Collaborations between musicians are always a great way to innovate, reach a wider audience and enrich yourself as an artist. However, there are different types of collaborations and each offers unique opportunities.
Therefore, in this post we will explain the different forms of collaborations that you can carry out to enhance your musical career.
Duo: Union of talents
A duo is an equal collaboration between two artists who combine their talents to create a project together. Generally, both artists have an equal share of royalties.
-
Duo example
An example of a duet between singers is the song “Shallow” by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper.
X: Equitable collaboration
The “x” in a collaboration indicates cooperation in which the artists contribute equally to the song. Unlike a duet, the “x” is commonly used in the fusion of different artists’ styles. The royalty split is usually equal or adjusted according to the contribution.
-
Example of “x”
An example of “x” in collaboration is the song “Where Are Ü Now” by Skrillex x Diplo x Justin Bieber.
Feat.: Special guest
When “feat.” appears in the title of a song, it indicates the presence of the main artist of the work together with one or more guest artists. (featuring) indicates the presence of the main artist of the work along with one or more guest artists. This collaboration may indicate guest artists for vocals, instrumentation and/or musical production. As for the distribution of royalties, the main artist usually takes a larger percentage.
-
Example of “feat.”
The clear example of “feat.” can be the song “Despacito” where Luis Fonsi is the main artist and we find Daddy Yankee as guest artist.
VS: Competitive collaboration
The “vs.” in a collaboration indicates cooperation in which artists compete amicably on a song. It is a popular collaboration in genres such as rap and reggaeton, where each artist showcases their skills in separate parts. The sharing of royalties varies widely depending on the work but is usually equal.
-
Example of “vs.”
An example of “vs” in collaboration is the song “Renegade” by Eminem vs. Jay-Z.
Remix: New interpretation
When we talk about remix, we talk about a reinterpretation of an existing song where more singers or a different producer participate. In the remix you can change the lyrics, rhythm or other elements to create a new version of the song.
-
Example of remix
An example of a remix of a song can be X’CLUSIVO by Gonzy, in whose collaboration SAIKO and Arcángel participate.
Sample: Creative Incorporation
Sampling is the act of taking a portion of an existing song and reusing it in a new track. This technique is common in hip-hop and electronic music. The distribution of royalties usually depends on the work.
-
Sample example
An example is Doja Cat’s song “Paint the town red” where she uses a sample of Dionne Warwick’s song “Walk on By”.
Cover: New version
A cover is when an artist performs a song by another artist, making his or her own version of the song. Covers can be faithful to the original or include significant modifications. In this case, the composition rights belong to the original creator.
-
Cover example
An example of a cover is the song “Stay” whose original singer is Rihanna and Thirty Seconds to Mars created a version of it.
Conclusion
Exploring different types of collaborations between musicians can enrich your music and expand your reach. Whether through duos, featuring, remixes, samples or covers, each form of collaboration offers unique opportunities to innovate and connect with new audiences.
From Shamusic you will soon be able to collaborate with different musicians, as well as access to other features such as registering your works and monetize your works. Register on our website and try the platform for free!
