Sometimes two musical forces collide with catastrophic results! Join us as we count down our picks for the most misguided musical crossovers in history. Our countdown includes unfortunate pairings like Rihanna & Chris Brown, Metallica & Lou Reed, Brad Paisley & LL Cool J, and more! Which musical train wreck do you think had the most wasted potential?
00:00There's a track on here that I don't think people understand what's going on.
00:04Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the musical crossovers no one asked for, but got anyway.
00:18Number 10, Eenie Meenie, Sean Kingston and Justin Bieber.
00:30On paper, having two rising stars on one track is a great idea.
00:34At the end of the 2000s, both Sean Kingston and Justin Bieber were enjoying immense commercial success, leading to this inescapable 2010 hit.
00:49Eenie Meenie is all about coping with a choosy partner, which is restated three different times in the first two lines of the initial verse alone.
01:00The uninspired lyricism doesn't end there, with the two stars relying on a nursery rhyme to sell the message.
01:10It's all sung over a generic dance instrumental, creating a cookie-cutter tune that didn't do much to highlight their individual talents.
01:17While it does its job of being a constant earworm, whether it's a song people actually enjoy hearing is still up for debate.
01:23Shawty is my any, any, any money, more love.
01:28Number 9, With Love, Playin' Skills Remix.
01:31Hilary Duff featuring Slim Thug.
01:33My momma ain't raise no fools, so if you wanna kick it, it's cool.
01:37I ain't gonna lie, I'ma keep it all true.
01:39We can get together and see what it do.
01:41There are some tracks that benefit from having a rap added to them.
01:44With Love by Hilary Duff, however, is not one of them.
01:47With the tune taking her in a more adult direction, it seemed that partnering with Slim Thug would add to that maturity.
02:00He opened the piece well, but was then relegated to a recurring ad-lib once her part kicked in.
02:05He remained in the background until the bridge ended, where he then swooped in to drop a generic verse that sounded as though it could have been tacked onto any pop song.
02:13When it sucks, it ain't all about you.
02:15I don't mind you telling me, what's been on your mind lately, I don't mind you speaking up.
02:21Besides his contributions coming across like an afterthought rather than an actual collaboration, it didn't have close to the same impact as the original.
02:29Number 8, Play Me, Korn featuring Nas.
02:46One of the most respected rappers in the genre joining forces with one of the most well-known metal bands should have easily resulted in a banger.
02:53Instead, we got Play Me, a track that takes the talent of both artists and waters it down.
02:58It consists of Nas spitting over a heavy rock instrumental, with only a bridge from Korn letting fans know they're even listening to one of their songs.
03:10The result is a song that sounds like two separate ones spliced together, with the best parts cut out of both.
03:15The fact that this came just five years after All In The Family, Korn's collaborative flop with Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit made it clear that they should stay away from features altogether.
03:32Number 7, Make It Right, Foo Fighters featuring Justin Timberlake, uncredited.
03:45Imagine working with one of the most famous stars on the planet, just to banish him to a background vocal.
03:57That was what the Foo Fighters did in 2017, after Justin Timberlake asked to work with them.
04:01They said yes, and the monkey's paw curled.
04:03When listening to Make It Right, you may immediately notice all the trademarks of the band, complete with Dave Grohl's legendary vocals.
04:16However, Justin's vocals are all but non-existent, unless you happen to listen closely enough to catch his faint backing harmonies during the chorus.
04:23Needless to say, those that were expecting a verse from him were left disappointed.
04:33A proper track featuring both artists would have been iconic, but this one left listeners wondering what could have been.
04:39Number 6, The View, Lou Reed and Metallica.
04:49What do you get when you combine intense thrash metal with wordy poetic verses?
04:59If your answer is one of the most misguided collaborations in history, then you'd be spot on.
05:03The View is proof that not all rock music sounds good together.
05:06Lou Reed's lyricism sounds disjointed and off-rhythm compared to Metallica's fast-paced instrumental, causing the two to clash.
05:20It took aspects of their musicianship that were usually lauded, and cheapened them to the point of near-parody.
05:32James Hetfield's ridiculous chorus was the cherry on top, making listeners wish that they could also be the table, and avoid listening to this altogether.
05:41Had one of the two adjusted their styles to better fit the other, it could have had the impact they were hoping for.
05:51Number 5, Dancing in the Street, David Bowie and Mick Jagger.
