?You need to realize that there are probably about 4 bands who haven't broke up. The other 100 billion bands have had to split even if they later put the band back together. Because of this, you not only need to be aware that the band will not last forever and have a plan for dealing with that, but you also need to be aware of the factors that you can control so that you can avoid breaking up (and hopefully make better music in the process).

Why Does A Band Breakup?
There are a million reasons that a band may break up. These range from everything from the drummer getting a little naughty with your girlfriend to differences in goals or ambition. Some of these can be controlled (like the drummer), but some of these can not. Here is just a short list of what causes in bands and maybe a few tips to stop these problems for escalating.

Communication
Without a doubt, the best way to keep a band a band is to keep communication as strong and open as possible. When all the band members feel like they can say anything that is on their mind, the entire band gets stronger...more like a family. When something is bothering the rhythm guitar player, the ability to let everyone know this is crucial. Of course, if no one listens to the rhythm guitar player when he has a problem, communication has broken done. Mr. Rhythm guitar won't be stating his opinion much anymore.

Because of this, it's very important to address any problem that comes up. If the bass player really doesn't like the chorus of a song, it's important for everyone to sit down and talk about it. If you don't even discuss the issue, the bass player will feel small. It's important for every member of the band to feel like they are contributing. If a person's ideas are being ignored, without realizing it, you are tearing your band apart.

When you sit down to discuss the issues with the chorus, you need to be realistic. The odds of 5 people entirely loving a chorus on a song are slim. Music is so subjective and you'll find that bands try to put some sort of objective spin on songwriting decisions hoping to improve their success. If 4 out of 5 people really like a song, the band is probably on the right track. However, if you handle this poorly, you'll find that you'll have one less band member eventually.

So sit down and discuss the issue. Make whoever has the problem feel like their opinion matters. (It should!). Maybe make a compromise so that the guy with the problem is happy. You'll find him a much stronger contributer to the band when they feel like they are a necessary element.

Personally, I thought nothing improved our communication like drinking a little too much beer. There is something to speaking honestly and freely about a topic that can only occur when your inhibitions have been reduced. Just make sure you don't overdo it too often.