12 best vocal collabs of 2017, from ONE OK ROCK to Andy Black

December 14, 2017

Hearing musicians cross over and collaborate with other bands can be one of many highlights of an album. From labelmates to a married couple to a horror movie director’s musically inclined grandson, check out some of this year’s best below.

ONE OK ROCK – “Jaded” featuring Alex Gaskarth

ONE OK ROCK’s Fueled By Ramen debut, Ambitions, housed a lot of incredible tracks. The band collaborated with artists such as Avril Lavigne and the guys of 5 Seconds Of Summer, but the energetic “Jaded” with All Time Low frontman Alex Gaskarth stands out the most.

Machine Gun Kelly, X Ambassadors and Bebe Rexha – “Home”

Created for the upcoming Netflix sci-fi action flick Bright, “Home” has Machine Gun Kelly teaming up with rock radio darlings X Ambassadors and pop powerhouse (and Warped Tour alum) Bebe Rexha. As if the track wasn’t already surging with emotion, MGK revealed he wrote it the day Chester Bennington died.

Andy Black and Juliet Simms – “When We Were Young”

One of rock’s favorite power couples, Andy Black and Juliet Simms, tackled Adele’s “When We Were Young” for Fearless Records’ Punk Goes Pop Vol. 7. The duo even performed the track together for the first time ever at the 2017 APMAs to close the show hosted by Black.

Grayscale – “Come Undone” featuring Patty Walters

Grayscale’s Fearless Records debut, Adornment, is full of killer tracks, including “Come Undone” featuring Patty Walters of labelmates As It Is. The latter set out on a spring headliner and brought along Grayscale, who in turn, gave us a sick tour video montage for the track.

The Homeless Gospel Choir – “Crazy” featuring Frank Iero

Frank Iero makes a killer contribution to the Homeless Gospel Choir’s “Crazy,” which is taken from The Homeless Gospel Choir Presents: Normal. The short-and-sweet track’s video even features a sick interpretation of frontman Derek Zanetti.

HalfNoise – “As U Wave” featuring Hayley Williams

When drummer Zac Farro rejoined Paramore earlier this year, fans were under the impression they would have to wait until After Laughter to hear any new music since the 2010 split. However, Farro and Hayley Williams had quite a surprise up their sleeve when it was revealed she contributed to “As U Wave” for The Velvet Face EP by Farro’s project, HalfNoise. Williams even jumped onstage to sing her part at the EP’s release party in Nashville.

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New Politics – “Tell Your Dad” featuring Rivers Cuomo

Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo has been quite busy this year between the band releasing their latest full-length, Pacific Daydream, and making guest contributions on tracks by AJR and RAC. Cuomo also lent his talents to New Politics’ guitar-driven “Tell Your Dad” from the trio’s Lost In Translation, which features an apt Japanese melody to fill it out.

Seaway – “Scatter My Ashes Along the Coast Or Don't” featuring Caleb Shomo

Seaway and Beartooth are huge fans of each other, proven by the fact the members of Beartooth all have “Everything is cool, man” tattoos. Seaway were on the search for a newer act to feature on Vacation, having tapped fellow Canadian bands from their youth on past releases (the Fullblast, Silverstein); but the idea wasn’t sparked until a Pure Noise rep suggested Beartooth frontman Caleb Shomo, and the rest is history.

Motionless In White – “Necessary Evil” featuring Jonathan Davis

Motionless In White’s electric “Necessary Evil” features a spin on Lesley Gore’s “It’s My Party” (“It's my party and I'll die when I want to/Die when I want to/Die when I want to”), but the track also sports a cameo from Korn’s Jonathan Davis. The two bands toured together in late 2016, which allowed self-described “massive Korn fan” Chris Motionless to have a dream come true. As a result of that (and being a fan since middle school), Chris felt “Necessary Evil” would be the perfect fit for Davis and took the jump to ask him. The risk paid off, and Chris described it as a “really emotional moment” when he heard the final cut.

Eisley – “Louder Than A Lion” featuring Anthony Green

I’m Only Dreaming is Eisley’s first record where Sherri DuPree-Bemis helms vocal duties without the aid of her sisters, Chauntelle D’Agostino and Stacy King, who both left to pursue their own projects. However, DuPree-Bemis isn’t totally alone in the vocal department, bringing in Circa Survive/Saosin frontman Anthony Green on “Louder Than A Lion,” a track she said was written for her daughters.

Sleep On It – “Fireworks” featuring Derek DiScanio

Sleep On It delivered plenty of pop-punk bangers on Overexposed, their first full-length for Equal Vision; and “Fireworks” featuring State Champs frontman Derek DiScanio is no exception. The appearance is no surprise, as DiScanio worked with the band as a producer on their previous EP, Lost Along The Way, and again on Overexposed.

Ice Nine Kills – “Enjoy Your Slay” featuring Sam Kubrick

Ice Nine Kills released their fourth full-length Every Trick In The Book in 2015, an album inspired by literary works ranging from The Exorcist and Carrie to Romeo And Juliet and Animal Farm. The final track, however, was left in the hands of their fans in 2017, with the band holding a poll to decide whether Psycho or The Shining would close the book. The Shining won, leading to the release of “Enjoy Your Slay” featuring none other than The Shining director Stanley Kubrick’s grandson, Sam Kubrick. Kubrick is the vocalist/guitarist of a London-based metal act called Shields whom Ice Nine Kills had become friends with when touring the U.K., allowing for the perfect opportunity for a collaboration.