05:55It may have been done for a good cause, but that still doesn't forgive its sins.
06:04Music legends David Bowie and Mick Jagger united to record a song that would help Live Aid rake in even more donations.
06:10They covered Martha and the Vandellas' R&B classic, Dancing in the Street.
06:22Morphing it into a pop-rock nightmare.
06:23It didn't elevate the original, and even their combined talent wasn't enough to distract from how quickly they'd thrown it together.
06:37It was reportedly finished in just two takes, which comes through in the final product.
06:41It doesn't help that it was released alongside a video that was campy even by 1980s standards, creating a whiff of a collaboration that should have been instantly iconic.
06:55Music, sweet music, there's music everywhere.
07:02Number 4, Can't Stop Partying, Weezer featuring Lil Wayne.
07:06I can't stop, partying, partying, I can't stop.
07:12Some songs were only meant to be fun tracks to dance to, and going against that grain can ruin them.
07:17Weezer's Can't Stop Partying is a prime example.
07:20Originally written to be more upbeat, lead singer Rivers Cuomo adapted it with a darker instrumental, taking the happy lyrics and converting them into a critique on party culture itself.
07:37Lil Wayne was eventually recruited to supply a rap verse with a similar message.
07:40Both artists' delivery was lackluster and stagnant, even for the lesson they were attempting to teach.
07:46Considering both have released comparatively fun work, it was a rare miss for them not to lean into that, instead of preaching a moral that has been done more effectively by others.
08:02Number 3, Birthday Cake Remix, Rihanna featuring Chris Brown.
08:06When Rihanna announced an extended version of the interlude with a special guest, fans immediately began to speculate who that might be.
08:18Rather than the originally theorized Christina Aguilera, it ended up being Rihanna's physically abusive ex, Chris Brown.
08:24The two had broken up a few years prior, after he'd injured her during an argument, leading many to assume they were done personally and professionally.
08:36That all changed when he was featured on the remix of Birthday Cake.
08:42His sexually charged verse was uncomfortable at best, given the context, making it impossible to listen to without recalling the incident.
08:53The pairing opened Rihanna up to scrutiny, and ruined what had been a fan-favorite track with excessive shock value.
08:59Number 2, Come With Me, Puff Daddy featuring Jimmy Page.
09:12The movie Monster wasn't the scariest part of 1998's Godzilla.
09:16That distinction goes to Come With Me, a song on its soundtrack featuring P. Diddy and Jimmy Page.
09:21Besides the fact that the piece is heavily carried by its Led Zeppelin sample, specifically the song Cashmere, it has aged like milk since its initial release.
09:36Both artists featured on it have been accused of heinous crimes.
09:39From Page's established relationship with a then-underaged Laurie Maddox and affinity for younger groupies,
09:45to the numerous allegations of sexual misconduct and worse, made against Diddy.
09:49It's hard not to listen to this without thinking about their accused or confirmed transgressions.
09:58What could have been a great fusion of rap and rock is now forever tainted, and rightfully so.
10:03Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos.
10:17You have the option to be notified for occasional videos or all of them.
10:21If you're on your phone, make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications.
10:27Number 1, Accidental Racist. Brad Paisley featuring LL Cool J.
10:32It has been said that the road to hell is paved with good intentions.
10:43The same can be said for Brad Paisley and LL Cool J's 2013 flop, Accidental Racist.
10:48It's tone deaf from top to bottom, with the former justifying wearing a shirt depicting the Confederate flag,
11:01and bemoaning the South's reputation.
11:03Dear Mr. White Man, I wish you understood what the world is really like when you're living in the hood.
11:10The latter adds fuel to the fire by bringing up instances of actual subjugation and prejudice,
11:15before saying that both sides are guilty.
11:17Just because my pants are sagging doesn't mean I'm up to no good.
11:20You should try to get to know me. I really wish you would.
11:24The cringe cherry on top was the final chorus, where the rapper implied he'd forget slavery in exchange for his jewelry not being scrutinized.
11:31It's akin to a bandaid being used on a bullet hole, and was rightfully dragged for its performative activism by fans and casual listeners alike.
11:59Which of these songs do you think had the most potential prior to being recorded?
12:10Let us know in the comments below.
12:12This is all about...
12:15Quite frankly, I'm a black Yankee, but I've been thinking about this lately.
Be the first to comment