Unlikely music collaborations that worked

Sir Elton was certainly an international superstar with an already legendary discography during the mid-1970s. Dee, however, had some notable hits in the United Kingdom, but was not a household pop music name on the world stage. In fact, legend has it that Dusty Springfield was the original choice to claim the female portion of this soulful pop number written by John and longtime working partner Bernie Taupin. However, Dee ended up with the gig, which brought with it rather immediate stardom for the singer, as the tune topped the charts in nine countries, including the United States.

By the late '70s, Bowie was into his Thin White Duke persona when he joined the legendary crooner on his final holiday television special in 1977 — Bing Crosby's Merrie Olde Christmas. Standing by a piano, Bowie noted that his son was a fan of the classic holiday tune, so the two gave it a whirl. The rest was musical duet history. Officially known as "Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy," this version, by the unlikely, generation-spanning pair, reached No. 3 on the singles chart in the U.K. To this day, it remains one of the most celebrated duets in music history. 

Check out our essential David Bowie playlist.

Hal David and Albert Hammond wrote "To All The Girls I've Loved Before" in 1975; it was nearly a decade before the tune became a true hit, however. And, it was this rather surprising duo that made it happen. Putting the beloved country legend Nelson together with the soothing voice of Iglesias proved to be pure musical magic. As strange as the combination seemed, the performance resulted in a top-five hit in the United States, and earned Iglesias much more acclaim and popularity beyond his Spanish-language music success and fan base. 

Run DMC can thank producer Rick Rubin for introducing the rap legends to Aerosmith — and, specifically "Walk This Way," from the rockers' classic 1975 gem Toys in the Attic. Although Run DMC didn't want to record a rap version of the tune, which featured Aerosmith's "Toxic Twins" of Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, it proved to be a massive crossover hit for the rappers. This version reached No. 4 on the Hot 100, outperforming the original recording. That said, it also brought some renewed attention to Aerosmith, which one year later released Permanent Vacation, teturning the group to rock prominence after slipping in the late 1970s and early '80s.

According to Songfacts, a night of heavy drinking between Ford and Ozzy resulted in one of the most popular mainstream metal duets of all time — if not the most recognizable from the genre. Ford was managed by Osbourne's wife Sharon at the time, but apparently the two artists didn't intend to write a ballad for this project. Regardless, it proved to be a major hit for Ford, especially, who included it on her 1988 Lita album. The song reached No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, and, naturally, the music video was in heavy rotation on MTV. 

Anthrax's unique blend of thrash metal and rap was refreshingly popular during the late 1980s, and especially into the 1990s, when it delivered a harder, faster, louder version of this 1988 Public Enemy classic. Not only was the collaboration a success (with each band featuring this version on their respective albums), it resulted in a tour featuring the two bands. There are even some critics who believe this project was an inspiration for the rap-metal/nu-metal genres that earned mainstream success, for better or worse, later in the 1990s. 

It might not seem too strange to see these two prominent Australian musicians come together for a song, even with their different backgrounds. Cave is a rocker with alternative vibes, while Minogue is an international pop star, but the former had wanted to work with the latter for years. What's somewhat stunning is the song the two perform. Penned by Cave, it's the tale of a man who falls in love with a woman, only to kill her. Aside from the U.S., the song was a top-20 hit around the globe, and reached No. 2 in their native Australia.

Looking to revive his career after spending time without a record label, Carlos Santana hooked up with Clive Davis and Arista and thus began the beginning of the band's successful second wind with 1999's Supernatural. It also helped to bring aboard a budding contemporary star in Matchbox Twenty's Thomas to cater to the present-day pop-rock crowd. The result was the nauseatingly catchy "Smooth," which spent 12 consecutive weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 and won Grammy Awards for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals.

