Musical Collaborations You Might Not Have Heard About

28th July 2017
Musical Collaborations You Might Not Have Heard About

Often, music collaborations happen when artists of the same or similar music genres team up, and we don’t do a double take because it generally translates into seamless, musical genius. But then there are other musicians that take us by surprise, making us wonder why and how on earth they even decided to team up together. Olimpus decided to name but a few of such collaborations…

Willie Nelson and Snoop Dogg

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If there was ever an unlikely musical collaboration, this one takes the cake. As one of the most recognized artists in country music you wouldn’t think that Willie Nelson would team up with one of the biggest rappers of all time, but that’s just what happened! Although country music and hip hop don’t typically mesh well, the dynamic duo has recorded numerous tracks and even performed live together on several occasions.

John Lennon and Elton John

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November 28, 1974, marked the day Elton John invited John Lennon to share the stage with him at Madison Square Garden. They sang “Whatever Gets You Through the Night,” which was Lennon’s only solo number one single in the US during his lifetime. Sadly, this performance was Lennon’s last major concert appearance.

Frank Sinatra and Bono

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With over 150 million records sold, Frank Sinatra is considered as one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Bono, on the other hand, is in contrast one of the most recognisable and iconic rock stars of the late 20th century. In 1993, Bono recorded vocals for “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” which is one of Sinatra’s classic songs. The collaboration can be found on Sinatra’s album Duets.

Tony Bennett and Amy Winehouse

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Amy Winehouse’s last recording before her premature death was a collaboration with great singer Tony Bennett. While many people have heard Bennett’s songs with Lady Gaga, “Body and Soul” was a jewel that in some way managed to slip under the radar, released worldwide less than two months after Winehouse passed away.

Jay Z and Linkin Park

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What started out as a simple mashup eventually grew into an entire collaborative album. So clearly, the relationship between Jay Z and Linkin Park goes way beyond a single collaboration. Even though every song on Collision Course was a mashup, the two acts worked together in the studio and even re-recorded vocals.

Elton John and Eminem

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When Eminem was announced as a performer at the 2001 Grammy Awards, activists gathered outside the Staples Centre, calling his lyrics homophobic, violent and misogynistic. In a show of support, openly gay artist Elton John joined Eminem on stage to perform his hit song “Stan.” After the performance, they hugged and Eminem flipped off the audience.

Eminem and Marilyn Manson

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In the music video for “The Way I Am,” Marilyn Manson appears behind Eminem when the song’s lyrics made reference to him. The track was later remixed, featuring fresh vocals from Manson. Since then, Eminem and Manson have performed the song together on stage numerous times.

Michael Jackson and Eddie Murphy

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Despite the fact that Eddie Murphy is known as a well-established and successful actor, his music career never truly managed to take off. Not even help from the King of Pop could save “Whatzupwitu.” But it was a good try, even though it was a total flop: in 1999, MTV viewers actually voted this as the third worst music video of all time! Ouch.

Surprising as they might have been, some artists’ collaborations actually make us wonder – why hadn’t they thought of teaming up before? While others simply make use cringe.

Music collaboration is clearly something that shouldn’t be decided haphazardly, because it’s ultimately a matter of being a hit and a miss. Do you have a passion for music as much as we here at Olimpus do? If so, be sure to have the best quality musical instruments. We invite you to come visit us at our one-stop-music-shop. We’ll happily give you tips and tricks to remember when choosing all your music equipment.

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