Some musical partnerships seem so natural that it is surprising they never happened. Others sound like ideas invented during a particularly ambitious backstage conversation. Yet many famous near-collaborations progressed far beyond casual talk, reaching studio sessions, scheduled meetings, unfinished recordings, or formal invitations. These 12 projects offer a glimpse into a very different version of music history.
1. Michael Jackson and Prince on “Bad”
Michael Jackson originally imagined “Bad” as a confrontation between two singers, with Prince taking the opposing role. Producer Quincy Jones helped arrange a meeting, but Prince quickly decided the song did not need him. He later joked that the opening lyric alone made it obvious which performer would come out looking tougher. The track became a major solo hit, while its video cast Wesley Snipes in the rival role that Prince might have played.
2. Jimi Hendrix, Miles Davis, Paul McCartney, and Tony Williams
In October 1969, a telegram arrived at the Beatles’ Apple Records office with an extraordinary invitation. Jimi Hendrix, Miles Davis, and jazz drummer Tony Williams wanted Paul McCartney to join a recording session in New York as their bassist. McCartney was away and reportedly did not receive the message in time. Hendrix and Davis continued discussing plans to work together, but Hendrix died in September 1970 before the project could take shape.
3. Nirvana and R.E.M.
Kurt Cobain and R.E.M. singer Michael Stipe had become close friends by the early 1990s, and Stipe repeatedly discussed making music with him. In 1993, as Cobain’s health and drug use worsened, Stipe sent him a plane ticket and arranged transportation in an attempt to bring him to Georgia for a recording project. Cobain never made the trip. Stipe later explained that the collaboration was partly an effort to remove him from the environment surrounding Nirvana.
4. Michael Jackson and Madonna on “In the Closet”
For a brief period in 1991, the two biggest pop stars in the world were developing “In the Closet” as a duet. Madonna proposed lyrics and visual ideas that leaned heavily into the song’s provocative title, but Jackson was uncomfortable with her direction. The partnership ended before recording was completed, and Princess Stéphanie of Monaco supplied the mysterious female vocal heard on the finished track.
5. Lana Del Rey and Lou Reed on “Brooklyn Baby”
Lou Reed was supposed to record a part for Lana Del Rey’s “Brooklyn Baby,” a song already filled with references to downtown New York culture. Del Rey took an overnight flight from Los Angeles to meet him in October 2013. Shortly after she landed, she learned that Reed had died. The released version kept the song’s affectionate Velvet Underground influence, but the planned appearance never reached the studio.
Trending on The Scroller
6. Amy Winehouse, Questlove, Yasiin Bey, and Raphael Saadiq
Amy Winehouse was not simply discussing another guest appearance before her death. According to Questlove, she wanted to form a jazz-oriented group with him, rapper Yasiin Bey, then still widely known as Mos Def, and soul musician Raphael Saadiq. Winehouse and Questlove spent time talking over Skype, often trading ideas and discussing singers such as Sarah Vaughan. Her death in July 2011 ended the project before the group could formally record together.
7. Freddie Mercury and Michael Jackson’s Full Duet Project
Freddie Mercury and Michael Jackson actually entered a studio together in 1983, but their collaboration never became the major joint release it seemed destined to be. They worked on several songs, including “There Must Be More to Life Than This,” “Victory,” and “State of Shock.” Scheduling problems and personal friction reportedly stalled the sessions, and Jackson eventually released “State of Shock” with Mick Jagger instead. A reconstructed Mercury-Jackson version of “There Must Be More to Life Than This” did not receive an official release until 2014.
8. Lady Gaga and Cher on “The Greatest Thing”
Cher recorded “The Greatest Thing,” a song written by Lady Gaga, and Gaga later added vocals for a duet version. It appeared headed for Cher’s 2013 album, but Gaga decided she was unhappy with the final production and declined to approve its release. An unfinished version eventually leaked online, giving listeners an incomplete preview of the collaboration. Cher publicly described the situation as a disappointment.
Sign up for our newsletter
9. Jack White and Jay-Z
Jack White and Jay-Z spent time recording together around 2009 and 2010, with White creating live instrumental ideas and Jay-Z adding lyrics. White initially described the results as remarkable, but the songs remained unreleased. One piece from the sessions evolved into “Over and Over and Over,” which White eventually finished alone for his 2018 album Boarding House Reach. He later suggested that Jay-Z may simply not have liked their unfinished material.
10. David Bowie and Elvis Presley
David Bowie reportedly offered “Golden Years” to Elvis Presley before recording it himself for Station to Station. Presley never used the song, and the two musicians did not make a record together. Their careers had curious points of overlap, including a shared birthday and Bowie’s well-known admiration for Elvis. A Presley version of Bowie’s sleek 1975 single would have arrived during the final years of Elvis’ career, when he was still searching for strong new material.
11. Chris Cornell and Eddie Van Halen
While Chris Cornell was working on his 2009 solo album Scream, he asked Eddie Van Halen to add guitar to one of the songs. Van Halen reportedly recorded his part at the 5150 studio, but the track was never completed or released. Cornell’s former guitarist Pete Thorn later said the original multitrack reel may still exist in the studio archives, leaving behind a tantalizing fragment of a collaboration between two very different sides of hard rock.
12. Jack White and Kanye West on Yeezus
Kanye West contacted Jack White about contributing to Yeezus, the abrasive 2013 album that pushed West toward industrial electronics and stripped-down production. White was interested, but according to him, West never followed up with an actual session. The invitation makes sense in retrospect, since White’s distorted guitar style and raw production instincts could have fit easily beside tracks such as “Black Skinhead” and “New Slaves.”
In the mood for more?
Check out 18 Musicians Who Secretly Wrote Songs for Other Artists, or take a look at 15 Michael Jackson Moments That Prove He Changed Pop Culture Forever. If you want to see more stories from music history, you can check out 20 Weird Facts About Music Legends That Are Actually True or 11 Concert Disasters That Shocked the Music World.
