There is nothing to compare the excitement of listening to an iconic music artist duo merge talents to create something unimaginable and new. Music collaborations are a great way to initiate buzz or revamp a song. Because of that, they are usually a popular move in the music industry. In a case where two is better than one, here are some notable music collaborations throughout the years.
Pop star Katy Perry and Kanye West himself joined forces in 2011 to create their remixed version of “E.T.” Katy Perry, the California native, co-wrote the song with producers Dr. Luke, Max Martin and Ammo for her third studio album, “Teenage Dream.” The electronic and hip-hop ballad was the fourth biggest song in 2011 and eventually won a Video Music Award for best collaboration.
In 2012, Barbadian singer Rihanna and Mikky Ekko recorded the song “Stay.” The track was co-written by Ekko and Justin Parker for Rihanna’s seventh studio album. A slower ballad, the song peaked at number three on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song was seen as a more vulnerable piece that listeners were more easily able to connect to.
In 2014, the past and present kings of pop, Michael Jackson and Justin Timberlake, revived an old Michael Jackson favorite. The famous 1983 demo track “Love Never Felt So Good” was reworked on Jackson’s second posthumous album, “Xscape.” The version featured a duet with American singer Justin Timberlake, produced by American record producers J-Roc and Timbaland. After released, a wave of positive reviews from music critics emerged for the revived track.
Australian singer and songwriter, Troye Sivan released “WILD” for his fourth EP in 2015. Written by Sivan, a revised version of the song was later made with featured vocals from Alessia Cara in 2016. The idea behind the collaboration was sparked after several meet-ups at music events and a couple of text messages sent back and forth. With success, the track made it to the top 40 for Billboard.
Lastly, we cannot forget about the iconic duo: The Weeknd and Lana Del Rey. More recently the two released the song, “Lust for Life.” This is the third time the pair has worked together, two times previously for The Weeknd’s albums. A music video accompanied the released song, showing the two sitting on top of the famous Hollywood sign. With a relaxing and captivating sound, it is a collaboration that will be well known and remembered.
