one-man band

plural one-man bands · alternative one man band

1. A musician who plays several musical instruments at once.
   1. broadlyderogatoryA band in which the frontman does most of the work and is the spotlight or the center of attention, usually to the detriment of other band members.
2. broadlyidiomaticAn organisation or business that is effectively run by only one person.

   Near-synonym: one-man army

   2 more examples

   The corporation he will someday inherit—growing, churning—won't work as a one-man band.

   2007 December 9, Peter Preston, “Challenges for the rising son”, in The Observer, UK

   It goes on to argue that the Reform UK party is a “one-man band which at best can win only a handful of MPs”, while the Liberal Democrats are dismissed as “a joke”.

   2024 July 3, Alexandra Topping, Jim Waterson, Tom Ambrose, “The Sun backs Labour on eve of election as Times also offers cautious support”, in The Guardian, →ISSN

   Synonyms: one-man army