This countdown is now halfway through, with the Top 100 beginning here today. The next instalment comes tomorrow.
Caffe`
Latte` presents…
THE 200 ALL-TIME MOST
ESSENTIAL DUETS
This countdown looks back on decades of duets, where 2 acts combine on a
song.
To be eligible,
the acts involved contribute close to equal roles as lead vocalists rather than
featured or guest vocals. The collaborations must be by acts that
do not usually record together as regular duos (eg. Hall & Oates, Everly
Brothers, Simon & Garfunkel and Wham!).
100
BARCELONA
FREDDIE MERCURY & MONTSERRAT CABALLE
The unlikely pairing of Freddie Mercury with Spanish operatic soprano Montserrat Caballe caught the public's imagination. The world was gearing up for the 1992 Summer Olympics in the former's hometown of Barcelona. Released in 1987, the single reached the UK Top 10. In the year of Spain hosting the Games, it was re-issued and peaked at #2 there.
99
IF I COULD BUILD MY WHOLE WORLD AROUND YOU
MARVIN GAYE & TAMMI TERRELL
Another great track from Marvin Gaye with his best offsider, Tammi Terrell, was the 1967 single "If I Could Build My Whole World Around You". The disc peaked in the Top 10 on the US Pop and R&B charts. It was included on their album 'United'.
98
DELICATE
TERENCE TRENT D'ARBY & DES'REE
Des'ree joined Terence Trent D'Arby on the aptly-titled duet "Delicate" from his 1993 album 'Symphony Or Damn'. D'Arby wrote and produced the track. Their voices mesh effectively on the tender love song which reached #14 in Britain.
97
TRAMP
OTIS REDDING & CARLA THOMAS
"Tramp" is a remake recorded by Otis Redding and Carla Thomas, both on the Stax Records roster. Drenched in gritty soul, the single was lifted off their 1967 duet album 'King & Queen'. On the R&B Chart, their cover reached #2. 
96
BABY GRAND
BILLY JOEL & RAY CHARLES
Every groove of this track reveals the delight produced when a fan (Billy Joel) meets his hero (Ray Charles). Their common love of music and skill at the keyboards raises "Baby Grand" to the heavens. Joel even named his daughter Alexa Ray after his idol. The duet was recorded for Joel's 1986 album 'The Bridge'.
95
TILL I LOVED YOU
BARBRA STREISAND & DON JOHNSON
"Till I Loved You" was a duet recorded while Barbra Streisand was dating Don Johnson. The consummate vocalist and the star of TV's "Miami Vice" surprisingly produced a favourable result which was the title track of her 1988 album and a Top 40 hit for the couple.
94
BREATHE
BLU CANTRELL & SEAN PAUL
A track by Dr Dre that was built around a Charles Aznavour song was the inspiration behind the hip hop duet "Breathe" by Blu Cantrell and Sean Paul. In 2003, the track reached #1 on the British and European charts.
93
(YOU'VE GOT TO WALK AWAY AND)
DON'T LOOK BACK
PETER TOSH & MICK JAGGER
The song "Don't Look Back" started life as a melodic 1965 single by The Temptations. In 1978, the Motown tune was given a reggae makeover by Peter Tosh. His remake saw him sharing lead vocals with Mick Jagger and went Top 20 in Australia.
92
IN A LIFETIME
CLANNAD & BONO
Celtic cultural icons U2 lead singer Bono and the family group Clannad teamed up for the glorious new age collaboration "in A Lifetime" in 1985. On the British chart, the single peaked at #17. Enya first tasted success as a member of this act.
91
MY MISTAKE (WAS TO LOVE YOU)
DIANA ROSS & MARVIN GAYE
Pam Sawyer had already penned "Last Time I Saw Him" for Diana Ross. That solo hit was followed by her #1 "Love Hangover". In between, Ross recorded "My Mistake (Was To Love You)" with Marvin Gaye. Sawyer co-wrote the song with R&B singer Gloria Jones (who released the original version of "Tainted Love"). The track, lifted off the 1973 album 'Diana & Marvin', reached the Top 20 on both the Pop and R&B charts.
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