Rock and metal musicians come together for great collaborations, and put together some of the best works. But as opposed to the musicians of the same genre working together, there are a few collaborations in the rock and metal music industry which we can call weird. Some of those unexpected collaborations have even been called worse than the musicians’ previous works. In this post, we’re listing some of the most unexpected works of all time.
5. Within Temptation and Xzibit – ‘And We Run’
You would not expect to see symphonic metal combined with rap, right? Well, Within Temptation made this combination come true when they collaborated with the rapper Xzibit. Some rumors suggest that Within Temptation’s record label expressed skepticism when the band proposed collaborating with a rapper for ‘And We Run.’ Despite the skepticism, the song achieved great success.
4. Linkin Park and Jay-Z – ‘Collision Course’
Sure, Linkin Park includes rap in their music too, but working with Jay-Z for a whole album really surprised the fans. In 2004, the collaborative EP ‘Collision Course’ brought the two parties together to create revamped versions of Linkin Park’s well-known tracks, which reached No. 1 on the Billboard charts.
3. Jack White and Alicia Keys – ‘Another Way To Die’
This one collaboration was actually a movie soundtrack. Crafted for the 2008 James Bond film Quantum Of Solace, it’s the first time duet had been used as the theme song for a Bond movie. The song was written by Black. The White Stripes singer also took charge of producing the track.
2. Puff Daddy ft Jimmy Page – ‘Come With Me’
This one goes beyond just a partnership, it is also a soundtrack collaboration. The track stems from Roland Emmerich’s 1998 reimagining of Godzilla. The six-minute track resembles Led Zeppelin’s ‘Kashmir’ with the involvement of Jimmy Page in what seems like a limited loop.
1. Metallica and Lou Reed – ‘Lulu’
You most probably knew this was coming. It’s one of the most bizarre collaborations in this list and is also often referred to as ‘Metallica’s worst album’ by fans and critics. The album served as Reed’s final full album before his passing in 2013. Regardless of opinions on its quality, this album stands as a testament to its creators’ willingness to do whatever they pleased.