Here Are 17 of the Biggest Song Collaborations of 2022

[Taylor Swift]

From Drake and Future to Taylor Swift and Lana Del Rey, here are some of the most notable collabs of the year.

 

Future and Drake attend The Future: A Gentlemans Club at a private location on Nov. 17, 2021, in Atlanta.

 

 

In the year of twenty-double-two, there were a lot of artists who doubled up in the studio. Collaborations on songs — and, in one case, an entire album — offered up twice the star power on the radio, charts and streaming services this year, especially where hip-hop, pop and Latin music were concerned.

In some cases, collabs in 2022 saw two titans of the same genre teaming up together. There was Bad Bunny with Rauw Alejandro, Drake with Jack Harlow. There was Rauw Alejandro, again, with Shakira, and Drake, again, with 21 Savage. And then there was pop royalty of different decades unifying for one epic remix. (Props to Elton John and Britney Spears.)

In other cases, some of the year’s notable collabs featured two artists from different styles coming together for one amazing track. Dua Lipa brought her dance-pop flair to Megan Thee Stallion‘s rap prowess on the latter’s “Sweetest Pie” from August album Traumazine, and Charlie Puth had one of K-pop’s biggest stars, BTS‘ Jung Kook, join him on his single “Left and Right.”
“With everything that it takes to make hits, to be able to share those moments with other artists is just beautiful,” Future, one of this year’s biggest serial collaborators, previously told Billboard about his projects with artists such as Drake, Gunna and Young Thug. “Just being able to get there in the studio, gel with other artists well and be able to come up with songs is special.”

Keep reading to see Billboard‘s roundup of some 2022’s biggest collaborations below — and hey, maybe even grab a friend to read it with you.

Gunna, Future & Young Thug - "Pushin P"

Release date: Jan. 7
Project: DS4Ever

Assisted by Future and Young Thug, Gunna made his Billboard Hot 100 top 10 debut as a lead artist with “Pushin P” (not counting previous features on Internet Money’s “Lemonade” and Lil Baby’s “Drip Too Hard,” No. 6 and No. 4 respectively). The track peaked at No. 7 and helped the Atlanta rapper earn his second ever No. 1 album with DS4Ever.

The track was so major for all artists involved, it scored the No. 2 spot on Billboard‘s best hip-hop songs of 2022 list. Did the musicians know it would be such a cultural phenomenon from the beginning? Pretty much.

“We knew it would happen,” Gunna told Billboard in his and Young Thug’s joint cover story. “People are just catching on more and more. It’s nothing that we ain’t been doing. We were ‘Pushin P’ before the song got made. Atlanta was already ‘Pushin P’ before the song came out.”

Becky G & KAROL G - "MAMIII"

Release date: Feb. 10
Project: Esquemas

Two of the biggest female artists in Latin music doubled up the girl power for “MAMIII,” the third single off Karol G’s album Esquemas. The track peaked at No. 15 on the Hot 100, marking both women’s highest charting song on the tally to date.

“MAMIII” was also No. 1 on Billboard‘s Hot Latin Songs chart for a whopping 10 weeks, Becky G’s first and Karol G’s fourth song (though she’d later score a fifth with “Provenza”) to peak in the chart’s top spot.

Camila Cabello & Ed Sheeran - "Bam Bam"

Release date: March 4
Project: Familia

Camila Cabello definitely brought in the A Team for the second single off her third studio album, Familia, also released this year. Featuring vocals and lyrics from Ed Sheeran, “Bam Bam” peaked at No. 21 on the Hot 100 and reached No. 5 on the Global 200 chart. And in November, it was nominated for best pop duo/group performance at next next year’s Grammys.

“This is one of my favorite songs we’ve ever written,” wrote Cabello, who previously called Sheeran “one of my favorite people and artists ever,” on Instagram. “Your life doesn’t have to be perfect for you to allow yourself joy. Even through the heartache, and the confusion, and the messiness…. we keep dancing.”

