16 Unexpected Musical Collaborations

Fans are always on the edges of their seats waiting for new music from their favorite artists. We’re always waiting to see how they’ll evolve. For some artists, that means taking a chance and collaborating with an unexpected counterpart. Crossover music is always fun and interesting to hear, especially when two artists from completely different genres work together. If they’re lucky, they produce major hits. Below, we’re rounding up 16 of our favorite unexpected collaborations from Maroon 5 and Cardi B, to The Chainsmokers and 5SOS. Scroll to see if your favorites made it, or if there are some songs that you need to add to your playlist!

1. 2 Chainz ft. Ariana Grande - “Rule The World”

This pair collaborated both on this song and a remix of Ari’s “7 Rings.” In an interview with Genius, 2 Chainz said, “She opened up her mouth and a damn angel came out and I was like, 'Yo, this little girl can sing!”

2. Maroon 5 ft. Cardi B - “Girls Like You”

Who would have ever expected pop-rock staple Maroon 5 to pair up with the new princess of rap, Cardi B? Of the collaboration, Adam Levine told Variety, "I knew she was going to murder this verse and bring the song to a whole new place. She was vital. I begged her to do it." Well, she certainly did just that, and we couldn’t be happier they worked together.

3. The Chainsmokers ft. 5SOS - “Who Do You Love”

Not only did The Chainsmokers release this unexpected collab with boy band 5SOS, but now they’re all going on tour together! Whether you support these groups pairing up or not, you have to admit, this song is pretty fire.

4. Sam Smith and Normani - “Dancing With A Stranger”

Two butter-smooth voices together? We’re here for it. But apparently, this collaboration came together totally by chance: Normani was in the studio next door to Sam Smith, and the rest is history. Of Normani, Smith said, “It is also such a beautiful moment for me as I’m a huge, huge fan of Normani and everything she is. I’m so excited to watch her light shine.”

5. The Chainsmokers ft. Kelsea Ballerini - “This Feeling”

We totally didn’t expect this country-pop singer to pair up with this EDM-pop duo. But, The Chainsmokers stated, “She’s incredibly genuine and talented. We were drawn to her for those reasons and many more.” Ballerini similarly gushed saying, “I’m such a fan of these guys as people, artists, and songwriters...they’ve always been at the top of my list!”

6. Lil Peep and ILoveMakonnen ft. Fall Out Boy - “I’ve Been Waiting”

This song actually came out after the Lil Peep’s tragic death. He began the collaboration with ILoveMakonnen, but Fall Out Boy entered the picture after they reached out with condolences. At that point, ILoveMakonnen asked them to collaborate on the record, as he and Lil Peep were both big fans of the band.

7. Why Don’t We and Macklemore - “I Don’t Belong In This Club”

What happens when an adorable boy band and “Thrift Shop” rapper pair up? A bop with a twinge of comedy. If you haven’t checked out the music video, it won’t disappoint.

8. Zedd, Grey, & Maren Morris - “The Middle”

Here’s another pop mega-hit with a country gal singing the main vocals. Maren Morris brings her powerful vocals to this dance-worthy jam.

9. Ed Sheeran and Andrea Bocelli - “Perfect (Symphony)”

What do you do when you write a literally perfect song? Get the absolute most out of it by recording some incredible collaborative versions of it. Ed Sheeran paired up with this opera star to create another stunning rendition of this romantic song. Bocelli told Evening Standard, “The strange thing was that he really, really wanted me to sing on that particular song, with an operatic touch to it — something that he didn’t think was actually feasible. But he was so determined that he came all the way to my house. He came, and we did it.”

10. Ed Sheeran and Beyoncé - “Perfect (Duet)”

Once again, Ed Sheeran made the most of this incredible song by pairing up with the queen of all queens, Beyoncé. Of course, this version topped the charts.

11. Lady Gaga and Beyoncé - “Telephone”

Mother Monster and Queen Bey are forces to be reckoned with individually, but together, they’re epic. This song, this music video, will always be iconic.

12. Clean Bandit, Marina, and Luis Fonsi - “Baby”

If you haven’t heard this song, you should definitely check it out. It has a great pop dance beat with latin musical influences. With Marina’s rich vocals and Luis Fonsi’s sick Spanish verses, it’s an overlooked hit and awesomely combines these three artists very different talents and genres.

13. Andrea Bocelli ft. Dua Lipa - "If Only"

We never would have paired “New Rules” singer Dua Lipa with an opera legend. But, the two paired up for this beautiful song, which really showed off Dua Lipa’s vocal chops next to Bocelli’s soaring voice.

14. Benny Blanco, Juice WRLD, and Brendon Urie - “Roses”

Benny Blanco has put together some epic collaborations, but this one was especially interesting. He paired Panic! At The Disco frontman Brendon Urie with up and coming rapper, JUICEWRLD for this song that’s been described as “emo rap.”

15. Rihanna, Kanye West, and Paul McCartney - “FourFiveSeconds”

Talk about a collaboration with three absolute greats. Although they come from different genres, we’re not surprised that these musical geniuses produced a major hit together.

16. Bebe Rexha ft. Florida Georgia Line- “Meant To Be”

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