10 Times the Guest Artist Came In Hot and Stole the Whole Track
Features are usually meant to complement with a bit of contrast, a fresh voice, or maybe a new energy. But now and then, a guest shows up and resets the balance completely. When they do something so locked in, everything else starts to fade. You’re halfway through the song before realizing you’ve tuned out the main artist entirely. Here are the moments where that shift was the whole story.
Nicki Minaj on Monster by Kanye West
Credit: IMDb
Nicki Minaj turned a stacked Kanye West track into her playground. With heavyweights like Jay-Z and Rick Ross onboard, she still walked away with the most quoted verse. Her flow shifts and alter egos made Monster one of the few songs where everyone skips ahead to the feature.
Eddie Van Halen on Beat It by Michael Jackson
Credit: Facebook
When Eddie Van Halen showed up to lay down a solo, no one expected him to rewrite the rules. He recorded it in minutes, restructured the song without asking, and did it for free. His guitar screamed louder than any lyric, and that solo is still studied by guitarists today.
Drake on Say Something by Timbaland
Credit: Youtube
Technically, this was Timbaland’s song, but the spotlight rarely touched him. Drake dominated nearly every part. At the time, he wasn’t even a household name, yet his introspective, almost sleepy delivery made this one of his early standout moments.
Kate Bush on Don’t Give Up by Peter Gabriel
Credit: Youtube
Don’t Give Up was written as a duet, but Bush’s ethereal reassurance turned it into something deeper. Her voice floats in like hope itself, cutting through Gabriel’s despair with quiet power. The contrast makes the whole song feel like a lifeline, and Bush, not Gabriel, is the one holding it.
George Harrison on Day After Day by Badfinger
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Badfinger had the songwriting chops, but George Harrison’s slide guitar turned Day After Day into something people actually remember. He shaped the entire emotional arc with a few mournful notes, and his solo added depth to the song, which was otherwise lacking.
Kendrick Lamar on Control by Big Sean
Credit: Instagram
Control belonged to Big Sean on paper, but no one even remembers his verse. Kendrick name-dropped nearly every relevant rapper and declared himself the king. That one feature reshaped hip-hop discourse for a year.
Prince on While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Rock Hall Tribute)
Credit: Youtube
This wasn’t a Prince song, but he played it like it was written for him. He performed in front of Tom Petty and Dhani Harrison, and tore through a solo that felt almost spiritual. He even tossed the guitar in the air at the end.
Swae Lee on Unforgettable by French Montana
Credit: Youtube
The beat was already infectious, but Swae Lee’s soft, melodic chorus gave Unforgettable its staying power. French Montana delivered his verses, but fans tuned in for Swae’s voice. It blurred genre lines between dancehall and trap and became the main reason the track went multi-platinum.
Hayley Williams on Airplanes by B.o.B
Credit: Youtube
This song was meant to boost B.o.B’s momentum, but Hayley Williams’ yearning chorus became the song’s emotional hook and social media caption gold. It didn’t hurt that her Paramore fan base followed her here, either. The song became her crossover moment, even if she technically just sang the chorus.
Sting on Money for Nothing by Dire Straits
Credit: Reddit
Bending the melody of Don’t Stand So Close to Me into the now-iconic “I want my MTV” line, Sting added just the right level of weirdness. It turned a sharp critique of pop culture into a radio-ready anthem. Knopfler had the riffs; Sting gave it a hook worth remembering.
Merry Clayton on Gimme Shelter by The Rolling Stones
Credit: Instagram
She wasn’t part of the band, but her scream on Gimme Shelter stopped everyone cold. Merry Clayton showed up to the session pregnant, wearing curlers, and delivered the most haunting background vocals ever recorded.
Nate Dogg on Regulate by Warren G
Credit: Instagram
Nate Dogg’s smooth baritone on Regulate made it iconic. His melodic delivery turned a West Coast narrative into a G-Funk classic. Without Nate, the song is half as memorable. The moment he steps in with “It was a clear black night…,” you know it’s his show.
Rihanna on Lemon by N.E.R.D.
Credit: IMDb
When N.E.R.D. dropped Lemon, nobody expected Rihanna to open the track with a full-blown rap verse. The buzz got so loud that they eventually released a version without Pharrell. Not many can boot a band off their own single, but Rihanna did it effortlessly.
Bruno Mars on Nothin’ On You by B.o.B
Credit: Youtube
Bruno Mars was just breaking out, and Nothin’ On You fast-tracked everything. B.o.B’s verses were solid, but Bruno’s silky vocals on the hook gave the track its replay value and Grammy nods. It ended up launching Mars’ solo career, leaving B.o.B in his rearview not long after.
RikRok on It Wasn’t Me by Shaggy
Credit: Youtube
The guy who told the story was RikRok, and Shaggy was the guy who chimed in with advice. That’s how this track worked. While Shaggy’s name powered the single, it was RikRok’s detailed, melodic storytelling that listeners actually followed and made this song a global hit.