Dua Lipa & Megan Thee Stallion - "Sweetest Pie"

Release date: March 11
Project: Traumazine

“Sweetest Pie” was the first taste fans got of Megan Thee Stallion’s second studio album, Traumazine, which arrived five months after its Dua Lipa-assisted lead single. The track peaked at No. 15 on the Hot 100 and at No. 12 on the Global 200.

The two women had fun promoting the song together, with Dua posting a lot of behind-the-scenes footage from their “Sweetest Pie” music video shoot. In April, they were paired up to present the Grammy for best new artist (Olivia Rodrigo) at the 2022 awards, during which they staged a hilarious wardrobe faux pas.

Lil Durk & Gunna - "What Happened to Virgil"

Release date: March 11
Project: 7220

Everything from the lyrics on “What Happened to Virgil” to its corresponding music video was a loving tribute to the late Virgil Abloh, who was a close friend of Lil Durk’s. His homage to the Off-White designer, featuring Gunna, peaked at No. 22 on the Hot 100 and bowed at No. 83 on Billboard‘s year-end Hot 100 ranking.

It also reached as high as No. 6 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

Shakira & Rauw Alejandro - "Te Felicito"

Release date: April 21
Project: Single

Who better for Shakira to work with on her first release of 2022 than fellow Latin music superstar Rauw Alejandro? After the two dropped their collaboration in April, the track went No. 1 on Billboard‘s top Latin Airplay chart and peaked at No. 67 on the Hot 100.

It also snagged a 2023 Latin Grammy nomination for record of the year.

Future, Drake & Tems - "Wait for U"

Release date: April 29
Project: I Never Liked You

“Wait for U” earned the No. 3 spot on Billboard‘s best hip-hop songs of 2022 roundup, and for good reason. The star-studded track snagged 2023 Grammy nods for best rap song and best melodic rap performance, and peaked atop the Hot 100, marking Future’s second ever career No. 1. (His first, 2021’s “Way 2 Sexy,” was also a collaboration with Drake.)

Plus, of all the collaborations on this list, “Wait for U” ranks the highest at No. 11 on Billboard‘s year-end Hot 100 chart.

Bad Bunny & Chencho Corleone - "Me Porto Bonito"

Release date: May 6
Project: Un Verano Sin Ti

Bad Bunny was named Billboard‘s No. 1 pop star of 2022, a crowning title that his hit collaborations with other artists helped him earn this year. One of those collabs was home-run hit “Me Porto Bonito,” featuring fellow Puerto Rican star Chencho Corleone.

The track hit No. 6 on the Hot 100 and No. 2 on the Global 200 — not to mention it topped the Hot Latin Songs chart for 20 weeks this year.

Bad Bunny & Rauw Alejandro - "Party"

Release date: May 6
Project: Un Verano Sin Ti

Another of Bunny’s biggest collaboration successes this year came with “Party,” which, like “Me Porto Bonito,” was also a track on his May album Un Verano Sin Ti. With an assist by Rauw Alejandro, the track reached a No. 14 high on the Hot 100 and No. 8 on the Global 200.

Bunny spoke about his outlook on recording collaborations specifically in his Dec. 8 Billboard interview after being named Billboard‘s No. 1 artist of 2022, beating out Taylor Swift (No. 2), Harry Styles (No. 3) and Drake (No. 4) for the top spot.

“Now everybody — the biggest artist you can think of — wants to collaborate with me,” he said. “Making a song is a serious matter. You’re saying things, and you’re with someone, and it’s not going to go away. It’s there forever; it’s not like pressing ‘delete’ if you change your mind.”

“At the end of the day, collaborating with Drake, or whoever, is as special as a collab with Buscabulla, or Chencho, or Rauw, or Jhayco,” he added. “Each has a specific moment and a specific feeling.”

Jack Harlow & Drake - "Churchill Downs"

Release date: May 6
Project: Come Home the Kids Miss You

To pay tribute to the Kentucky Derby, one of his hometown’s best-known events, Louisville native Jack Harlow enlisted Drake for “Churchill Downs.” The two filmed a music video for the track — which peaked at No. 23 on the Hot 100 — at the actual Kentucky Derby in 2022.

