What could be better than listening to the gorgeous voice of your favorite singer belting out a hit song? Well, obviously the dulcet sound of two talented musicians blending their voices together in perfect harmony for an unbeatable duet. Over the years, several stars have joined forces to bring us some incredible music. Some of the duos might have seemed unlikely at first glance, but once they got into the recording studio, it was clear that it was indeed a match for the ages. Below are some of our favorites, dating back as far as 1976, and as recently as 2014. Have we missed any that you love? Let us know!
7. Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson — The Girl is Mine (1982)
Take (arguably) the most famous Beatle and pair him up with the King of Pop. That is how you sell records. The two duke it out in the kindest, most passive argument over a girl that I have ever heard. No matter that the plot of the song isn’t real. Their voices are, and that’s all that we care about.
6. Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga — It Don’t Mean a Thing (If it Ain’t Got That Swing) (2014)
Talk about an unlikely pair: we have 88-year-old Bennett exercising his unmistakable vocals alongside 28-year-old Gaga and her extremely strong pipes. You can say what you want about Gaga’s entrée into music via the pop world, but the woman can sing. Her roots in classical music training show as she holds her own next to veteran Bennett.
5. Nat King Cole & Natalie Cole — Unforgettable (1992)
The elder Cole graced the world with his talent before dying at the incredibly young age of 45 (in 1965). His daughter brought this particular duet to life long after her father’s passing. Advancements in technology made the duet possible and blew everyone away when it was released. The sweetest aspect of the song is certainly that a daughter finally gets the chance to sing with her father.
4. Bing Crosby & David Bowie — Peace on Earth/The Little Drummer Boy (1977)
This was the duet that might never had happened if the stars hadn’t aligned. Rumor has it that Crosby didn’t even know who Bowie was when he agreed to do the song. What’s more, Bowie only agreed to do it because his mother loved Bing Crosby. Also, the English singer apparently hated the song “The Little Drummer Boy” and refused to sing it, so producers had to get creative and had him sing “Peace on Earth” while Crosby did his “bum bum bums.” The result is nothing short of musical magic.
3. Elton John & Kiki Dee — Don’t Go Breaking My Heart (1976)
When this song was released, it topped the UK charts for an incredible six weeks. The catchy tune was originally supposed to be recorded with Dusty Springfield instead, but she was apparently too ill at the time. It has become such a hit for male/female duos over the years that it has been covered countless times. Perhaps one of our favorites is that of Elton John along with Miss Piggy on The Muppet Show in 1977.
2. Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes — (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life (1987)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxPdy4r_6VA
You cannot listen to this song without immediately picturing Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey dancing their hearts out in Dirty Dancing. Did the song make the movie or did the movie make the song? Either way, this epic duet between Medley and Warnes unsurprisingly won several awards, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Best Original Song, as well as a Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.
1. Lionel Richie & Diana Ross — Endless Love (1981)
When you want to slow things down a bit and dim the lights over a nice glass of wine, you can turn this duet on and amp up the romance. At least that’s probably what people did in the early ’80s. Today, though, the song still holds up as the unbeatable voices of Richie and Ross meld together to make our hearts melt over and over again.
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