band confirmed their disbandment in September. Citing internal tensions between himself and longstanding REO Speedwagon members Neal Doughty and Bruce Hall, lead singer Kevin Cronin speaks on the break-upwith Billboard, “‘I never quit the band… I just got outvoted.'”
Spurned on by complications related to Bruce Hall’s health issues, which sparked a rift between Hall and Cronin, REO Speedwagon’s final show was in December 2024.Kevin Cronin will continue to tour on his own and joins Styx and Don Felder on the road this summer.
10Hall & Oates
After 2023’s Legal Troubles, Hall & Oates’ Partnership Ended in 2024
Ever since Daryl Hall filed a restraining order against John Oates in 2023, the future of the iconic duo Hall and Oates has been shaky at best. In the spring of 2024, John Oates went on the record to confirm that the dynamic partnership was truly over.“As far as I’m concerned, I’ve moved on,“Oates said to Rolling Stoneaccording to x107.5. According to Oates, part of moving on includes the opportunity to be an individual artist, “I just wanted to do something else.'”
The recent legal battle between rock’s favorite pair may raise concerns about the two-piece’s friendship. Oates was sure to mention that he would “‘never say anything negative about [Hall].'”
9Jane’s Addiction
Citing Internal Turmoil and Mental Health Issues, Jane’s Addiction Left the Stage in 2024
Jane’s Addiction called it quits in 2024 with a boxing match that rivaled the Tyson vs Paul fight (without the age gap). Mid-performance in Boston, lead singer Perry Farrell went after guitarist Dave Navarro, going as far as throwing a punch, effectively ending the group’s 39-year run.
The band’sofficial social mediawas sparse on details surrounding the sudden disbandment, simply stating the band decided to step away from music as a group. However,in a more detailed statement, the three other members of Jane’s Addiction shared that they were “heartbroken” by the outcome of their 14-year reunion tour, which wasmired by Perry Farrell’s “continuing pattern of behavior and mental health difficulties.”
8The Postal Service
2024 Was The Year The Postal Service Bowed Out From Such Great Heights
Death Cab for Cutie’s Benjamin Gibbard has put his beloved side project The Postal Service to bed after reviving the project for a slew of shows with Death Cab in 2023. In September 2024, Gibbardannounced that the bandwould be entering a permanent hiatus.
The Postal Service took the Aughts by storm with “Such Great Heights” off the albumGive Up, solidifying the project as a millennial gem. Having not performed since 2013, Gibbard revived the project to co-headline the Transatlanticism / Give Up Tour with Death Cab from 2023 to 2024.
The tour’s completion in September was also the side-project’s heartbreaking goodbye. The final line-up was Benjamin Gibbard, Jimmy Tamborello, and Jenny Lewis.
7Japandroids
2024 Was The Culmination of One of Rock’s Most Exciting Duos
In arguably one of the most disappointing losses of 2024, Vancouver two-piece Japandroids have officially called it quits. With their final studio album,Fate & Alcohol, and the birth of guitarist Brian King’s child, Japandroids will not continue in 2025. The fate of the band seems to juxtapose the real life of musicians Brian King and David Prowse. Newly sober King is celebrating the birth of his first child and his naturalization as a US citizen.
The trajectory of Japandroids is a natural curve ending with their new album,according to Stereogum—“You’ve been grieving a version of Japandroids that hasn’t existed for over a decade.Fate & Alcohol is the stage of acceptance.” Japandroids will certainly be missed.
6Sum 41
Best Friends of Punk Rock Sum 41 Stepped Off The World Stage in 2024
Sum 41, one of the hardest-working rock bands out there, played their last international shows in 2024, closing out the career of the band in Jan 2025 (with an encore performance at the JUNO awards in spring 2025) with a final run of shows in Canada. The Tour of the Setting Sum is Sum 41’s final tour following a break-up announcement in spring 2023.
With the release of their newest albumHeaven :x: Hell, Sum 41 have written all the songs they had to write, Deryck Whibleyclaiming it is finally timeto move on to something new. Guitarist Dave Bakshhas addedthat the band is alsoexhausted and deserving of their bittersweet departure.
5NOFX
West Coast Punk Powerhouse NOFX Retired in 2024
The punk rock world is left spinning in 2024 with the official retirement of NOFX. After 40 years of defining modern punk, NOFX closed out their career at Berth 46 in SoCal where they ended their world tour with a 3-night stay in San Pedro, a massive gift to the fans who came to see the end of the legends.
Alas, time has appeared to have caught up with the band. While the group was able to pull off their massive farewell tour, which included 40-song sets every night, the relationships that started the band have waned over the years. Citing unavoidable tensions, lead singer Fat Miketold the LA Times,“We called it off at the right time.”
4OFF!
Punk Super group Off! Gracefully Left the Spotlight in 2024
Off!, the hottest punk rock super group of the 2000s, featuring members of Black Flag, Circle Jerks, Redd Kross, Burning Brides, and Hot Snakes, called it quits in July 2024 after a 15-year run. Touring on the theatrical release of their punk-rock sci-fi comedyFree LSD, the band’s final performance was July 26th.
Lead singer Keith Morris and guitarist Dimitri Coatsspoke with Los Angeles Magazine, stating that 2022’s experimental album Free LSD, and the subsequent theatrical release movie, were the band’s crowning accomplishments, but also the final push from the band. Co-founder Coats echoed,“We want to go out on top,”he went on to call the movie,“our going-away gift to our fans.”
