Here Are Madonna's 10 Best Musical Collaborations

There's no denying Madonna's impact on pop music.

Most of the songs that Madonna has released that have gone on to become huge chart wins or fan-adored album cuts are solo affairs. Throughout her decades-long career, she has largely opted to be the only name attached to a tune, which means whenever she does team up with a singer or rapper, it’s a special occasion.

Madonna returned recently with a newly-reworked version of her global hit “Frozen,” one which brings some new talents into the fray. With updated production and even a male vocalist now credited, a whole new generation of listeners are being introduced to the former Hot 100 top 10 smash. The re-release of “Frozen” and its ironically warm reception highlights the fact that sometimes when she collaborates, magical things can happen.

There aren’t too many collaborations in Madonna’s discography, but among them, which ones are most worth listening to? Here are Madonna’s 10 best (but unranked) collaborations with other stars.

"4 Minutes" with Justin Timberlake and Timbaland

In 2008, Madonna kicked off her Hard Candy era with “4 Minutes,” a strange-but-intriguing smash that went all the way to No. 3 on the Hot 100. Sure, the song is essentially about nothing, but it’s catchy as hell and it worked. The only real downside to the composition is that it feels much more like a Timbaland track, and perhaps even like something JT would release, than a Madonna tune, so she’s a little bit overshadowed.

Beat Goes On (feat. Kanye West)

If Hard Candy's lead single “4 Minutes” is absolutely a Timbaland beat, album cut “Beat Goes On” is undeniably a Pharrell composition. The prolific producer is so present on the tune, he even sings some of the lines, though he’s not officially credited as a featured artist, but Kanye West is. The rapper steps in with a flow that is certainly arresting, even if his lyrics are all over the place and somewhat silly (“Your girlfriend, she wants to - beautiful / Just flew in from Paris - voulez-vous?” is just a sampling). Despite this, “Beat Goes On” is still one of the better tracks on the full-length.

“Frozen” with Sickick and Fireboy DML

Madonna’s latest collaboration and her first in years is an unexpected win for the pop singer. Electronic producer and remixer Sickick put his own spin on the pop star’s 1998 single “Frozen,” keeping the original pacing, but making it far darker and much more of a trap tune than the original. Madonna liked it so much she put her name on it, and the collab began climbing Billboard’s dance charts. Seeing that thing were going well, the Grammy winner recruited rising Nigerian talent Fireboy DML to add a verse, and now all three acts are credited on what might be her next real hit.

"Give Me All Your Luvin'" with Nicki Minaj and M.I.A.

Madonna’s most recent top 10 single on Billboard’s Hot 100, "Give Me All Your Luvin'" rose into the highest tier on the important tally back in 2012. The tune fronted her album MDNA, and it benefited immensely from its inclusion during her Super Bowl halftime show setlist. The performance is primarily remembered for M.I.A. famously giving the camera the middle finger (and then begging the headliner for money when the FCC sued her for $16 million for the motion), but it was fun nonetheless. The track is the best collaboration between Madonna and Nicki Minaj, though they’ve worked together on several cuts throughout the years.

"I'd Rather Be Your Lover" with Meshell Ndegeocello

With her album Bedtime Stories, Madonna aimed to distance herself from the oversexualized images and themes that she’d stuck with for the few years prior…but sex is such a big part of who she is, it wasn’t like she was going to avoid the topic entirely! "I'd Rather Be Your Lover" features a rap verse by female powerhouse Meshell Ndegeocello, and at the time it was not as common for the pop icon to incorporate those into her work as it is these days.

"Like a Virgin / Hollywood Medley" with Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Missy Elliott

Everyone remembers the infamous performance at the 2003 MTV VMAs when Madonna kissed both Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, as it remains one of the biggest award show moments of the last quarter-century. What many might not realize is that the live recording of the artists, also joined by Missy Elliott (who is often left out of this narrative, though she was part of the show too), was actually properly released. All four stars are credited on the track, which is featured on Madonna’s Remixed & Revisited EP. The song is fun, but the video is much sexier.

"Levitating" (The Blessed Madonna Remix) with Dua Lipa and Missy Elliott

Less than half a year after she released her sophomore album Future Nostalgia, Dua Lipa kept the party going with Club Future Nostalgia. The collection featured remixes of all the tracks on the original, some of which were turned into collaborations, including one with Missy Elliott, remixer the Blessed Madonna (formerly known as the Black Madonna) and the real Madonna. Global smash “Levitating” took on a whole new life with the four female talents attached, and though it didn’t outperform the original, it was certainly a fun exercise for all involved and definitely for fans.

"Me Against the Music" with Britney Spears

Released just two months after the two locked lips during the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards, "Me Against the Music" was chosen as the lead single from Britney Spears’ fourth album Into the Zone. The pairing of Madonna and Spears, seen as the biggest names from two generations of pop, was not just a song, it was an event. The track has remained a fan favorite for years, even though it underperformed on the charts, as it barely broke into the top 40 on the Hot 100.

"Medellín" with Maluma

Despite being a solid body of work that explored some interesting ideas and sounds from around the world, Madonna’s most recent album Madame X was not a huge commercial success. Lead single "Medellín,” one of three collaborations Maluma and Madonna have recorded together, is one of the pop star’s best tunes in years. It’s a bit of a slow burn, but by the end, it’s a full-fledged banger, but sadly not enough people gave it the time and attention it deserved.

"Now I'm Following You" with Warren Beatty

I’m Breathless, the official soundtrack that accompanied Madonna’s film Dick Tracy, is all over the place, and it’s actually a bit wild to think about all that it contains. The full-length features tunes written by Stephen Sondheim (including “Sooner or Later,” which won the Best Original Song Oscar), duets with Mandy Patinkin and Warren Beatty (both of whom star in the movie) and, perhaps most importantly, “Vogue.” That last single became so massive, it’s easy to overlook the two (yes, two) tracks Madonna and Beatty recorded together, but both parts of "Now I'm Following You" are fun throwback cuts that showed a whole new side of the pop and dance chart-topper.