It'd be interesting to see if Crow would team with the Kid in this current political and social climate. However, back in the early 2000s, this boozy number was a commercial success, bringing together two of the biggest mainstream music stars of the time, but with different fan bases. The song, written by the two, reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, and appeared on Kid Rock's album Cocky, from 2001. However, there's also a version Kid recorded with country singer Allison Moorer when his label was unable to get the rights from Crow's people to release the tune as an official single.

Collins had no problem allowing celebrated hip hop group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony sample from his 1985 hit "Take Me Home" for this rather forgotten 2003 effort, who even traveled to Europe to feature Collins in the music video. Though the song failed to generate much interest, or even crack the Top 40, in the United States, it reached No. 19 on the U.K. Singles chart. The group also named Collins as an honorary member, dubbing him "Chrome Bone," which is a fun take on a project that remains underappreicated after all these years.

Another example of two artists at the top of their game at the same time. The rap/hip hop/country crossover was nothing extraordinary, so maybe we should not have been surprised that this project worked with the mainstream music-loving public. Though Nelly wrote the lyrics and his camp composed the music, there's an obvious, laid-back country vibe to the tune, thus opening the door for McGraw to offer some subtly solid support. "Over and Over" made it all the way to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, and was a No. 1 hit in the United Kingdom.

The theme from the 2008 James Bond film Quantum of Solace brought together two of the most accomplished modern-day musicians,  who come from rather different backgrounds. That said, both Jack White, who wrote the song, and Keys are two of the most versatile artists around. The song is undeniably a White production, complete with his alternative bombast. Yet, Keys' searing vocals lend larger-than-life pop credibility, while delivering a strong contemporary take on the Bond legacy. Though the tune spent just one week on the Billboard Hot 100, it did earn a Grammy nomination for Best Short Form Music Video.

The legendary Bennett found a new generation — or two — of fans with the release of his Duets albums earlier this century, teaming with the likes of Amy Winehouse, Queen Latifah, and perhaps most celebrated, Lady Gaga. Tackling one of the great show tunes (from the 1930s' Babes in Arms) of all time, Gaga and Bennett knocked it well out of the park with this phenomenal performance. Though an aging Bennett delivered a strong effort, it was Gaga who drew significant praise — especially from Bennett, himself, who believed she was destined for superstardom. And, of course, he was right.

Like other superstars on this list, Swift is comfortable working with any artist of any genre. One of her more unheralded collaborations was with under-the-radar rapper B.o.B, marking the first time she worked with a hip hop artist. The two co-wrote this track, which highlights both talent's musical strengths (Swift's angelic voice and B.o.B's fluid rhyming) and touches on topics such as inclusion, inner peace and social acceptance. Though not one of Swift's most lauded duets, it did crack the top 20 on Billboard's Hot 100.

The controversy surrounding this Paisley cut, which features mainstream rap legend LL Cool J, was understandable. A modern-day white southerner trying to apologize for the actions of his forefathers seems like a gimmick when it came to the horrors slavery and the treatment of black people, which in this current volatile political and social environment remains a problem in the country. LL's presence offered a response to Paisley's ancestral remorse. The intentions were well meaning, and the song has its moments, but it also feels forced and attention-grabbing at times.

This won't be the first time we mention Sheeran on this list. It's obviously smart to put to of music's biggest stars together to make a great song even better. This version was retitled and released a little more than two months after Sheeran's original "Perfect" was put out. Beyonce's presence only reinforces the emotional impact of the song: basic, straight-forward and highlighting two of the most recognizable and celebrated voices of a generation and beyond. Of all the songs on this list, when it comes to natural beauty for the ears, it begins and ends right here.

The former frontman of The Police and famed Jamaican singer/rapper didn't just collaborate on a song, they made an entire album. Sting has always been influenced and inspired by reggae music, so even though this seemed like an unlikely musical hookup at the time, it totally makes sense when digging into the Police's discography. Then, of course, it makes plenty of sense listening to the actual record, which won the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album. The sun-splashed tinge of "Gotta Get Back My Baby," complete with its buddy-cop-themed music video, remains the highlight of the album.

