Best duets ever
From soulful ballads to show-stopping duels of vocal power, duets have given us some of music's most electric moments — two voices weaving together to create something neither could achieve alone. But which pairing truly stands above the rest? The debate is fierce, the fanbases loyal, and the stakes are nothing less than musical history. Cast your vote and help crown the greatest duet of all time.
What counts: The crowd's votes decide the order — seeded neutral.
Under Pressure — Queen & Bowie
Two of rock's most towering egos locked in a room and, almost by accident, birthed one of the greatest vocal showdowns ever recorded. Freddie Mercury's operatic runs against David Bowie's cool detachment create a tension that never resolves into anything but greatness. That bassline alone earns it a spot here.
added by IJR
69Islands in the Stream — Kenny & Dolly
A Bee Gees-penned country-pop confection that turned two solo titans into an inseparable duo in the public imagination. Kenny Rogers' warmth and Dolly Parton's sparkle blend so seamlessly that the song became the gold standard for cross-genre chemistry. Karaoke bars have never recovered.
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59Shallow — Gaga & Cooper
Born from a movie but built for the ages, this duet's slow-burn build to Gaga's earth-shattering chorus made it an instant modern classic. Bradley Cooper's untrained vulnerability plays perfectly against her powerhouse control, proving duets don't need two virtuosos to hit hard. The live performances turned into pop culture events.
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53Ain't No Mountain High Enough — Marvin & Tammi
The Motown blueprint for duet chemistry — two voices chasing each other up and over every obstacle the lyrics throw at them. Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell sound less like singers and more like a single joyful force of nature. It's the song against which soul duets are still measured.
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13Empire State of Mind — Jay-Z & Alicia
A modern anthem where rap braggadocio and soaring pop vocals meet to canonize a city. Alicia Keys' hook is the emotional backbone that lets Jay-Z's verses feel monumental rather than just clever. It's a duet built less on romance and more on shared civic pride, which is its own kind of chemistry.
added by IJR
4Don't Go Breaking My Heart — Elton & Kiki
Pure disco-era joy, with Elton John and Kiki Dee bouncing lines back and forth like a musical game of catch. It's playful rather than dramatic, proving duets can win crowds through sheer fun instead of heartbreak. The call-and-response hook is practically engineered for sing-alongs.
added by IJR
-27The Boy Is Mine — Brandy & Monica
A '90s R&B duel disguised as a duet, with two rival voices trading barbs over the same guy with icy composure. The tension between Brandy and Monica's contrasting tones is the whole appeal — it's a duet built on competition, not harmony. That friction is exactly why it still lands.
added by IJRin 2 rankings
-42Endless Love — Diana & Lionel
The quintessential romantic ballad duet, with Diana Ross and Lionel Richie trading devotion so smooth it practically glows. It set the template for the soft-focus love-song duet that countless artists have chased since. Weddings still owe it a debt.
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