Last week, the hit “Bang Bang” was dropped like a bomb on the summer playlist making it the song you want to get stuck in your head. Jessie J, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj come together for the biggest blend of unique sounds this summer. “Bang Bang” is not only catchy and filled with girl power, but it is a prime example of artists coming together to create amazing music. It features artful vocals, sick beats and a lot of attitude. This song explodes with charisma and fun and will have you singing along every time you hear it.

What works in musical collaborations and “Bang Bang” in particular is the combination of musical ideas that create something new and exciting. Jessie is the British songstress, Ariana is the newcomer diva, and Nicki is the wild card. Jessie starts out the song with her powerful and unique voice, giving the song a strong base. By the second verse, Ariana steps into the ring and belts her part out, showing off her effortless voice. Then, Nicki raps her way through the bridge of the song, all leading up to an explosion of all three artists finishing out this wonderful musical experience.

Collaborations such as this work because they bring different artists together with different musical backgrounds and styles. I understood Jessie J and Ariana Grande collaborating but didn’t expect Nicki to be a part of it. That’s why I called her a wild card. While Jessie and Ariana are somewhat similar in their vocal ability, Nicki is a hip-hop artist rather than a sultry songstress. This adds a whole new layer to the typical pop song, which is why pop artists tend to work with rap artists, and vice versa.

This got me thinking about all my favorite collaborations and what made them so great. One of the best collaborations out there is “Telephone” by Lady Gaga featuring Beyoncé. These are two artists I never expected to work together, but together they created magic. Also, the music video is more of a film than a video and is something to watch if you want to see Gaga and Beyoncé mass murder in the name of dance.

I can’t talk about Beyoncé and not talk about how she recently dropped a song out of the blue similar to how she released her most recent self-titled album. She released almost a whole new version of her song “***Flawless” at the strike of midnight on August 3rd, but this time added Nicki Minaj and also some new lyrics herself. The Internet exploded, as it does when Beyoncé does anything, and it again proved Beyoncé’s sheer power in the music industry. I think what I like most about it is the fact that Beyoncé and Nicki took an already-produced song and turned it into something completely different. It’s a more creative form of collaboration, where the song isn’t just remixed, it’s expanded upon.

These songs all do so well and cause such a stir, because people want their favorite artists to work together. Collaborations work so well because of the fresh and new sounds artists can create when they bring together their unique styles.

I could go on for hours talking about my favorite collaborations, but to save you, I put a few of my favorites into the Spotify playlist below. Be sure to let me know what your favorite collaborations are!