Long an underrated alternative metal outfit from Sheffield, England, Bring Me the Horizon have been nominated for two Grammy Awards since debuting in 2004. Meanwhile, Grimes is the multi-talented and versatile indie/synth popper, who is still likely best known for dating Elon Musk. So, maybe not the most orthodox musical pairing, but for those unfamiliar with "Nihilist Blues," there's definitely a creative and intense vibe to this track, which seems to get better with each listen. According to Loudwire, the band referred to it as a "dark-rave song."

Lil Nas X enjoyed success when he first released "Old Town Road" as his own in 2018. Then, after thinking outside of the box to bring in country one-hit wonder and the man behind Hannah Montana for a 2019 remixed version, the song became a true international hit and pop-culture phenomenon. More from the country rap category, which took off during the 2010s, this version of "Old Town Road" became a massive favorite with the TikTok generation, won Grammys for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Music Video and reached No. 1 in nearly 20 countries.

No stranger to collaborations, Sheeran seems to have no problems making music with artists not of his ilk or genre. Case in point, this Latin-infused pop number, with a strong hip hop vibe, which can be found on Sheeran's No.6 Collaborations Project (2019). "South of the Border" was co-written in part by this unlikely trio and another example that no matter what backgrounds artists might come from, the love of music and expression can come together for a successful experience. Though it did not crack the Top 40 in the U.S., it was a top-10 hit in eight countries. 

"On" served as the lead single from BTS's Map of the Soul: 7 album. It also released this remix version that included an appearance from the lauded Australian singer-songwriter. It was an interesting collab, perhaps most notably because Sia is much older than the BTS boys. However, this version added even more life to a pop track that was another massive hit for the beloved K-poppers. It also opened the door for international pop fans to experience what Sia is all about as a performer, especially those unfamiliar with her work. 

As noted, Elton John is willing to join forces with just about any musician or artist when it comes to collaborating in song. However, this get-together between Sir Elton, rapper Young Thug and versatile artist Nicki Minaj is quite the interesting trifecta, with "Always Love You" found on John's 2021 The Lockdown Sessions release. Still, it works well. The song is broken down appropriately enough to showcase the talent of each performer, with John's piano work a consistent presence on a tune that should satisfy fans of any of the three performers.

This collab featured on Coldplay's 2021 release Music of the Spheres, but was put out as a single in early 2022. Word on the street is that Coldplay frontman Chris Martin was a fan of Gomez, with the band's creative director and "fifth member" Phil Harvey citing on Twitter in 2021, that she "has a unique, evocative and mysterious tone." Even though it seemed Gomez and the British pop rockers didn't seem like a spot-on match, that dissimilarity was perhaps what made "Let Somebody Go" work. It's undeniably a Coldplay ballad, while also serving as another opportunity for Gomez to branch out as an artist.

To say Journey's "Separate Ways" is one of the great guilty-pleasure songs of all time (though another Journey song topped it on our list) would be a severe understatement. However, this menacing version churned out by Daughtry and underrated Halestorm singer Lzzy Hale is quite brilliant. While Daughtry and his band can be labeled power rock, Hale has long helped keep the hard-rock flag waving despite its lack of mainstream love these days. Their collaboration is heavier, darker and filled with the kind of bombast that makes us forget just how aggressive the original could be. Thankfully, Daughtry and Hale didn't mess with the track's trademark synthesizer work.

Smith is no stranger to duets, as they've produced some of their best work. One of Smith's most recent collaborations came in late 2022, when they teamed with German singer-songwriter Kim Petras on "Unholy." The synth-dance pop track is a unique project in the sense that it seemed a bit out of the comfort zone for Smith, known more as a stellar balladeer. Meanwhile, it was right up Petras' alley while earning past success in the genre. The tune, which is included on Smith's 2023 Gloria album, reached No. 1 on the singles charts in both the U.S. and U.K., and won the Grammy for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.