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Gracie Abrams: Redefining Pop Music with Vulnerability and Depth

November 22, 2024

In an era where the music industry often leans toward commercialized hits and polished perfection, Gracie Abrams emerges as a beacon of authenticity. Her unique approach to pop music, rooted in raw...

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Why Every Aspiring Music Creator Should Experience Coachella 2024

January 22, 2024

Coachella isn’t just a festival—it’s a rite of passage for music lovers and creators alike. Each year, it transforms the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, into a world-class stage for global...

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Mike Posner: From Chart-Topping Hits to Personal Transformation

November 20, 2024

Michael Robert Henrion Posner, known professionally as Mike Posner, emerged as a prominent figure in the music industry with his distinctive blend of pop, R&B, and electronic sounds. Born on...

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Ed Sheeran Calls Out Unauthorized Use of His Vocals: A Growing Problem in the Music Industry

November 20, 2024

Ed Sheeran recently revealed that his vocals were used without his permission on a new Band Aid single—a situation he says he would have “respectfully declined” had he been asked. The incident has...

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The Weeknd: Crafting a Unique Artistic Image

November 20, 2024

In the world of contemporary music, The Weeknd stands as an enigmatic figure who has mastered the art of reinvention and authenticity. From his early days of mysterious mixtapes to becoming a...

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Tyler, The Creator: A Transformative Music Journey

November 20, 2024

Tyler, The Creator, born Tyler Gregory Okonma, has become one of the most influential and dynamic artists in the music industry. From his brash, rebellious beginnings to his present-day status as a...

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Bad Bunny: Breaking Language Barriers in Global Music

November 20, 2024

In a world where English often dominates the global music charts, Bad Bunny has emerged as a game-changing force, proving that music transcends language. Born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio in...

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Post Malone: Blending Genres for a Unique Sound

November 20, 2024

In an era where musical boundaries often blur but few truly innovate, Post Malone has carved out a unique space for himself by seamlessly blending rap, rock, and pop. His genre-defying approach has...

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Lorde's *Pure Heroine*: The Album That Revolutionized Pop Music

November 20, 2024

When Lorde’s breakout single “Royals” first hit airwaves, it was clear the pop landscape was about to change. At just 16, Ella Yelich-O’Connor, the New Zealand artist known as Lorde, captivated the...

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Lizzo: Empowerment and Being Unapologetically Yourself

November 18, 2024

Lizzo’s rise to stardom is nothing short of inspiring. With her infectious personality, powerhouse vocals, and bold, body-positive message, she has become a beacon of empowerment in the music...

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SZA: The Rise and Impact of a Modern R&B Trailblazer

November 18, 2024

SZA, born Solána Imani Rowe, is now one of the most vocal and well-known figures in modern R&B. With her distinctive sound and intelligent poetry, SZA’s musical career has been both dynamic and...

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Linkin Park Returns: A Bold Reset After Seven Years

November 18, 2024

After a seven-year hiatus, Linkin Park is back, and they’ve hit the proverbial reset button with their highly anticipated new album. Known for their ability to evolve while staying true to their...

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Legendary Musical Collaborations That Push Beyond Genre

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Photo Source: Kevin Winter (Getty Images)

There is a vast amount of variety when it comes to genres, sub-genres, and styles of music. Normally, when two musical artists collaborate to create a new song, the individual artists both produce the same type of music. Occasionally, however, two groups or artists, whose music is markedly distinct from one another’s, work together and produce a masterpiece that is entirely new and groundbreaking. This article will discuss three such examples; Aerosmith and Run-DMC, Queen and David Bowie, and Eminem and Elton John. 

Aerosmith, a rock band, and Run-DMC, a hip-hop/rap band, worked together in 1986 to create a remix of Aeromsith’s “Walk This Way”, which was originally released in 1975. The song combined the intricate guitar work characteristic to rock with the lyrical verses associated with rap. Never before had there been a mash-up of rock and rap in the same song, making this collaboration very innovative. Because of this, many people who had previously only listened to one of these genres got a taste of the other one, which helped to expand their musical horizons. Aside from the music itself, the collaboration also assisted in the effort to decrease racial inequality. Rock music had primarily white listeners, while the majority of hip-hop fans were black, and the song helped to bring these two groups of people together. 

Another iconic collaboration between artists was “Under Pressure” by the English singer-songwriter David Bowie and the rock band Queen in 1981, which was the result of a jam session between the artists while Queen was touring in Switzerland. The song incorporates and contrasts David Bowie and Freddy Mercury’s (singer of Queen) unique singing styles, accompanied by the driving rock music that Queen is known for. The result was an energetic, dynamic, and passionate piece of music that focuses on the human struggle and the difficulty of forming meaningful relationships with others. “Under Pressure” became very popular for these reasons, and remains a classic to this day. 

The last collaboration that will be discussed is the special performance of “Stan” by Elton John with Eminem, which occurred at the 2001 Grammy Awards show. Prior to the collaboration, Eminem had been criticized for his controversial lyrics in some of his songs, and was accused of being homophobic. It was for this reason that he decided to perform with Elton John, who is openly gay, to make a stand against sexuality-based discrimination. This aided in the destruction of restraints that held back gay people in the music industry and brought to light the harmful nature of prejudice. Their collaboration was widely well-received and is a performance that will be remembered for many years. 

In conclusion, these collaborations illustrate how artists known for different styles of music can work together to create excellent songs, and how powerful music can be in bringing people together and bridging the gap between disparate communities.