Celebrity Concert Collaborations: Unforgettable Moments in Music History
No matter the genre, there is nothing better in music than when two amazing artists collaborate on a song together. Of course, it’s one thing to do it in a studio, but it’s even better to see a concert collaboration between musicians who come together on stage for the audience to see.
Whether it's a harmonious blend of genres or a fusion of styles that defies categorization, there's an undeniable allure when musical forces intertwine. These types of magical moments don’t exactly happen every day, so when they do, they should be enjoyed and remembered forever. That got us thinking about some of the most amazing moments in music history that involved multiple artists joining one another on stage for an unforgettable concert collaboration.
Get ready to relive these iconic moments that have captivated audiences throughout history.
Aerosmith and Run-DMC
In all honesty, this might be the greatest collaboration ever. Aerosmith joining Run-DMC on “Walk This Way” is arguably the most important collaborative song in music history. At the time, nobody could have foreseen a rock band like Aerosmith combining forces with a hip-hop act like Run-DMC. But legendary producer Rick Rubin made it happen, convincing both groups to participate and changing the course of music history in the process. Both groups were reportedly opposed and skeptical of the idea at first. But the mixing of the two genres turned out to be the perfect collaboration. Aerosmith and Run-DMC have performed this live on several occasions at major events and have more or less brought the house down every single time. It’s one of those collaborations that makes no sense but is somehow perfect at the same time. Equally important, this collaboration opened the door for other artists of different genres to collaborate on songs and see what kind of magic they can make.
Nirvana and the Meat Puppets
Out of all of the MTV Unplugged sets from back in the day, Nirvana’s is surely the most memorable. It was one of the last times Kurt Cobain would perform live, and hauntingly, all of the flowers on the stage almost made it look like a funeral. The simple fact that a grunge band like Nirvana could pull off such a beautiful acoustic set was almost mind-blowing. One of the highlights of the set was when Cobain brought the Meat Puppets on stage to help with a rendition of “Lake of Fire,” which was a Meat Puppets original. Of course, Cobain’s voice made the song memorable, but it was still one of the most poignant collaborations in music history.
Jay-Z and Phish
This was another collaboration that made absolutely no sense on paper. Jay-Z and Phish probably have no fans in common, at least before this 2004 collaboration. While Phish was performing a show in Jay-Z’s hometown of Brooklyn, he joined the famous jam band for funky versions of “99 Problems” and “Big Pimpin’.” Apparently, Phish had reached out to Jay-Z about the collaboration despite the rapper being retired from performing at the time and Phish approaching their own retirement. Jay-Z admitted that he had never heard Phish’s music but had heard of them and was intrigued by the possibility. While the collaboration didn’t have the long-lasting effect that other great music collaborations have had, it’s too strange, unique, and fun not to mention.
Paul McCartney and Neil Young
What more could music lovers want than two legends like Paul McCartney and Young joining forces on stage together? It took place during the Desert Trip music festival in 2016. Young performed with Promise of the Real and then joined McCartney midway through his set. Together, they performed “A Day in the Life” and “Why Don’t We Do It In the Road?” while Young also helped McCartney honor former Beatle, John Lennon, with “Give Peace a Chance.” It may have been a brief collaboration, but it was surely something special while it lasted.
Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell
This is perhaps the most bittersweet music collaboration, as both Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell died tragic deaths far too soon. Gaye was sadly murdered, while Terrell was just 24 when she succumbed to a brain tumor. Of course, both were among the greatest singers of their generation and collaborated on multiple songs together. Fittingly, one of Terrell’s final public appearances was a performance on stage with Gaye at the Apollo Theater in 1969. Gaye insisted that she join him on stage, and they performed “You’re All I Need to Get By” before receiving a standing ovation.
Dave Matthews Band and James Brown
While it seemed somewhat random at the time, the legendary James Brown joined the Dave Matthews Band on stage during a concert at Madison Square Garden in 2002. While they didn’t play a full set together, the odd pairing collaborated on Brown’s song “Get Up (I Feel Like a Sex Machine).” Frankly, that one song between Brown and the DMB was probably all the crowd could handle of that collaboration, memorable as it might have been.
Rolling Stones and Grace Potter
On the surface, the Rolling Stones don’t seem like a group that necessarily collaborates well. However, they met their match during a 2015 show when they shared a stage with Grace Potter, who has the unique ability to pair well with just about anyone. Potter showed up on stage late in the set to sing “Gimme Shelter” with Mick Jagger and the Stones. It’s actually a song that Potter covers frequently with her own band, so Jagger shouldn’t have minded too much having to share the spotlight for once.