The crossover collaboration is one of music's great traditions. When artists from different genres, regions, or simply different career stages bring their talents together on a track, it's sure to capture fan attention. It can even breathe new life into a song or group.
When Run-D.M.C. linked up with Aerosmith in the '80s to reimagine the latter's single Walk This Way, it resulted in an international smash hit. It also helped birth the rap rock subgenre and still stands as Run-D.M.C.'s biggest hit. Decades after its release, the song has racked up hundreds of millions of streams on Spotify to date.
More recently, we've seen major crossover collaboration moments from the likes of SZA and Phoebe Bridgers on Ghost in the Machine, PinkPantheress and Ice Spice on Boy's a Liar Pt. 2, and Taylor Swift and The National on The Alcott.
While these collaborations offer new avenues for creative exploration, they also bring together each artist's distinct fan bases, providing an opportunity for everyone involved to expand their audiences.
I think one of the biggest things is how music collaborations can connect genres, explains John Stein, Spotify's North America Head of Editorial. We see a lot more of these collaborations, and I think each artist's core audience seems to be more open to these moments than in the past.
It's easy to see why artists love this approach, but how do fans respond? Are they listening more on Spotify when they discover a new artist on one of these songs?
We took a look at more than 40 of the biggest crossover collaborations from the last 12 years and found that six months after the collab was released, 75% of artists involved saw an increase of at least 10% in overall Spotify streams across their catalogs compared to the six months prior. More than 50% of those same artists saw their number of streams grow by at least 50% in that same time period, while 30% saw their number of streams rise by at least 100%.
And while many of these collaborations are well received, some of them have been very well received.
There are few examples that paint this picture more clearly than Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus uniting on Old Town Road Remix. In the six months following the song's release, the increase in shared listeners between the two artists skyrocketed by nearly 390,000%.
For further proof, you can also look back to 2017, when Latin music icon Luis Fonsi joined forces with reggaeton godfather Daddy Yankee on Despacito. The song quickly caught on with fans around the world, but its popularity went into overdrive and the song became an inescapable tour de force when Justin Bieber hopped on the Despacito (Remix) three months later.
Luis in particular saw his fame reach unforeseen heights, and in the six months following the release of the original version, streams of Luis Fonsi on Spotify jumped by more than 2,600% (compared to the six months prior).
But it was the remix, specifically, that helped to expand the Puerto Rican singer's reach in English-speaking markets. Spotify streams of Luis Fonsi in the U.S., U.K., and Canada combined spiked by more than 4,300% in the six months following the release of Despacito, with most of that increase coming after the remix dropped.
When the Despacito' remix came out, it felt like a huge and rare moment to have artists from such different backgrounds and genre spaces collaborate and experience such success, John says. Now it feels like it happens all the time, and there's almost a level of expectation that artists are going to mix it up and work with artists from different spaces. And I think we see that reflected in the data on the platform and in the reaction on our playlists.
Such is the case with Nigerian afropop star Rema and American pop star Selena Gomez, who created a cross-continental connection on the 2022 hit Calm Down.
When Rema dropped the solo version of Calm Down' last year, it was doing really well in terms of streams, especially in Africa, John explains. Then, at the exact right moment, Rema teamed up with Selena Gomez on a new version of the track.
In the six months following the collaboration's release, daily Spotify streams of Rema in North America increased by more than 230% compared to the six months prior. Meanwhile, daily Spotify streams of Selena Gomez in sub-Saharan Africa increased by more than 120% in that same time period.
With Selena being such a big pop star globally, I think the song reached an audience that checked it out to see what Selena was doing, John says. But they kept coming back because it was such a good song.
And much like Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus, the respective fan bases of Rema and Selena Gomez started to merge together. In the six months following the release of Calm Down, the number of fans who listened to both artists increased by over 600%.
A springboard to success For emerging artists, the crossover effect can help them break through in previously untapped markets, or help them define their musical identity on their own terms.
When Khalid had his breakthrough moment with his 2016 hit single Location, he was often labeled as an R&B artist. But after his 2017 collaboration with Alina Baraz-an artist who floats between the lines of pop, R&B, and electronic-on Electric, Khalid flashed his potential to be a pop star in the broadest possible sense.
And, like Luis Fonsi, Khalid is another artist who benefitted from the crossover effect. Following the release of Electric, streams of Khalid on Spotify spiked by more than 3,100% in the six months following its release (compared to the prior six months).
Building on the momentum of Electric, Khalid showcased his versatility as he hopped between genres on a number of high-profile collaborations. At every turn, th
Europe Stories
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
20/08/2026
Set up your own private remote collaboration infrastructure
SoundBridge have recently put together a tutorial video that provides users with a step-by-step ...
20/08/2026
New V-Control Pro features restore basic functionality
Neyrinck's V-Control software has long been keeping older Avid control surfaces compatible with n...
20/08/2026
TV, BritBox and Mammoth Screen have announced that filming is now underway on th...
20/08/2026
Thursday 20 August 2026
Nina Sosanya, Rizzle Kicks, Roman Kemp and Paul Whiteho...
