How often have you been asked, “Who is your favorite singer?” or “Which band is your favorite?”
Throughout the years, incredible solo artists and bands have seemed to define our musical tastes. And, for some reason, people frequently overlook all of the fantastic musical duos out there.
I’m not one of those people. My playlist while getting ready for work or a night out includes Sweet Soul Music by Sam & Dave, Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell’s Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, Proud Mary by Ike and Tina Turner, and Steely Dan’s Do It Again.
I don’t know about you, but my kitchen is for dancing, and I Got You Babe by Sonny and Cher is perfect for having a little fun while fixing my dinner. I’m not much of a dancer, but hey, that has never stopped me before.
I’m not much of a singer, either, but I’m unabashedly singing in my car whenever You Make My Dreams Come True by Hall & Oates comes on.
And whenever I’m feeling down or nostalgic, I can turn to my playlist for solace. So I embrace the past with Crying In The Rain by The Everly Brothers, Without You by Air Supply, and the Righteous Brothers and their Unchained Melody.
Trust me, there is no science to turning a bad day around – sometimes all it takes is pressing the play button and cranking up Tears for Fears’ Shout or The Black Keys’ Lonely Boy. Or how about Summer Wine by Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood, accompanied by a glass of your own? That day is already starting to look better!
All of the musical pairings I’ve mentioned have unquestionably earned their place in music history. Here’s one example: Hall & Oates are the best-selling musical duo of all time!
However, I didn’t compile my list based on popularity or sales, but rather by chill-inducing lyrics and beautiful (and catchy) melodies. I also wanted to include both current and previous musical pairings.
So, scroll down for my list of 10 amazing musical pairs that prove two are better than one.
10 BEST MUSICAL DUOS
10. Twenty One Pilots
Biggest hits: Stressed Out, Heathens, Ride
Memorable lyrics: „It ain’t the speakers that bump hearts / It’s our hearts that make the beat “ – Holding Onto You
Fast Facts: A vocalist/songwriter Tyler Joseph and drummer Josh Dun, the duo behind the name Twenty One Pilots, took the 2010s by storm. Inspired by the play All my sons by Arthur Miller, in which a man is responsible for the deaths of 21 pilots, two college friends picked a name and formed the band in 2009.
The Ohio duo is unique for its genre-blending music which includes emo, electronica, rap, hip hop, and rock. Though experts don’t know what to make of them, their fans have their own label for TOP’s music genre – “Schizoid Pop”.
They made history with their 2015 four-times-platinum Blurryface album which remains the biggest rock album of the late 2010s. These two are still hard at work and making music together because the charts of this decade must also be topped.
Why we love them: 21 Pilots already have a massive cult following as a multi-talented duo with an extraordinary genre-blending signature style. We adore their incredible chemistry, visually striking stage shows, and hyper, thought-provoking rhymes.
9. Wham!
Biggest hits: Where Did Your Heart Go, Wake Me Up Before You Go Go, Last Christmas
Memorable lyrics: „You take the grey skies out of my way / You make the sun shine brighter than Doris Day / Turned a bright spark into a flame / My beats per minute never been the same“ – Wake Me Up Before You Go Go
Fast Facts: Two friends, George Michael, a songwriter and vocalist, and Andrew Ridgeley, the guitarist, formed the pop duo Wham! and captured the colorful sound of the 80s with their catchy hits.
The pair decided to go with the name Wham! simply because they wanted to make a loud impact in the music business. In 1981 came their lucky break. The English musical duo performed their first song on Top of the Pops after another band had canceled their appearance at the last minute.
The song was called Young Guns (Go For It) and became a hit shortly after that. All of their hits stood the test of time, especially the upbeat Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go, Where Did Your Heart Go, and Last Christmas, one of the most successful Christmas songs ever.
So, what happened to one of the first international success stories of a boy band? The two were still teenagers when they found themselves in the middle of a pop hurricane, and they didn’t handle the press tabloids and record labels well, leading to their amicable split in 1986. Michael also desired to create music with greater emotional depth and to target a more mature audience.
A total of 72,000 fans said their goodbye in their iconic final concert at the Wembley stadium.
Why we love them: Michael and Andrew’s musical partnership and a story of a youth-driven duo burned brightly, but briefly. The ‘80s chart-toppers didn’t last long, but the dynamic duo had produced a slew of dance hits that we still love to jam to.
8. Pet Shop Boys
Biggest hits: Love etc., Heart, West End Girls, It’s a Sin
Memorable lyrics: „Come outside and see a brand new day / The troubles in your mind will blow away / It’s easy to believe they’re here to stay / But you won’t find them standing in your way” – Se a vida é (That’s the Way Life Is)
Fast Facts: The English synth-pop duo formed in 1981 by lyricist and singer Neil Tennant and keyboardist Chris Lowe ruled the charts in the second half of the 1980s. The duo met in a music store and became musical collaborators after discovering they had similar interests.
