The ultimate Christmas playlist for children
In 2023, two renowned musicians teamed up to create a heavenly combination of voices. Dionne Warwick shared that she and country music legend Dolly Parton were collaborating on a gospel duet. This captivating news came to light when Warwick appeared on 'Tamron Hall' in January. "She sent me a song that she wanted me to record. And I said, 'OK, that sounds like a deal.' And she's such a sweetheart, I know her," Warwick explained.
In 2022, Britney Spears made a notable comeback in the music industry with an extraordinary collaboration. Spears joined forces with Elton John to produce an upbeat dance track by blending his iconic songs, 'Tiny Dancer' and 'The One.' Their joint effort, titled 'Hold Me Closer,' received widespread acclaim upon its release. This single encompasses all the essential elements—a pulsating bass line, John's ethereal piano melodies, and the enchanting auto-tuned vocals of these renowned music icons.
Tony Bennett, remains a renowned name from the golden era of jazz and swing. His collaboration with Lady Gaga on the album 'Cheek to Cheek' (2014) was highly praised. The duo embarked on a tour in 2014 and 2015 to promote the album, captivating audiences worldwide. Their rendition of 'Anything Goes' has become a beloved hit on YouTube.
In the 1960s, there was a special TV show called the "Frank Sinatra Timex Show: Welcome Home Elvis" at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami, Florida. During this show, Frank Sinatra sang a lively rendition of 'Love Me Tender,' while Elvis Presley performed his own version of the popular song 'Witchcraft,' which had been a hit for Sinatra in 1957. This was Presley's first televised performance after completing his military service in West Germany.
Released in 1987, 'Barcelona' is a notable success in Freddie Mercury's solo career. This collaboration between Queen's front man and opera singer Montserrat Caballé was later reissued in 1992, following its selection as the theme song for that years' Summer Olympics held in Barcelona.
The iconic musical duet, 'Islands in the Stream,' is often praised for its unforgettable appeal. Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton introduced the song in 1983 on Rogers' album titled 'Eyes That See in the Dark.' The talented Bee Gees composed this timeless masterpiece.
'Endless Love' is a timeless duet, a sad song written in 1981 by Richie and recorded with R&B icon Diana Ross. Over the years, it has been performed by various artists as a duet, such as Luther Vandross and Mariah Carey.
David Bowie and Mick Jagger collaborated in 1985 to create a video performance of the classic hit 'Dancing in the Street' by Martha and the Vandellas. This video was showcased during the Live Aid concert in London's Wembley Stadium. The dynamic duo once again joined forces the following year at the Prince's Trust Birthday Party event, which was also held at Wembley.
Former Beatle Paul McCartney and the "King of Pop" Michael Jackson collaborated on two duets: 'The Girl Is Mine,' released in 1982, and 'Say Say Say,' released in 1983. However, their relationship took a sour turn in 1985 when Jackson acquired the publishing rights to most of the Beatles' back catalogue from ATV, the parent company, for a staggering US$47 million. McCartney viewed this as a significant breach of trust and an unforgivable betrayal.
George Michael had a successful career, collaborating with various music stars on remarkable duets. One of his notable collaborations was with Aretha Franklin in 1987 on the song 'I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me).' In 1999, he joined forces with Mary J. Blige for their rendition of Stevie Wonder's 'As,' which was originally written and recorded by Wonder. Two years earlier, during the VH1 Honors gig in Los Angeles, Michael and Wonder performed a duet of 'Living for the City' two years before.
In 2019, Ariana Grande performed alongside Barbra Streisand in Chicago, singing 'No More Tears (Enough is Enough).' The song, originally recorded in 1979, was a duet by Streisand and Donna Summer.
In 1982, Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes collaborated to record the popular music duet 'Up Where We Belong' for the soundtrack of the romantic drama 'An Officer and a Gentleman', starring Richard Gere. The track was a huge worldwide hit.
In late 1984, 'Easy Lover' became a major success for Phil Collins from Genesis and Philip Bailey from Earth, Wind & Fire. In 2010, the duo reunited in New York to perform the track nostalgically.
'You're the One That I Want' is a duet from the 1978 movie 'Grease', composed by Australian music producer John Farrar. John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John performed this song during a key scene in the film. It achieved Platinum status in the US and continues to be a popular choice for karaoke.
'Empire State of Mind,' a collaboration between Jay-Z and Alicia Keys, was acclaimed by numerous critics as one of the best songs of 2009, serving as a contemporary anthem for New York City.
In 2007, Queen Bey and the Colombian singer teamed up to create the popular song 'Beautiful Liar'. This song skillfully combines Beyoncé's hip-hop and R&B influences with Shakira's Latin and Arabic elements, resulting in a commercial success.
'Don’t Go Breaking My Heart' is a 1976 duet performed by Elton John and Kiki Dee, both English singers. The song, written by Bernie Taupin, who frequently collaborates with John, was unexpectedly successful and became the first no. 1 single in the UK for both artists.
In the 1960s, a notable collaboration took place between Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash. They performed a duet of Dylan's song 'Girl from the North Country,' which was first recorded in 1963. This performance occurred on the 'Johnny Cash Show' and was aired on June 6, 1969.
