Ed Sheeran
He might be one of the most streamed (and well-paid) artists in the world today, but music wasn’t even Ed Sheeran’s first career choice. In a 2011 interview with Capital FM, the Shape of You singer revealed that he’d actually wanted to be an actor.
Furthermore, he admitted that he only decided to get serious about music after failing an audition for a TV show called Britannia High. In recent years, Sheeran’s dreams of becoming a thespian have finally come true, thanks to cameos in Game of Thrones and Bridget Jones’s Baby.
Lizzo
In a 2019 interview with Elle, Lizzo confessed that she almost quit music shortly after releasing her 2017 single Truth Hurts. The singer explained that she felt like she was “throwing music into the world and not even making a splash,” a demoralizing experience which left her in tears.
Thankfully, Lizzo’s producer gave her some much needed words of encouragement and convinced her to stay in the music game. Two years later, Lizzo released her debut album, which was a resounding success and turned her into a bona fide superstar.
Paul McCartney
In the early days of The Beatles, Paul McCartney struggled with such severe stage fright that he considered quitting the band. In a 2009 interview with NME, the musician revealed that the anxiety was so bad it left him physically sick and barely able to sing.
This made him strongly question whether he was suited to life as a performer. As The Beatles’ success grew, however, McCartney’s nerves began to subside, and he soon developed a reputation as a confident, captivating performer. Nowadays it's impossible to imagine him as the nervous type.
Shakira
Even during childhood, Shakira knew she wanted to be a professional singer. Unfortunately, the Hips Don’t Lie star was given a serious confidence knock during school, when her music teacher banned her from joining the choir on the grounds that she “sounded like a goat.”
While the comments made Shakira want to quit music, her parents talked her round, and by the time she was 13 she’d landed her first record deal. 125 million album sales later, Shakira is the best-selling female Latin artist in history.
Eminem
It turns out that Eminem’s hit song Lose Yourself was actually inspired by his first time trying to rap in a club, an experience which ended with him getting booed off stage. Speaking about the event in an interview, Eminem revealed: “It was very traumatic for me. I just remember it being so traumatic, and I think I went home and I was like, man, I quit.”
Fortunately for fans of hip hop everywhere, Em dusted himself off, got over the incident and went back to writing bars, eventually becoming one of the most famous rappers in history. Now decades away from his debut, there's still no one like Eminem on the scene.
Hurts
When Theo Hutchcraft and Adam Anderson formed Hurts in 2009, they were both unemployed and struggling to get by. Taking a gamble, they fully committed to the band, with Hutchcraft later revealing they spent most of their time working relentlessly in an apartment in Manchester.
Unsurprisingly, it was a difficult time for both of them (hence the band’s name), and they came close to quitting and getting day jobs on multiple occasions. Ultimately, however, they stayed true to their vision, a move which has paid off enormously.
Norah Jones
In 1999, 20-year-old Norah Jones left her parent’s home in Texas and moved to New York City to pursue a career in music. Supporting herself by waiting tables, Jones had an extremely difficult time getting labels to listen to her music, and she nearly returned to Texas only a few months after leaving.
Fortunately, her mother convinced her to persevere, and in 2000 Jones found a job as a lounge singer. This eventually led to a record deal with Blue Note - a subsidiary of EMI - and Jones has gone on to sell tens of millions of albums, winning multiple Grammys in the process.
Cyndi Lauper
In 1977, Cyndi Lauper was getting by working as the singer for a number of cover bands, an experience she found artistically unsatisfying. Then, she damaged her vocal cords, and was advised by her doctor it was unlikely she’d ever be able to sing again.
The event galvanized Lauper’s resolve, and - after taking a year off to recover - she began working with a vocal coach and writing her own music. In 1983, Lauper released her debut album, instantly becoming a household name and kicking off a long, distinguished career.
Hillary Scott
Like many singers looking for a way to get themselves noticed, Hillary Scott tried to get onto American Idol. After auditioning for two separate seasons and getting rejected both times, a dejected Scott was on the verge of abandoning her dream.
Fortunately, Scott’s parents - who are both musicians themselves - convinced her to keep singing, and she eventually found considerable success, founding the band Lady A, signing to the legendary Big Machine Records and releasing a string of albums that have earned her critical acclaim and a number of Grammys.
SZA
Many artists are afflicted with debilitating perfectionism, and SZA is no exception. While working on her debut album, the singer was so overcome with self-doubt that she nearly abandoned the project multiple times, at one point taking to social media to claim she was quitting music entirely.
Even once the album was recorded, SZA was convinced it would flop, admitting that she only wanted it to be released so she could “hurry up and fail.” In the end, the album was a resounding success, earning four Grammy nominations and giving the singer some much needed self-confidence.
