A brief history of Duets

Like an echo to Valentine's Day, a wave of complicity seems to have taken over famous artists who have decided to perform in duets.

After Jay-Z and Beyoncé, Eminem and Rihanna, Drake and Lil Wayne, it's now Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga's turn to extend their unlikely association on stage. Same story for Sting and Paul Simon. Both record-sellers will unite for a massive tour that will stop in many capitals around the world.

Although very unusual for Sting, who's being used to touring solo or in a trio with the Police, Paul Simon is quite familiar with duets, for he built his career in association with Art Garfunkel. Together, they have lifted Garfunkel's songs to a high level of of art through splendid vocal harmonies in the lineage of the Everly Brothers or the Righteous Brothers.

This unique skill-set has led to a lot of other famous associations in every genre. We can think of Sonny and Cher and their hippie ballad « I Got You Babe », Ike and Tina Turner with their fast-paced Rhythm’n’blues repertoire or Johnny Cash and June Carter for the Country music fans. All these people have shared their love beyond music and formed couples on stage and in life.

Some have bent the rules and given false impressions, like Jack and Meg White, from the White Stripes, who have kept rumors alive for a long time about their supposed brother & sister relationship while they were actually married (now divorced). In a different registry, both singers of Eurodance band t.A.T.u. (with quite a transparent name, this one who loves that one in Russian) have created some turmoil in their country with a kiss and a relationship invented from scratch by their producer.

Musical duets found their glory days in the UK during the 80's with the Pet Shop Boys (Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe), the Buggles (Geoff Downes and Trevor Horn), Wham! (George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley), or Tears For Fears (Roland Orzabal and Curtis Smith, although technically they were backed by other musicians). In the 2000's, a genre descending from this Synthpop will keep the trend alive: Electro. We can think of The Chemical Brothers, Air, Empire Of The Sun or Daft Punk indeed.

Other duets, although less permanent, have made their way into our memories, thanks to the power of their music or their names: Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross and Lionel Richie, Britney Spears and Madonna, Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballé, Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney, Amy Winehouse and Tony Bennett, Phil Bailey and Phil Collins or also Nancy Sinatra and Frank Sinatra.

You can find all those duets on Karaoke Version!

Published on: February 1, 2015