Solo Artist
 

Making a list of the top 10 artist to have an extremely succesful solo career after leaving a group. (Side Projects do count)

Good Luck... I can think of quite a few without even ranking them, but ones you'd have to consider:

Lennon,
McCartney,
Harrison,
Peter Gabriel,
Paul Simon,
Sting,
Robert Plant,
Michael Jackson,
Eric Clapton

... and those are without thinking too hard. I know there are other examples and probably better ones. It's some what going to depend on how you qualify things too. There are people like Beyonce and Justin Timberlake that technically fit, so I guess it depends on how you qualify success.

Lennon?
Sorry but I disagrea. only one good song (imagin) after he left the beatles

Lionel Richie
 

Lionel Richie: As far as some of the most beautifully written (love) ballads by an artist and composer.

I .. (among others as well), consider Lionel Richie as being one of the best at his craft.

All Night Long (All Night). Which is more upbeat than most of his solo ballad hits (minus the Commodores).

It still just as fresh sounding today, as it was the day of its released.

There is so much wrong with this post I won't even bother.

How about Jeff Beck

As for women

Cher
Annie Lennox
Stevie Nicks
Linda Ronstadt
Diana Ross
Tina Turner
Beyonce (already named)
Gwen Stefani
Björk
Gloria Estefan

Jesus, how did I overlook Bjork, I even reviewed Vespertine here ferpissakes...

Evan Dando

Steve Winwood
Dave Mason
Joe Walsh
Peter Frampton