In search of a name they were inspired by some friends who owned a pet shop, which sounded to them like something that a “British hip-hop group might call themselves”. Combining infectious synthesized melodies, described as cynical and melancholic, with intelligent lyrics they shaped their own unique brand of Euro-beat dance music.
PSB’s huge success came in 1986 with their debut album, Please. The highly inventive UK duo established themselves as hitmakers in the following years, selling over a hundred million records and collaborating with some of the best artists.
As of 2020, they are into their fourth decade of working together.
Why we love them: Neil and Chris incorporated an entire musical show into their perfectly-formed pop music – anthemic dance music songs, dazzling live shows, eccentric but inventive videos, and deep lyrics – all of them sprinkled with personal references.
7. Roxette
Biggest hits: The Look, Joyride, It Must Have Been Love, Dangerous
Memorable lyrics: “It must have been love / But it’s over now / It must have been good / But I lost it somehow” – It Must Have Been Love
Fast Facts: One of the most dynamic pop-rock duos of the early 90’s was the Swedish band Roxette. The charismatic vocalist Marie Fredriksson and a co-vocalist and guitarist Per Gessle collaborated for 30 years, producing infectiously catchy classic jams.
Though not confirmed, the name Roxette was said to be Per’s idea, probably taken from a 1974 song of the same name by British pub rock band Dr Feelgood. A record executive made them join their forces in the mid-’80s, and the rest is history. Since their debut in 1986, the male-female duo toured together for years and sold more than 75 million records all over the world.
Unfortunately, Marie was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2002. She did try to make a musical comeback a few years later but was forced to retire in 2016, the same year they released their final album, Good Karma.
Marie passed away aged 61 after a long battle with cancer. After paying tribute to his long-time musical partner Marie, Gessle continued to work solo.
Why we love them: The unforgettable combo left behind timeless lyrics and dramatic ballads that have almost a billion and a half views on Youtube. The way those two blended both pop and rock of the era and the way their voices harmonized was nothing short of perfect!
6. Simon & Garfunkel
Biggest hits: Bridge Over Troubled Water, The Sound of Silence, El Condor Pasa (If I could), Cecilia, Mrs Robinson
Memorable lyrics: “And the sign said: ‘The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls / And tenement halls / And whispered in the sound of silence.’” – The Sound of Silence
Fast Facts: From two high school friends from Queens, N.Y., Art Garfunkel and Paul Simon went on to be the most successful folk-rock duo in the history of music. Their story chronicles the amazing journey from their humble beginnings as Tom & Jerry to their incredible success as one of the best-selling music groups of the ‘60s, to their dramatic split.
1965’s The Sound of Silence was the breakthrough smash for Art and Paul. Interestingly, it was allegedly produced as a response to the assassination of JFK, breaking all records, outselling even the Beatles.
The duo’s complex partnership led to an initial breakup in 1970 when they released their last studio album, which was fittingly called Bridge Over Troubled Water. The exact details of the split-up are unknown. They have reunited on several occasions but they couldn’t put their personal and artistic differences behind them.
Why we love them: For over 50 years now, we still find the way these two blended together pretty indescribable. In creating their musical hits they didn’t have autotunes, fireworks, colorful shows, or any strange outfits. Two amazing voices, stunning lyrics, a few instruments in the background were all they had. The simplicity of it is what made it so perfect.
5. Eurythmics
Biggest hits: Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This), There Must Be An Angel, Here Comes The Rain Again, Miracle Of Love
Memorable lyrics: “Some of them want to use you / Some of them want to get used by you / Some of them want to abuse you / Some of them want to be abused” – Sweet Dreams
Fast Facts: British pop music duo, Eurythmics, consisting of members Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart, achieved global success in the 1980s music industry. Both the music and image of Eurythmics are reflected in the origins of their name, derived from the Greek term for the art of harmonious body movement.
At first they had a romantic relationship, broke up, then formed the duo in 1980 and went on to release a string of hit singles and albums before they went their separate ways in 1990. The reason? Annie took time off to have a baby and to consider going solo after Eurythmics and David became a record producer.
The duo had its make-ups and break-ups but is known to reunite from time to time.
Why we love them: Though Eurythmics lasted less than a decade, their partnership was a representation of cosmic harmony and special chemistry, so the musical collaboration between these two had really paid off. Experimenting with musical styles never cost them their unique musical identity in creating massive hits across the globe.
4. OutKast
Biggest hits: Hey Ya, Ms. Jackson, So Fresh, So Clean, Bombs Over Baghdad
Memorable lyrics: “Forever, forever ever? Forever, ever? / Forever never seems that long until you’re grown” – Ms. Jackson
Fast Facts: OutKast – Andre 3000 and Big Boi – two oddballs from Atlanta, is the most original and imaginative duo in the world of hip-hop. The pair that had a breakthrough in 1993, had blended the Southern soul, fluid raps and G-funk, and were always in favor of real instruments over hi-tech production.
