Duos

Generally speaking, two is better than one — unless you're a lottery winner, or an isolationist monk banned on pain of death from all human contact. Ironically enough, Simon & Garfunkel sang, "I am a rock, I am an island" before unleashing the full force of their combined power with "Bridge Over Troubled Water". Duo dominance begins here.

What makes a great duo? Sometimes it's blood, like that of brothers William and Jim Reid from the Jesus and Mary Chain; sometimes it's marriage, like husband-and-wife Motown songwriters Nikolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson; and sometimes it's friendship, like the Vanity Project of Steven Page (Barenaked Ladies) and Stephen Duffy (Tin Tin, Lilac Time).

Although not strictly a duo, the founding members of Dead Can Dance — Lisa Gerrard and Brendan Perry — form such a vital creative team that they deserve honorary inclusion. Roxette stand proud as one of the '90s' first great pop-rock outfits, while Sly & Robbie, who started out as Peter Tosh's rhythm section, are Jamaica's most successful production pair.

The combination of two massive talents doesn't always result in harmony, but when it works, it works like a dream. It's impossible to argue with the vocal arrangements of the Righteous Brothers or the Everly Brothers; with the magnetism of Sonny & Cher on "I Got You Babe"; or the union of George Michael's voice and Andrew Ridgley's suntan in Wham! Whichever type of duo you prefer, our playlist will satisfy your cravings for pairings.