20/08/2026
Wuppertal August 20, 2026
Transformation Church Elevates Production Communicat...
20/08/2026
The music between the notes Coming together In the middle of 2026, as conversations around artificial intelligence continue to raise questions about how musi...
20/08/2026
Arvato Systems Brings Together Digital Transformation Leaders in the Manufacturi...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
There's an early Christmas gift for Bookish fans, as UKTV confirms the re-commission of the hit U&alibi drama, created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Viewers ...
19/08/2026
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
Company launch with stereo-imaging tool
Panoramic is the debut release from Panorama Labs, a new company formed by mastering engineer Nicholas Di Lorenzo. C...
18/08/2026
Control software now available for older interfaces
Focusrite have just announced the launch of an update that extends Control 2 software support for their ...
18/08/2026
Tuesday 18 August 2026
Sky Sports and The Fast and the Curious announce new partnership
Sky Sports and The Fast and the Curious have announced a new long-term...
18/08/2026
Wuppertal August 18, 2026
Riedel Brings Professional Live Production Into the Classrooms of ECURiedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan Universi...
18/08/2026
Apple today announced changes to its business terms for apps in the European Uni...
18/08/2026
THE HEALY RAES: BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS AIRS WEDNESDAY AUGUST 19 ON RT ONE AT 9:35PM
A new documentary The Healy-Raes: Blood, Sweat & Tears airs on RT One and ...
18/08/2026
Stunning Irish performances at European Athletics and Swimming Championships rea...
18/08/2026
The two-part series begins Sunday 23 August at 6.30pm on RT One and RT Player
...
17/08/2026
New MIDI processor & macro controller revealed
SHIK have announced that they have opened pre-orders for the S32, a standalone MIDI processor and macro contr...
17/08/2026
Cover extended on innovative motorised pot system
Melbourne Instruments have just revealed that the innovative motorised pot system used in their synths and...
17/08/2026
Latest firmware version now available
1010music have just released a free firmware update that brings some nice new features to their renowned Bluebox digit...
17/08/2026
Rohde & Schwarz showcases integrated defense and test solutions at DALO Industry...
17/08/2026
Calrec's ImPulseV Virtualised Audio Mixing Engine joins NEP Platform, the industry's largest ecosystem of trusted production software, bringing scalable...
17/08/2026
Visitors to IBC 2026 will see how FilmLight is reshaping the modern post pipelin...
17/08/2026
Visitors to Stand 1.C41 can explore innovations in areas such as addressable advertising, hybrid distribution, managed services and operational simplification.
...
16/08/2026
Virtual drummer joins line-up
The latest release from Gospel Musicians adds a virtual drummer to the company's line-up, combining a pair of meticulously...
15/08/2026
In-ear monitoring line-up gains new universal models
In-ear monitoring experts JH Audio have just announced a significant expansion of their Universal-Fit r...
14/08/2026
Latest instalment delivers disco-inspired grooves
The latest addition to UJAM's virtual drum line-up has been designed with contemporary pop, disco, dan...
14/08/2026
Elite range gains giant 24-inch powered sub
The latest expansion of Yorkville's Elite range introduces what the company say is the world's first act...
14/08/2026
Friday 14 August 2026
Breaking news! Sky releases trailer for The Paper, return...
14/08/2026
It's been one year since our client, Cotswolds Designer Outlet, opened its doors and we've loved seeing the scheme come to life. Together, we've hel...
13/08/2026
Company preview bio-interactive' synthesizer
VAEMI have announced the upcoming launch of a new standalone bio-interactive' generative synthesizer....
13/08/2026
Plug-in host gains new Slot Scenes feature
Ravine DSP have recently updated their innovative plug-in host, kitting it out with a new feature that brings yet...
13/08/2026
New U and U&W Documentary Features Kathleen Richards, One of the Last Surviving Witnesses to Fred and Rose West
Kathleen is Reunited with Childhood Friend and ...
13/08/2026
Thursday 13 August 2026
Official trailer released for the return of Tea with Ju...
13/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
13/08/2026
Wenvoe serves over 1 million people across South Wales
13 August 2026, Winchester, UK - Vale of Glamorgan MP, Kanishka Narayan, has praised the engineering exp...
13/08/2026
RT 's Miriam O'Callaghan welcomed a range of specially invited guests to the National Concert Hall last week for a unique event to mark a new season wit...
13/08/2026
August 13 2026, 06:00 (PDT) Seattle Seahawks Become First Team to Bring Dolby O...
12/08/2026
Enhanced DAW & plug-in control for the UC1, UF8 and UF1
The software that powers SSL's range of control surfaces has just received a major update that d...
12/08/2026
In-line preamp features one-knob EQ
In addition to their range of in-line preamps, Triton Audio recently managed to squeeze a compressor into an enclosure t...
12/08/2026
Captures system audio with or without a DAW
Depending on your setup, capturing system audio in a DAW can be a tedious process, so much so that Arvital Audio...
The crossover collaboration is one of music's great traditions. When artists from different genres, regions, or simply different career stages bring their talents together on a track, it's sure to capture fan attention. It can even breathe new life into a song or group. 
