Biggest song collaborations of 2022: 17 Billboard picks

Billboard’s year-end selection of 17 major 2022 collaborations showed how routinely pop, hip-hop and Latin artists crossed between audiences. It included individual singles and, in one case, a full joint album, so the list was a snapshot of collaboration as a release strategy rather than a strict song chart.

Pairings within the same scene

Several choices joined artists who already occupied neighboring parts of the same genre. Bad Bunny worked with Rauw Alejandro, while Rauw also connected with Shakira. Drake appeared with Jack Harlow and then expanded his partnership with 21 Savage into the November album Her Loss. The official Drake archive describes that record as a project by the “Jimmy Cooks” duo, confirming why it was treated as the roundup’s album-sized exception.

Future was another recurring connector. His 2022 work with artists including Drake, Gunna and Young Thug illustrated a different model: the guest appearance as part of an ongoing network of rap releases.

Cross-genre and cross-generation records

Other collaborations were built on contrast. Megan Thee Stallion and Dua Lipa combined rap and dance-pop on “Sweetest Pie.” Charlie Puth paired with BTS member Jung Kook for “Left and Right,” linking U.S. pop songwriting with a K-pop audience.

Elton John and Britney Spears supplied the clearest cross-generation example. Released on August 26, “Hold Me Closer” used new vocals and elements from John’s catalog, including “Tiny Dancer” and “The One.” Elton John’s official account also marked it as Spears’ first new music since 2016.

What the roundup says about 2022

The recurring pattern was not simply two famous names on one credit line. The strongest pairings had a clear exchange: different generations, regional markets or vocal styles met in a track that could reach both artists’ listeners. Billboard’s 17 picks documented that pattern across a year in which collaboration shaped singles, remixes and even a complete album.

Sources

• Billboard’s original 17-collaboration roundup
• Accessible syndicated version of the report
• Elton John: “Hold Me Closer” release notes
• Drake’s official Her Loss page
• Charlie Puth and Jung Kook: “Left and Right” official video