10 Shocking Classic Rock Collaborations That Left Fans Stunned

Classic rock has never been afraid of chaos, and some of its wildest moments came when artists teamed up with people no one expected. From Aerosmith trading riffs with Run-DMC to Queen joining forces with David Bowie, these collaborations broke the rules. Sure, they also made history.

Back when genre lines were still sacred, moves like these felt risky. Rock purists scoffed, labels panicked, and fans didn’t know what to make of it. But when the results hit, they hit hard.

These classic rock collabs proved that sometimes, the most unlikely pairings are pure, absolute genius.There are an array of incredible classic rock collaborations, but some of them seemed out of left field. Whether two artists were maximizing their rock skills or two artists of different genres were shockingly coming together, these collabs had their audiences shocked.

These days, it’s common for musicians to drive between a few lanes along the sonic highway. Here are the trailblazers who paved it.

Queen & David Bowie’s “Under Pressure”

With such captivating and lively personas, David Bowie and Queen could have easily clashed on their 1981 hit “Under Pressure.” Instead, they released one of the most timeless songs in history. While few may have expected the rock band to hop on a track with such an experimental artist in terms of genre, their collaboration brought out the best qualities of both artists.

The track stands strong over 40 years later and has been covered various times by new generation artists like My Chemical Romance and Shawn Mendes. The song’s impact has lasted decades and feels even more relevant today, having gone viral on TikTok earlier this year.

Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson “The Girl Is Mine”

Two artists that fans never saw coming as a hit-making unit were Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson. As the former The Jackson 5 member geared up to make history with Thriller, it didn’t make any sense to include McCartney on his pop rebrand album. Turns out, making sense is the last thing music needs when geniuses are at work. “The Girl Is Mine” became a staple of Thriller, showcasing versatility that frankly never should have been doubted in the first place.

A year later, they’d put their minds together again for McCartney’s Pipes Of Peace tracks “Say Say Say” and “The Man.” They became a dream team even for just a few songs, proving that sometimes the most unexpected partnerships are the best.

Eric Clapton & B.B. King’s Riding With The King

In 2000, Eric Clapton and B.B. King didn’t just shock the world with one song, but an entire collaborative album. Both artists are masters of their genres, but Clapton proved his blues music muscles had been waiting a long time to come out and flex. The Cream guitarist looked up to King as a major musical influence, making the album a dream come true.

Some critics weren’t sure about the collaboration, and made claims that it could have been stronger. Naysayers always do what they do, but they didn’t stop the collaborative project’s success. Riding With The King went on to win the Grammy for Best Traditional Blues Album in 2000 and topped Billboard’s Top Blues Albums chart.

Aerosmith & RUN DMC’s “Walk This Way”

“Walk This Way” was one of Aerosmith’s breakout hits that launched them into success in the 70s. However, the song’s legacy was far from over a decade later when RUN DMC rapped over the track with Steven Tyler on vocals and Joe Perry on guitar.

It may have been one of the last collaborations that anyone saw coming, but the world remains grateful. There’s nothing more to say but press play.

Kiss & Michael Bolton’s “Forever”

Michael Bolton started out in the rock genre but made his name as a singer and songwriter, best recognized for his ballads. It’s worth mentioning he returned to those rock roots when he penned “Forever” alongside Kiss member Paul Stanley.

Like a lot of collabs, there were some mixed opinions, ballads are not typically what fans want to hear from Kiss. The song became the second single off Kiss’ album Hot in the Shade, thanks to Bolton’s unique, hard love, power lyrics setting it apart from the band’s other work.

Lou Reed and Metallica’s 2011 collaborative album Lulu was unfortunately not met with enthusiastic reactions. It was really disliked by both fanbases, who agreed on one thing: not all icons fit well together. Pitchfork famously gave the album a 1.0 out of 10, claiming the internet was calling it the worst album of all time.

Still, there are some arguments that the album deserved to be made and was very important for the rock genre. The experimental project allowed Lou Reed and Metallica to expand their artistic styles, even if it didn’t land with the public.

Ozzy Osbourne & Post Malone’s “Take What You Want”

Post Malone has experimented with a lot of different genres, but in 2019, he was mainly known as a rapper. That’s why it seemed so out of character for him and Travis Scott to team up with Ozzy Osbourne for “Take What You Want.” However, the collab worked better than anyone would have expected.

The song leaned on rock influences while also utilizing Malone and Scott’s strengths. Osbourne would collaborate with Malone again on his own single “It’s A Raid,” and the two proved to be a pretty impressive pair. The collaboration also helped younger listeners become better acquainted with Osbourne’s music and legacy before his tragic death in July 2025.

Elton John & Eminem’s “Stan” Grammys Performance

Elton John is an industry legend, and he is not above giving artists from younger generations a chance. It’s part of what’s kept his legacy alive even as the industry rapidly changes. In recent years, John collaborated with pop stars Dua Lipa and Britney Spears for remixes of some of his older songs.

However, it was over 20 years ago that the world witnessed one of his most unexpected collaborations ever. In 2001, John took the stage at the Grammys with Eminem. As the rapper is known for some pretty unhinged and offensive lyrics, it was shocking to see Elton John join him on stage. It was also an amazing set, rife with guts, skills and glory.

John and Eminem performed the rapper’s hit “Stan,” and what sounded like a disaster waiting to happen actually worked. As Eminem rapped, John took on Dido’s chorus, which was a sampling of her song “Thank You.”

He also lent his piano skills to the performance as the artists brought together two completely different generations for a performance everyone could enjoy. The Elton John collaboration proved why both artists are considered some of the greatest of their time.

Santana & Product G&B’s “Maria Maria”

Santana’s a pretty diverse and experimental artist with no intentions of boxing himself into one genre. However, his 1999 collaboration with Product G&B still seemed a little out of left field.

Luckily, Santana’s guitar skills merged perfectly into the R&B styling of the song. It was respected enough to take home the Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals at the 2000 ceremony.

Santana brought soul to the track as he switched from his acoustic guitar to his electric, both of which brought the song to life. Of course, the track wasn’t complete without an iconic rock guitar solo, which closed out the Grammy-winning hit.

Led Zeppelin & Puff Daddy’s “Come With Me”

For the Godzilla soundtrack, Led Zeppelin’s guitarist Jimmy Page did something no one saw coming and released a track with the rapper then known as Puff Daddy. The song samples the Led Zeppelin hit “Kashmir” and also features some guitar work from Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello.

The Godzilla soundtrack song expresses the exact heightened emotions that fit perfectly with the themes of the film. It also represents a new time in the industry, where a lot of artists grew tired of being boxed in and wanted to blur the lines between genres.