Tim McGraw
In a 2014 interview with Oprah, Tim McGraw recounted how - early on his music career - a producer told him he didn’t believe in his singing abilities, suggesting he try working in a different industry. McGraw, who was already insecure about his talent, took the words to heart, and he stopped making music for a while.
Eventually, McGraw came back to his senses, realizing that music was his true passion and sending out a demo tape that led to a recording contract with Curb Records. He hasn't looked back since, and his fans are all the better for it.
Simon & Garfunkel
After signing to Columbia Records in 1964, Simon & Garfunkel released their debut album, titled Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. The record flopped, and the duo were ready to call it a day, with Garfunkel returning to university to study architecture.
The following year, The Sound of Silence - a record from the album - became a sleeper hit, eventually reaching the number one slot in the charts and convincing Simon & Garfunkel to join forces once again. They then became the unstoppable duo that the world remembers today.
Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley is a case study in the power of determination in the face of adversity. While the singer had musical aspirations from a young age, he was consistently told by everyone around him that he couldn’t sing, suffering a series of stinging rejections throughout his teens and early 20s.
The one incident that brought Presley close to throwing in the towel took place at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry, with the venue’s manager telling the musician to quit singing and become a trucker. Thankfully, Presley eventually overcame the criticism and went on to emphatically prove his doubters wrong.
Kelly Clarkson
While Kelly Clarkson has never thought about quitting singing altogether, she has come close to abandoning it as a career a number of times. In a 2018 interview, Clarkson revealed that - before she made it - she regularly questioned if it was worth the effort.
Clarkson stated: “There have just been so many times where I’ve almost quit just because at the end of the day, I’m like is this worth it? Is this worth all the drama? I don’t need to be famous, I just love singing.” In the end, the singer persevered, ultimately becoming one of the most successful female artists of all time.
Mott the Hoople
After failing to get any traction with a number of albums throughout the early 70s, the dejected members of Mott the Hoople were ready to call it quits. However, David Bowie - who had long been a fan of the band - staged an intervention, offering to write a song for them.
That song ended up being All the Young Dudes, which became a massive hit and reversed Mott the Hoople’s fortunes. The band capitalized on the record’s success by pivoting to glam rock, with Bowie producing one of their albums. What a move!
Cardi B
Early in her career, Cardi B recorded a guest verse for a major rapper’s song. Believing she was about to get her big break, Cardi was devastated when another rapper who was also featuring on the track request her verse be removed, as she was “too small” of a name.
Heartbroken and angry, Cardi came extremely close to quitting, but eventually found the determination to continue, climbing the ranks of the hip-hop scene and eventually becoming one of the most famous rappers around. Now her featured verses are some of the most in-demand around.
Slade
After becoming one of the most successful British bands of the early 70s, Slade crossed the pond and tried to crack the American market. For whatever reason, however, they completely failed to gain any traction, eventually giving up and returning to their native England, only to discover that their fans had moved on.
Demoralized and running low on money, Slade decided to quit after one last performance at Reading Festival, but the show ended up going so well that it revived the band’s popularity, and they were soon back to churning out hits.
Chloe Kohanski
Tired of singing in the same bar every weekend without finding success, Chloe Kohanski was on the verge of quitting music to focus on another career when she landed a spot on season 13 of The Voice. Treating the experience as one final shot, Kohanski ended up dazzling the judges, ultimately winning the season.
Since then, Kohanski has signed to Republic Records, released a number of well-received tracks and launched a tour of the United States. How different everything would have been if she had not gotten that coveted spot on the television show!
Lana Del Rey
After struggling to find success for a number of years, Elizabeth Woolridge Grant tried adopting the moniker May Jailer. When this failed to have an impact, Grant came close to giving up and devoted all her energy to studying instead.
Then, a chance meeting with an A&R led to a $10,000 recording contract with the label 5 Point. Grant changed her stage name again - this time to Lana Del Rey - and soon found success with her 2011 record Video Games, with her homemade music video for the song going viral online.
Shania Twain
In 1987 - just as Shania Twain’s music career was finally starting to gather steam - her mother and stepfather tragically lost their lives in a car crash. Twain immediately put her career on hold, moving back home to care for her younger siblings and earning a living by performing at Ontario’s Deerhurst Resort.
By 1993, Twain’s siblings had moved out on their own and she started trying to revive her career, sending out demo tapes to a number of labels and landing a deal with Mercury Nashville Records. These days, Twain is one of the highest-paid women in country music, with an estimated net worth of $400 million.
Nas
Before he became known as one of the most pioneering emcees in the New York hip-hop scene, Nas came perilously close to quitting music altogether. The rapper almost came to the decision after his daughter was born, but he ultimately decided he could give her a better life if he remained in the music industry.