Beyoncé and Madonna collaborated on a remix of Beyoncé's popular song 'Break My Soul' titled 'Break My Soul (The Queens Remix).' The remix incorporates a sample from Madonna's famous 1990 hit 'Vogue.' Madonna expressed her gratitude to Beyoncé by sharing a photo of the lovely flowers Beyoncé sent, along with a heartfelt thank you note. She thanked Beyoncé for allowing her to participate in the remix and for naming it. Responding to Madonna's post, Beyoncé referred to her as another great queen and expressed her love for the song.
In December 2002, rapper LL Cool J joined Jennifer Lopez on her song 'All I Have,' which served as the second single from her third studio album, 'This Is Me... Then.'
The song 'Don't Give Up' was inspired by Peter Gabriel's personal experience of a nervous breakdown. This was further intensified after he came across a distressing newspaper article about a tragic incident where a mother and her child ended their lives by jumping from a tall building. Gabriel collaborated with Kate Bush for the duet and she also featured in the impactful music video.
Rihanna's song 'Hate That I Love You' from her album 'Good Girl Gone Bad' (2007) explores the perplexing nature of love. She addresses Ne-Yo in the lyrics, highlighting the strong hold that love can have on individuals.
'Stevie Nicks, a member of Fleetwood Mac, wrote 'Leather and Lace' which was included on her first solo album, 'Bella Donna,' released in 1981. The song features Don Henley, the drummer and co-lead vocalist of The Eagles, as duet partner. Nicks and Henley had a short romantic involvement during the mid-1970s while Nicks was still involved in a turbulent relationship with Lindsey Buckingham, the guitarist of Fleetwood Mac.
The alleged competition between these two singing sensations vanished once 'When You Believe' was released. The track appeared in the 1988 musical animated film 'The Prince of Egypt.' Houston and Carey jointly showcased the song at the Academy Awards and on the 'Oprah Winfrey Show.'
Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli, both renowned singers, each recorded one version of 'The Prayer' for the movie 'Quest for Camelot.' Dion's version was in English and Bocelli sang his in Italian. They also had the opportunity to perform this duet together at various prestigious events like the Grammy and Academy Award ceremonies. These performances took place after their respective solo recordings were made for the film in 1998.
Neil Diamond released 'You Don't Bring Me Flowers' in 1978 as part of his album 'I'm Glad You're Here with Me Tonight.' Barbra Streisand later covered the song on her album 'Songbird.' Resourceful sound engineers at various radio stations ingeniously combined these recordings, creating unauthorized duets. The exceptional outcome impressed music executives, leading to the decision of bringing Diamond and Streisand back to the studio to officially record the duet.
Despite being a seemingly incompatible combination, 'Walk This Way' turned out to be a hugely successful collaboration between rock band Aerosmith and hip-hop outfit RUN DMC. Originally written by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry in 1975, the song was later covered by RUN DMC in 1986. Their unique rap-rock duet brought these two acts together, resulting in a memorable fusion of heavy metal and rapid vocal delivery that resonated with audiences worldwide.
Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell collaborated on multiple duets during the 1960s, such as 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough' in 1966 and 'Your Precious Love' the following year. Tragically, Terrell's life and career was abruptly halted in 1970 due to her untimely death from cancer.
In 1985, the British reggae-pop band UB40 and the Pretenders' Chrissie Hynde recorded their own rendition of Sonny & Cher's famous song 'I Got You Babe'. This version reached the top spot on the UK Singles Chart, but only reached 28th place on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Phil Everly, a member of the highly successful Everly Brothers, collaborated with Cliff Richard in 1983 to create the song 'She Means Nothing to Me.' Notably, Mark Knopfler from Dire Straits contributed as a session musician, playing rhythm guitar.
First released in 1951, 'Gone Fishin'' started as a one-time performance on Bing Crosby's radio show. The enthusiastic response from the crowd led to a subsequent recording in a studio. The song, performed in a dry and tired manner, portrays two friends longing for a break from life's responsibilities to go fishing for a day.
Ashford & Simpson were actually a married couple who worked together as a songwriting-production team. Nikolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson's song 'Solid' reached the top spot on the US Billboard soul chart in 1984. During President Barack Obama's inauguration in 2009, they modified 'Solid' to 'Solid as Barack' and performed it as a dedication to him. Sadly, Nikolas Ashford passed away in 2011 due to cancer.
Herb Fame has performed with several "Peaches," that is to say different female collaborators since the duo was created in 1966. However, it is Linda Greene Tavani, the third "Peaches," who appeared on the duo's biggest hits 'Shake Your Groove Thing' (1978) and 'Reunited' (1979).
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"And then she sent me another song, the one that we're going to be doing as a duet. A gospel song called 'Peace Like a River.' She wrote it." Warwick added, "I am very excited about this, I really am. I've done so many duets over the years, but this one's gonna be very special," she added.
Some of the most memorable songs in music history have been the result of collaboration between incredible singers. The magic of a duet lies in the ability to merge two great talents into one captivating voice. It's no wonder that duets have always been intriguing and appealing to listeners.
Curious about the most iconic sing-song partnerships? Check the gallery and immerse yourself in the incredible music created by these amazing duos.
Top memorable musical duets of all time
These terrific twosomes are music's best-known double acts
MUSIC Duos
Some of the most memorable songs in music history have been the result of collaboration between incredible singers. The magic of a duet lies in the ability to merge two great talents into one captivating voice. It's no wonder that duets have always been intriguing and appealing to listeners.
Curious about the most iconic sing-song partnerships? Check the gallery and immerse yourself in the incredible music created by these amazing duos.