Most rock bands have several members, each offering unique contributions. Working as a duo is a much more significant challenge, as each person has to wear many hats as a singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist. Amazingly, a few musical duos have made it work, becoming some of the most influential bands in rock and roll. Here are a few classic rock duos that have gone down in history for their contributions to modern music.
Videos by American Songwriter
1. Sonny & Cher
Sonny & Cher ruled the emerging pop-rock scene in the 1960s and 1970s, embodying the flower power movement in long hair and pastels. Their first single, “I Got You Babe,” was released in 1965, and was an immediate hit. They continued to be highly influential throughout the next decade, particularly thanks to their show, The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour. Though the duo split up in 1975, their legacy remained enormous in pop, folk rock, and pop rock. Cher would go on to become a pop superstar, pioneering many new techniques in electronic music. Bono passed away on January 5, 1998, from injuries incurred in a skiing accident.
2. Steely Dan
Steely Dan began in the early 1970s with guitarist Walter Becker and vocalist/keyboardist Donald Fagen. They were consistently a duo throughout their time, working with session musicians when they needed more instrumentalization. Becker and Fagen were standouts on the rock scene of the 1970s, often incorporating jazz, blues, and other genres into their work. They also avoided touring, preferring to play smaller gigs or record in the studio. Thus, Steely Dan’s legacy has taken a backseat to rock bands that were louder and more present. Yet their influence on modern rock music, with their philosophical lyrics and a blend of genres, is undeniable.
3. Ike & Tina Turner
Tina Turner is now best remembered for her solo career, but she started as part of the Ike and Tina Turner Revue with her husband, Ike. In fact, their group work was so famous that critics weren’t sure if she could make it as a solo artist following their 1976 divorce. Though their relationship was contentious, Ike and Tina’s chemistry onstage and in the studio was electric. The duo pioneered new sounds in rock and roll, R&B, soul, and funk throughout the 1960s and 1970s with songs such as “Proud Mary” and “River Deep—Mountain High.” Their popularity also helped break down racial barriers in the music industry, a legacy Tina Turner continued in her solo career.
4. Daryl Hall & John Oates
Daryl Hall & John Oates (often popularly referred to as Hall & Oates) significantly influenced the rise of soft rock and pop rock in the 1970s. The duo struggled to define their sound throughout the early part of the decade, and their entire career was highly experimental, which kept them from being major hits. However, they had frequent successes with singles such as “Maneater,” “Sara Smile,” and “You Make My Dreams.” It wasn’t until the 1980s that the duo became pop-rock stars, eventually being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2014.
5. Tears For Fears
Tears For Fears was one of many groups in the Second British Invasion of the 1980s, but the duo stood out as a prominent voice of the burgeoning new wave sound. New wave and synth-pop were becoming duo-heavy genres in the 1980s thanks to the emergence of groups such as Soft Cell. Tears For Fears, consisting of vocalist Curt Smith and guitarist Roland Orzabal, produced several hits of the decade, including “Mad World,” “Pale Shelter,” and “Change.” Though the duo’s biggest successes were in their native UK, they affected pop rock worldwide thanks to their unique musical elements and introspective lyrics.
Photo by Jack Vartoogian/Getty Images
