Best music duets/collabs that crossed genres

How many rock fans remember, or even know, that famed crooner Donovan (of "Mellow Yellow" fame) was included on one of shock rocker Alice Cooper's most well-known tunes? For those who didn't, Donovan provided the falsetto and high-harmony vocals on the track that found its way into the Billboard Hot 100. When it comes to the iconic Alice Cooper, his influences and respect for other artists runs deep.

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. 

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. The song was written by Hal David and Albert Hammond nearly a decade earlier.

This one might have gone under the radar. In all honesty, it should have been major music news. From the famed rapper Blow's sixth studio album Kingdom Blow, "Street Rock" is the opening track andf runs nearly 9 minutes in length. A song about social consciousness, the highlight of the track is Dylan delivering a rap of his own -- which, according to legend, he dropped in one take.

Producer Rick Rubin for introduced the rap legends to Aerosmith — and, specifically "Walk This Way," from the rockers' 1975 gem Toys in the Attic. Run DMC was hesitant to record a rap version of the tune, which featured Aerosmith's Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, but it proved to be a massive crossover hit for the rappers. This version reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, outperforming the original recording. That said, it also brought some renewed attention to Aerosmith, which one year later released its popular comeback Permanent Vacation. 

The first instance for which we'll showcase a lauded opera figure pairing with a well-known mainstream music crooner. Of course, Mercury's voice could have served any opera company in the world. The renowned performer from Spain, Caballé's unforgettable operatic vocal range is pure heaven, while Mercury's range further solidifies his status as a versatile music icon. The song reached No. 2 in the United Kingdom. 

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 group 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 later in the 1990s. 

The Genesis legend had no problem allowing celebrated hip hop group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony to sample from his 1985 hit "Take Me Home" for this rather forgotten 2003 effort. The group 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.

With both artists at the top of their musical game, this 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" reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, and was a No. 1 hit in the United Kingdom.

At the time, Canadian songbird Furtado was known for her pop, often-Latin-fueled, radio-friendly music. Then she teamed with prominent rapper/producer Timbaland and delivered this sexy, sultry dance number that could be the defining moment in her musical career. The catchy track brought the Grammy Award-winning Furtado out of her comfort zone (and she delivered some solid rap moments) and all the way to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The theme from the 2008 James Bond film Quantum of Solace brought together two of the most accomplished modern-day musicians, who just happen to come from rather different backgrounds. 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-theme legacy. It earned a Grammy Award nomination for Best Short Form Music Video.

The late legend 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.

Swift is comfortable working with any artist of any genre. Her fan-girling knows no boundaries. 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 artists' 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.

Rappers and country stars coming together for a tune is nothing new. However, in this particular case, it was quite memorable — though perhaps for the wrong reasons. 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 of slavery and the treatment of black people in America, 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. Reception was mixed, as likely expected.

The former frontman of The Police and the famed Jamaican singer/rapper made an entire album with 44/876. Sting has always been influenced and inspired by reggae music, so even though this seemed like an unlikely musical mashup, it made sense. The record 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.

From Eminem's Kamikaze album, the famed rapper went on a lyrical assault on Tyler, the Creator on the track. Perhaps lost in the piece is the presence of Bon Iver's Justin Vernon, who received a co-writing credit and delivered the chorus of the song. With his folksy and alternative background, Vernon has no problem mixing politics and social messaging in his music, so this was no big stretch for him to be part of Eminem's project. 

The operatic voice of the legendary Bocelli paired with Lipa, who has built an impressive career with their pop and dance hits. However, the two blend relatively well on this ballad, which actually shows off the versatility and overall range of Lipa's talent. Of course, Bocelli never disappoints, no matter whom he shares the spotlight.

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. 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. 

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. 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 seem to satisfy fans of any of the three performers.

When Dolly went heavy with her 2023 covers album Rockstar, arguably the standout moment from the acclaimed project is this collab with the legendary Judas Priest frontman. While not over-the-top metal, there is controlled fury that makes for a fast-paced, churn-and-burn rock tune that Parton delivers quite well, and it more than keeps up with Halford's usual vocal brilliance. The track also features current Motley Crue members Nikki Sixx and John 5.