“I can’t say enough good things about who he is,” Harlow said of his collaborator in an interview with L.A.’s KIIS FM. “He’s been so open and thoughtful, and overall generous with who he is and his words. He actually exceeded my expectations as a human.”

Post Malone & Doja Cat - "I Like You (A Happier Song)"

Release date: June 3
Project: Twelve Carat Toothache

Post Malone and Doja Cat’s collaboration was bound to happen eventually. The pair’s addictively bubbly duet peaked at No. 3 on the Hot 100 and earned them a Grammy nod, nominated in the best pop duo/group performance category at next year’s awards.

Drake & 21 Savage - "Jimmy Cooks"

Release date: June 17
Project: Honestly, Nevermind

Savage was Drake’s only collaborator on his June record Honestly, Nevermind, teaming up for the album’s final track — “Jimmy Cooks,” a tribute to recently deceased hip-hop figures Lil Keed and DJ Kay Slay. The song debuted at No. 1 and set into motion a whole album of collabs between the two rappers, November’s Her Loss.

Her Loss would become Drake’s 12th No. 1 album and Savage’s third. All 16 of its songs debuted in the top 40, and occupying spots Nos. 2-9 in the top 10.

Charlie Puth & Jung Kook - "Left and Right"

Release date: June 24
Project: Charlie

This year saw a handful of members of BTS exploring various solo and side projects, with Jung Kook joining Charlie Puth in the summer for a charming, cleverly produced duet called “Left and Right.” The track peaked at No. 22 on the Hot 100, the South Korean star’s highest charting entry without his bandmates to date.

 “The song was done,” Puth told Billboard of the collab in September. “I sat on it for a couple of weeks and then I texted him the mp3. We were able to really get it done.”

Elton John & Britney Spears - "Hold Me Closer"

Release date: Aug. 26
Project: The Lockdown Sessions (digital reissue)

Seemingly aiming to recreate the success of “Cold Heart” — a mashup of some of his classic hits mixed by PNAU and featuring Dua Lipa that reached No. 1 in the U.K. — Sir Elton enlisted Britney Spears for a similarly remixed mashup of 1971’s “Tiny Dancer,” 1992’s “The One” and 1976’s “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” called “Hold Me Closer.”

The track charted as high as No. 6 on the Hot 100 and peaked at No. 3 in the U.K. It also marked a tremendous milestone in Spears’ career as it was her first proper release since her conservatorship was legally terminated in 2021.

David Guetta & Bebe Rexha - "I'm Good (Blue)"

Release date: Aug. 26
Project: Single

What’s old was new again when BeBe Rexha and David Guetta dropped their TikTok-viral reimagining of Eiffel 65’s 1998 smash hit “Blue (Da Ba Dee).” The track peaked at No. 7 on the Hot 100 and topped the Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart for a whopping 14 weeks.

It also earned the duo a Grammy nomination for 2023’s awards in the best dance/electronic recording category.

Sam Smith & Kim Petras - "Unholy"

Release date: Sept. 22
Project: Gloria

“Unholy” was a game-changer for both Sam Smith and Kim Petras. In October, it became both artists’ first ever No. 1 single, and was nominated for a Grammy in the best pop duo/group performance category.

“Thank you to the amazing @kimpetras for joining me on the song, loved witnessing your brilliance,” Smith wrote on Instagram on the day “Unholy” dropped.

And in November, upon finding out the track earned a Grammy nod, they wrote: “To be Grammy nominated for THIS song, with THIS artist… hits different 🖤 congratulations my angel love @kimpetras.”

Taylor Swift & Lana Del Rey - "Snow on the Beach"

Release date: Oct. 21
Project: Midnights

Lana Del Rey was the only artist Taylor Swift invited to collaborate on a song on the entirety of Midnights. “Snow on the Beach,” co-written by the two stars with producer Jack Antonoff, peaked at No. 4 on the Hot 100, Del Rey’s highest charting track to date.

“I am such a massive fan of Lana Del Rey,” said Swift when she first announced the collaboration in an Instagram video. “The fact that I get to exist at the same time as her is an honor and a privilege.”