In interviews, Nas has admitted that he sometimes struggles with the fact that his kids can listen to his music, much of which deals with the gritty realities of his life before fame. Nevertheless, both his family and his fans are better off for his sticking around.
Bruno Mars
In 2022, Bruno Mars became the first musical artist in history to have six certified diamond records. Rewind two decades, however, and Mars was in LA, struggling with homesickness and considering quitting music. A phone call from Mars’ uncle John Valentine gave him the resolve to stick it out.
Shortly following that, Mars landed a well-paid gig as a songwriter. Finally, in 2010 Mars finally broke through as a solo artist, with his record Just the Way You Are topping charts the world over and turning the musician into a household name.
The Flaming Lips
Wayne Coyne was 22 years old when he founded The Flaming Lips in Oklahoma City. Over the next nine years, the band consistently released singles and albums, but nothing managed to make a splash. Then, in 1993 - just as Coyne was starting to consider packing it in - The Flaming Lips landed a record deal with Warner.
The following year, the band released their album Hit to Death in the Future Head, getting their first - but certainly not last - taste of mainstream success. Now they're one of the most well-known rock bands of all time.
Colbie Caillat
After literally sleeping in the street to get an audition for American Idol, Colbie Caillat’s nerves got the better of her and she was rejected by the show’s producers after struggling to sing. A followup attempt the year after yielded similarly disappointing results and - with her confidence understandably knocked - Caillat gave serious consideration to quitting music.
Fortunately, she persevered, using MySpace to build a massive fan base that eventually caught the attention of Universal Records. In 2007, Caillat released her debut album, Coco, which went on to become certified platinum twice over. Not a bad career trajectory at all!
Justin Bieber
Justin Bieber was just 16 years old when his debut single Baby went stratospheric, and - like most 16-year-olds - he wasn’t exactly well-prepared to become one of the most famous people in the world. Following his initial splash, he made just as many headlines with his behaviour as with his music
The singer has admitted that he almost quit the industry multiple times during the first few years of his career, stating “There were so many times when I just wanted to say, ‘Enough is enough, I don’t want to do this any more’.” In the end, Bieber stuck it out, adapting to life in the spotlight and becoming one of the best-selling artists of the 21st century.
Sheryl Crow
Despite finding work as a backup singer for both Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder, Sheryl Crow struggled to get her solo career off the ground, and she worked as a teacher for most of her 20s. At the age of 31, Crow’s debut album was released, but the lukewarm response it received almost made the singer quit.
A year later Crow released her single All I Wanna Do, with the record becoming an instant hit and turning the musician into a household name essentially overnight. Crow hasn't looked back since and has released numerous albums beloved by both fans and critics.
Bill Withers
After leaving the Navy in 1965, Bill Withers followed in the footsteps of many other aspiring musicians and moved to Los Angeles in search of fame and fortune. Two years later, Withers released his debut single Three Nights and a Morning.
Unfortunately, the record completely flew under the radar and Withers was forced to support himself by working on assembly lines. After several difficult years in which he almost abandoned his dream a number of times, Withers finally found success at the age of 32 with his hit record Ain’t No Sunshine.
Rachel Platten
Soon after graduating from Trinity College in 2003, Rachel Platten moved to New York’s Greenwich Village to pursue a career in music, finding work as the singer of a cover band and spending her days recording demos. In many ways it was dreamy, but it was also difficult.
Over the next 12 years, Platten independently released two albums, but neither made much of an impact. Then, in 2015 - as Platten was starting to consider giving up on her ambitions - her single Fight Song blew up in popularity, leading to a deal with Columbia Records.
2 Chainz
Before he wanted to be a rapper, Tauheed Epps had aspirations of becoming a professional basketball player, attending Alabama State University on a scholarship. After his sporting career failed to pan out, Epps began considering a career in music, trying to make it in the hip-hop scene under the name Tity Boi.
After almost a decade of struggling to break through to the mainstream, Epps decided to adopt a new alias as a last-ditch attempt at success. Shortly after rebranding as 2 Chainz, a 35-year-old Epps signed a deal with Def Jam Recordings, and he’s since become one of the biggest names in hip-hop.
Jimi Hendrix
In 1967, a young Jimi Hendrix was booked as the opening act for The Monkees on a tour of the United States. In his very first performance, however, Hendrix was booed off stage by the crowd, with The Monkees later dropping him from the tour.
Dejected, Hendrix thought about quitting music but ultimately came to the realization there wasn’t anything else he wanted to do. Although his career was cut tragically short, Hendrix is still regarded as one of the best guitarists in the history of music.