Their huge success put their city on the 1990s hip-hop map. Andre Benjamin (Andre 3000) and Antwan Patton (Big Boi), met as high school students and started rapping together in 1992.
The name OutKast could not have been more appropriate for these two who cemented their way through with beautiful, rich vocals, sometimes bizarre style, and a unique sense of humor. Well, the name “The Misfits” was already taken so they chose its synonym, “Outcast” and kept the “k” from the phonetic spelling.
Possibly the best Hip-Hop duo to ever step up to the mic, they suddenly split up in late 2006, following the release of their flashy film-musical Idlewild. Reasons unknown. Probably a new chapter in their personal sagas.
Why we love them: OutKast’s theatrical music videos were an extension of their creativity and became their hallmark. Two main protagonists represented innovation and freshness in hip-hop culture whose musical legacy is documented in six of their albums.
3. Carpenters
Biggest hits: We’ve Only Just Begun, Yesterday Once More, Close To You, Superstar, Top Of The World, Please Mr Postman
Memorable lyrics: “All my best memories come back clearly to me / Some can even make me cry, just like before / It’s yesterday once more” – Yesterday Once More
Fast Facts: The American brother-and-sister duo Carpenters, Karen and Richard, were very talented and musical even at a young age, with Richard playing the piano and Karen the drums.
Their 1970’s breakthrough album Close To You made Carpenters the top-selling American artists of the 1970s. The duo had decided to be named simply “Carpenters”, without a “the”, which was influenced by bands such as Buffalo Springfield or Jefferson Airplane, which they considered “hip”.
With their light, airy, and melodic but melancholy pop, the siblings successfully produced numerous albums and singles during their 14-year-career that ended in 1983 after Karen’s death. Her tragic life was cut short because of her struggles with weight and her self-image.
Why we love them: Karen’s silky smooth, once-in-a-lifetime voice and tender live performances, and Richard’s genius as a songwriter and arranger, will remain one of the all-time favorites for future generations to enjoy. Those oldies but goodies will never leave our hearts!
2. Sam & Dave
Biggest hits: Hold On I’m Coming, Soul Man; Soul Sister, Brown Sugar
Memorable lyrics: “Lean on me, when the times are bad / When the day comes and you’re down / In a river of trouble and about to drown / Just hold on, I’m comin’” – Hold On I’m Coming
Fast Facts: Sam Moore and David Prater were members of the American soul and R&B duo that ranked among the most popular soul performers in the late 1960s. Because of their enormous energy on stage and sweaty, explosive soul hits they were frequently called “Double Dynamite”, “The Dynamic Duo” or “The Sultans of Sweat”.
It was R&B that brought the two singers together onstage. They met at a Miami nightclub while auditioning one fateful night in 1961. They started touring, developing their signature, gospel-influenced, vocal style.
Their popularity had waned by the early 1970s mostly because of a desire to pursue a solo career and their frequent fights off-stage.
They had reunited a number of times but to little attention. Finally, they called it quits in 1981. Prater was tragically killed in a car crash only six years later, while Sam continued to perform to this day.
Why we love them: The Dynamic Duo defined soul music with such a balance of church feeling and pop melody. Prater’s baritone was the ying to Moore’s yang tenor. Their songs are one of the all-time greats.
1. Hall & Oates
Biggest hits: You Make My Dreams, Maneater, Out Of Touch, Rich Girl
Memorable lyrics: “Think I’ll spend eternity in the city / Let the carbon and monoxide choke my thoughts away / And pretty bodies help dissolve the memories / There can never be what she once was to me.” – She’s Gone
Fast Facts: The biggest-selling vocal duo in pop music is composed of Daryl Hall, the lead singer, and John Oates, the rhythm guitarist. The duo met escaping from a gang shootout during a local showcase in Philadelphia.
Seeing themselves as individual artists, the two-man act insisted on their full names Daryl Hall and John Oates – or just plain Hall and Oates. In order to create some of the smash hits, they blended pop, rock, and soul elements. Although they had several minor hits, the 1980 album Voices was their creative and commercial breakthrough.
They achieved their greatest fame in the late 1970s and early to mid-1980s. Through the years the mind-blowing talent in and around this duo just continued to develop and expand. During their career as a duo, they had unofficial break-ups or, as they called it, taking breaks.
Both of them have released solo albums but, somehow over the years, Hall and Oates never officially broke up.
Why we love them: Their music is like fine wine as it ages, although it has the DNA of the 1980s era. There is no way but to find the most famous mustaches after Tom Selleck’s and choppy guitar work of John Oates irresistible. If you combine it with the unavoidable blonde hair and the honey-smooth gifted voice of Daryl Hall you get easily charting hits, one after another.
As a self-proclaimed music expert, these were my top picks for the top 10 musical duos. Some of them are still together, some of them pursued a solo career and others simply vanished, but these iconic and memorable duos have provided us with an endless stream of classic tunes.
Their magnificent vocals, emotionally charged music and catchy lyrics have a therapeutic superpower. So, power up!
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