Billboard Names Diana Ross And Lionel Richie’s ‘Endless Love’ The Biggest Duet Of All Time
Billboard has crowned Diana Ross and Lionel Richie’s 1981 No. 1 hit “Endless Love” the biggest duet of all time, after reviewing more than five decades of Hot 100 performance. The song was the most successful single for both singers on the track and remains a defining duet in the chart’s history.
Lionel Richie And Diana Ross’s ‘Endless Love’: Why It Topped The List
Written by Lionel Richie for the movie of the same name starring Brooke Shields, “Endless Love” is a heartfelt power ballad that stayed on the Hot 100 for 27 weeks. Billboard ranked the song at #1 on its list of the biggest duets, noting its exceptional chart longevity and impact. The track also returned to the Hot 100 nearly 13 years later when a cover by Luther Vandross and Mariah Carey reached #2 in 1994.
Method: How Billboard Measured The Biggest Duets
The rankings were based on performance on the weekly Hot 100 since the chart launched in 1958. Billboard examined over 50 years of Hot 100 hits to select the biggest duets, compiling a list of 40 standout pairings drawn from multiple genres and eras of popular music.
Notable Duets That Appeared On The List
The list highlights many familiar collaborations across decades. Among the selections were Sonny and Cher’s “I Got You Babe” at #35 and the movie duet “Up Where We Belong” by Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes at #29. Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty’s “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” came in at #28.
Other notable placements included “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” at #20 — the third Hot 100 #1 for Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond — and Paul Abdul’s 1988 hit “Opposites Attract” at #16, which credited cartoon character MC Skat Kat voiced by The Wild Pair.
The top 10 featured several enduring duets: Elton John and Kiki Dee’s “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” opened the top 10, Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton’s “Islands in the Stream” (written by the Bee Gees) was ninth, Beyonce and Sean Paul’s “Baby Boy” held the #8 spot, and Usher and Alicia Keys’ “My Boo” ranked #7. Jennifer Lopez and Ja Rule’s “I’m Real” was sixth, with Nelly and Kelly Rowland’s “Dilemma” at #5.
Paul McCartney appeared twice on the list: his duet with Stevie Wonder, “Ebony and Ivory”, was ranked #4 and noted as the longest-running solo #1 for both artists, while his collaboration with Michael Jackson, “Say Say Say”, took the #2 slot. Brandy and Monica’s 1998 hit “The Boy Is Mine” rounded out the top three at #3.
Billboard’s list draws from 40 tunes selected for their Hot 100 performance, underscoring how duets across eras have shaped popular music and produced some of the chart’s most enduring hits.
