The 31 Best One-Off Reunions in Rock History: From Led Zeppelin to Talking Heads
Rolling Stone ranks 31 isolated rock reunions that were brief, one-off events rather than the start of touring comebacks.
– Deep Purple: Ritchie Blackmore joined the band for “Smoke on the Water” in 2026, his first appearance with them in 33 years.
– The Police: the trio played unrehearsed at Sting’s 1992 wedding, borrowing the house band’s equipment.
– The Jam: Paul Weller and Bruce Foxton performed two Jam songs together at London’s Royal Albert Hall in 2010.
– Bon Jovi: the list also includes the band’s reunion with former guitarist Richie Sambora at its 2018 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction.
– Other entries span reunions for weddings, charity events, award ceremonies and Hall of Fame inductions, often intended to reconcile former bandmates or mark significant occasions.
- Deep Purple’s 2026 appearance heads a list of isolated rock reunions.
- The article excludes reunions that directly became tours.
- Many performances occurred at private or commemorative events.
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Rock bands often change line-ups, split up or stop working together after disagreements, changing musical tastes or years on the road. A reunion can mean former members sharing a stage again, sometimes for a single song, even if the group has no plans to record or tour together.
These appearances can involve well-known bands such as Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, the Police, the Jam, Bon Jovi and Talking Heads. They may take place at private celebrations, charity concerts, awards events or inductions into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, a US institution that honours influential artists.
One-off reunions can attract attention because they bring together musicians whose collaborations helped define a band’s best-known work, sometimes after long periods apart. They can also mark a personal reconciliation or a special occasion without signalling a permanent return.