Ronan Keating
Before Boyzone made it big, a producer from the label they were signed to insisted they kick Ronan Keating out, on the grounds that he wasn’t as talented as the other members of the band. Unsurprisingly, this was absolutely crushing for Keating, and he almost quit both the band and music entirely.
The other members of Boyzone supported him fully, however, and he worked extremely hard to improve his standing. After Boyzone split in 1999, Keating went on to enjoy a successful solo run, before rejoining the band when they reformed in 2007.
Cynthia Erivo
Not content with merely making it in the music industry, Cynthia Erivo has also cracked Hollywood, earning an Academy Award nomination for her role in 2019’s Harriet. Erivo’s music career has been even more decorated, with the singer winning three separate Grammys.
Before all of that, however, Erivo nearly quit showbiz to become a spinal surgeon. In a 2019 interview with Variety, Erivo revealed that she came to the decision during a period in which she felt shy and insecure about her singing.
Fred Astaire
Before he became an icon of cinema’s golden age, Fred Astaire spent years struggling to break into showbiz. After watching Astaire screen test for a role in 1933, a director famously wrote: “Can’t sing. Can’t act. Balding. Can dance a little.”
Although it would years of perseverance and vocal coaching, Astaire would eventually silence his doubters in style, proving that he could sing, act and dance after all. He also kept the note, proudly displaying it above his fireplace. Now that's how you deal with criticism!
Katy Perry
Raised as a Born Again Christian, Katy Perry (or Katheryn Hudson, as she was known then) first tried to make a career out of gospel music. After her debut album sold a measly 200 copies and the record label she was signed to filed for bankruptcy, Perry changed her stage name and tried pivoting to pop.
Over the next several years, the singer signed first to Def Jam and then Columbia Records, with both labels ultimately dropping her without releasing any of her music. Although the relentless rejections almost made her quit, Perry eventually managed to land a lucrative deal with Capitol Records. Then she became the superstar we all know and love.
Jay-Z
While he’s now recognized as one of the greatest rapper of all time, Jay-Z struggled for years to get a foothold in the industry. After getting rejected by every label he approached, Jay-Z briefly considered trying to find another path in life, before decided he’d refuse to give up.
Since no existing label would sign him, Jay-Z started his own, partnering with Damon Dash and Kareem Biggs to form Roc-a-fella Records. To say this paid off would be the understatement of the century, as Jay-Z ended up becoming the first billionaire in hip-hop.
Madonna
Before Madonna became the Queen of Pop, she was just another struggling musician in New York. After several years of trying in vain to get labels’ attention, Madonna formed a band called The Breakfast Club with her then-boyfriend Dan Gilroy.
The band managed to land a recording deal, but they were soon dropped by their label, an experience which almost made Madonna quit outright. Over the next few years, the singer started another band - the short-lived Emmy and the Emmys - before eventually striking out on her own.
John Ondrasik
More commonly known by his stage name Five For Fighting, John Ondrasik made a name for himself in the glam metal scene of early 90s California. Although he managed to land a record deal, Ondrasik’s luck didn’t last long, as grunge quickly replaced glam metal as the genre du jour.
With label execs suddenly giving him the cold shoulder, Ondrasik spent over a decade trying to find his niche, nearly quitting at multiple points along the way. Finally, the musician’s fortunes turned around in 2001, when his record Superman (It’s Not Easy) cracked the top 40 and earned him a Grammy nomination.
Leonard Cohen
A self-taught musician, Leonard Cohen struggled throughout his 20s to find a label willing to work with him. When his efforts proved futile, Cohen abandoned the idea of a solo career, instead becoming a songwriter for other - more marketable - singers instead.
Eventually, at the age of 34, Cohen released his debut album. While it initially failed to have much of an impact, songs from the album were soon covered by major names - including James Taylor and Judy Collins - which introduced Cohen to a mainstream audience.
Brandy
With an awards cabinet filled with some of the most prestigious trophies in showbiz, it's safe to say that Brandy is one of the most successful artists of the 21st century. The singer's career hasn't always been smooth sailing, however, and she's come close to quitting on a number of occasions.
Reflecting on her struggles in a 2015 interview, Brandy stated: "There were times when I tried to come back and it didn’t work. Then I started to feel like, maybe this is not my purpose, maybe this is not what I’m supposed to do, because it’s not happening to me."
Lady Gaga
While many artists come close to quitting before they break into showbiz, Lady Gaga considered calling it quits shortly after making it. Disgusted by the realities of the music industry, the singer went through a period of depression and came close to walking away.
In a 2014 interview with Parade Magazine, Gaga confessed: "Six months ago I didn’t even want to sing any more. I was so sad. I couldn’t sleep. I felt dead. I’m not going to say any names, but people get irrational when it comes to money. If you help an artist, it doesn’t give you the right, once the artist is big, to take advantage of them."