Source link : https://las-vegas-news.com/8-music-collaborations-nobody-expected-that-produced-the-best-work-of-both-careers/
Some of the most enduring moments in music history weren’t planned. They happened when two artists from completely separate worlds decided, for whatever reason, to make something together – and what came out the other side surprised everyone, including the artists themselves.
The list below isn’t about celebrity cameos or label-engineered crossovers. These are genuine creative unions where both parties raised their own game. In each case, the collaboration didn’t just produce a hit. It produced something that now sits near the very top of what either artist ever made.
Run-DMC and Aerosmith – “Walk This Way” (1986)
In 1986, hip-hop group Run-DMC covered “Walk This Way” in collaboration with Aerosmith, releasing it as the lead single from Run-DMC’s third album, Raising Hell. Before this track dropped, rap and rock lived in totally separate worlds, and MTV barely played hip-hop. Aerosmith’s career had also started to fade.
When producer Rick Rubin persuaded rap sensation Run-DMC to join forces with Aerosmith, no one could have anticipated what a game-changing moment it would be. There was reportedly an initial lack of enthusiasm among both parties, with concerns about reputation, but the result was a rap and rock masterpiece that some argue birthed an entirely new genre, directly informing bands like Rage Against the Machine, Linkin Park, and Eminem. The song reached…
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Author : Matthias Binder
Publish date : 2026-06-18 08:02:00
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