The Academy of Country Music Awards is set to take place this Sunday, featuring the best talent the genre has to offer. Hosted by country superstars Luke Bryan and Dierks Bentley, the show will feature performances from Blake Shelton, Sam Hunt, Carrie Underwood, and Little Big Town to name a few. But what really has us excited for the show is a collaboration between the iconic Dolly Parton and pop star Katy Perry. While we wait, we’ve decided to take a look back at the most unexpected country collaborations that have ever occurred on stage.
10. Little Big Town and Ariana Grande
This collaboration was just a bit too random for us, so we can’t say it’s one of our favourites. Little Big Town first performed their hit Day Drinking at the 2014 Country Music Association Awards, but then brought out Ariana Grande to sing Bang Bang. We’re just going to consider this one a miss.
9. Sugarland and Lady Gaga
Country duo Sugarland sang Lady Gaga’s song You And I at the 2011 Grammy nominations concert with the pop diva herself. While it did seem like the two were constantly trying to out-sing one another, we have to say that this duet still works for us.
8. Miranda Lambert and Meghan Trainor
At the 2014 CMA Awards, Miranda Lambert and Meghan Trainor opened the show with Meghan’s hit song All About That Bass. With a bit of a country influence, the song worked perfectly for both these singers’ unique voices.
7. Sugarland and Beyonce
Sugarland was at it again with this epic collaboration featuring Queen Bey herself at the 2007 American Music Awards. This has to be the craziest collaboration we’ve ever heard of, but their duet of Beyonce’s hit Irreplaceable is one for the books.
6. Jennifer Nettles and Rihanna
So apparently Jennifer Nettles, the lead singer of Sugarland, is the queen of unexpected collaborations. At the 2011 ACM Awards, the talented country singer performed with Rihanna for a duet of her hit California King Bed. Is it just us, or does Jennifer do the song better than RiRi herself? Watch the video and judge yourself!
5. Kacey Musgraves and Katy Perry
Katy Perry is no stranger to country duets, as she proves in her duet with country darling Kacey Musgraves. The two performed Kacey’s hit Keep It To Yourself on CMT’s Crossroads back in 2014. Even though this collab didn’t make the broadcast, it was our favourite duets from them.
4. Little Big Town and Tori Kelly
Little Big Town shocked their audience when they brought special guest Tori Kelly onto the stage during a concert last September. The band helped Tori sing an acoustic version of her hit Should’ve Been Us. This collab is definitely one to watch.
3. Shania Twain and The Backstreet Boys
This collaboration will take you right back to the ’90s. Shania Twain brought The Backstreet Boys on stage at her concert back in 1999 for an epic performance of her hit From This Moment On. The performance aired on a CBS special where the boy band also performed All I Have To Give.
2. Rascal Flatts and Christina Aguilera
This is no doubt one of our top picks for country/pop collaborations. Rascal Flatts and Christina Aguilera worked together perfectly in a duet of Shotgun and Rascal’s song Riot at last year’s ACM Awards.
1. Chris Stapleton and Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake gets gritty in this performance of his hit Drink You Away with country superstar Chris Stapleton. Accompanied by Chris’s wife Morgane on vocals, the two absolutely slayed this song at the 2015 CMA Awards, making it our number one country collaboration.