7 Important Collaborations and Mashups

Just a few years ago, it was risky for established acts to record songs together with artists from other genres. They didn’t want to upset their own fans. However, mashup projects and collaborations have long since established themselves as outstanding highlights in the music business. We have picked out seven of the hottest for you.

1. Linkin Park and Jay-Z – Numb/Encore

Linkin Park and Jay-Z were among the first to take the plunge, causing a sensation and raising eyebrows at the same time. In November 2004, they released “Collision Course”, a mashup project of their biggest hits. “Numb / Encore” was the most successful of the six songs. Unlike today, the collaboration was a risk at the time; both acts had long established themselves as big names within their respective bubble. It was completely unclear how the project would be received by the fans of both camps. However, the song went through the roof, won a Grammy in the “Best Rap/Vocal Collaboration” category in 2006, and remains one of the biggest hits of both acts to this day. In 2017, Jay-Z brought “Numb / Encore” back into the headlines when he performed the song at a festival in memory of Chester Bennington, who had taken his own life a few weeks earlier.

Numb / Encore [Live] (Official Music Video) – Linkin Park / JAY-Z

2. David Bowie & Queen – Under Pressure

At the beginning of the 80s, Queen and David Bowie were true megastars. When they decided to collaborate on “Under Pressure”, huge egos came together and nobody wanted to sell themselves short. Until then, there had never been a collaboration between two icons of this magnitude. Queen guitarist Brian May put it like this: “We had a blank canvas in front of us”. However, the superstars approached the project in a rather disorganized manner and were belittling each other like schoolboys during its creation. Bassist John Deacon didn’t appreciate hearing “No, you can’t do it like that” from the mouth of David Bowie. They repeatedly clashed in the studio and Freddie Mercury and David Bowie got into a fight, as neither of the consummate professionals tolerated outside advice. Regardless, “Under Pressure” was released in 1981 as the lead single from “Hot Space” and marched to the top of the charts as a mega hit. Together, the giants had created a timeless classic.

David Bowie & Freddie Mercury – Queen – Under Pressure

3. Daft Punk, Nile Rodgers & Pharrell Williams – Get Lucky

A full 18 months in the making, “Get Lucky” was released in April 2013 as a collaboration between French House superstars Daft Punk with Nile Rodgers on guitar and Pharrell Williams on vocals. The song quickly climbed to the top of the charts in numerous countries, reaching number 1 in Germany. Spending 13 weeks at the top of the US dance charts, “Get Lucky” even set a record at the time. Pharrell Williams recalls that he had first met “the robots” at a party organized by Madonna, where they exchanged compliments. Daft Punk had been following Williams’ activities for some time. And he replied: “Whenever you need anything from me, I’m there.” “Get Lucky” was the synergy of androids with pure humanity.

Daft Punk – Get Lucky (Official Audio) ft. Pharrell Williams, Nile Rodgers

4. Elton John & Dua Lipa – Cold Heart (Pnau Remix)

This remix of Elton John’s classics with the modern sounds of Dua Lipa and Pnau is a real bridge between generations and musical genres. The mashup began during the coronavirus pandemic, when Sir Elton John had to interrupt his tour and instead spent the time producing his aptly named studio album “The Lockdown Sessions”. The remix combined four of the grand master’s older hits, including the line “Cold, cold heart” from “Sacrifice”, while Dua Lipa contributed parts of “Rocket Man” and “Kiss the Bridge”. Dua described it as surreal to be working with someone she had been admiring for so long. The mashup quickly rose to the top 10 and became Elton John’s second most successful single, selling around eight million copies.

Elton John & Dua Lipa – Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)

5. Paul McCartney & Kanye West – FourFiveSeconds (feat. Rihanna)

When stars of this magnitude come together, commercial success is almost inevitable. Blending folk pop and soul, Sir Paul McCartney, Kanye West, and Rihanna created a unique song. Multi-instrumentalist McCartney contributed his acoustic guitar, organ, and bass guitar alongside his vocals. The song from 2015 should resonate with anyone who is frustrated and bored by the monotony of everyday life: The protagonist is counting down the seconds until the weekend, when they can finally let it rip again. The curious thing is that the song was actually written by Kanye West for ex-Beatle Paul McCartney, who is allegedly never bored. Ultimately, however, Rihanna’s voice ended up at the centre of the production. The other two held back for the sake of the song.

Rihanna, Kanye West, Paul McCartney – FourFiveSeconds

6. The Weeknd & Daft Punk – Starboy

Daft Punk’s collaboration with the Canadian singer The Weeknd became an almost iconic song. The secret recipe: pairing futuristic beats and epochal sounds with melancholic vocals. Released in November 2016, “Starboy” became one of the top 50 albums of the year. The collab was received well by fans of The Weeknd, who felt that he had clearly matured as an artist and as a person. He provided sensitive insights into his soul, which went very well with the musical aesthetic. To many, this collab was one of the absolute highlights of 2016.

The Weeknd – Starboy ft. Daft Punk (Official Video)

7. Udo Lindenberg and Apache 207 – “Komet”

“Komet” by “panic rocker” Udo Lindenberg and rapper Apache 207 stayed at the top of the German singles charts for a whopping 17 weeks in 2023, setting a record for German-language collab songs. Incidentally, this duet of contrasts was also Udo’s first-ever number 1 single as a solo artist. In 2023, the video was viewed 59 million times on YouTube and became the YouTube hit of the year. By combining two seemingly incompatible genres, German rock and hip hop, the two stars made a real statement in their respective scenes. Udo says: “It’s our mutual respect for each other’s art forms that brought us together.”

Udo Lindenberg x Apache 207 – Comet (Official Music Video)

An opportunity to get started yourself

Collaborations are obviously becoming increasingly popular in the music business and continue to gain momentum. Fortunately, musicians are no longer afraid of alienating their own fans. And at the end of the day, it’s just fun to collaborate on mashups and learn from each other. If you also want to experience this special kind of musical inspiration, just go ahead and try it for yourself.

We‘re sure you’ll create something unique

True to the motto “opposites attract”, combining different genres creates an interesting contrast. As collab partners, you can benefit from each other’s strengths and thus fill your own gaps. As long as you don’t focus mainly on your own ego, take criticism as motivation, and plan the project in a structured way, all you have to do is make sure that you are equipped with the right tools and compatible equipment. You’ll be driven by the desire to create something unique. Just get started, we’re sure you can do it!

Tips for your collaborations

• Opposites attract: Look for musicians from other genres to create an appealing contrast.
• Combine your strengths: Everyone has their strengths and you can mutually benefit from them for more creativity.
• Learn from each other: In a good collaboration there are no secrets, learn from each other and show each other your tricks.
• Think about compatibility: While you don’t necessarily have to use identical equipment, it sure helps if you can exchange files.
• Working as equals: In a collaboration, both partners should mutually respect each other and contribute their ideas.
• Plan properly: Decide together in advance what your common goals are – musically, but also financially and in general.

Now there’s only one thing left to do: get started, we’re sure you can do it!

Music Collabs: Your Feedback

Which mashups and collaborations have impressed you the most in the past and currently? Let us know in the comments!

Lawrence started playing the electric guitar because of his passion for rock music. Back in the day he played in a metal band, but now plays more for himself.

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