Top 10 Musical Husband & Wife Duos

Top 10 Musical Husband & Wife Duos

Love can be the most powerful creative force. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Musical Husband & Wife Duos.

For this list, we’re focusing on successful married musicians who released hit songs or albums together.

#10: Faith Evans & Christopher Wallace [aka The Notorious B.I.G.]

It was love at first sight for this funky duo. The couple married just eight days after meeting at a Bad Boy Records photo shoot in 1994. They went on to record The Notorious B.I.G. song, "One More Chance," which features Evans on vocals. This 1995 single went platinum, selling 1.1 million copies. Although their music careers were on the rise, their time together was (literally) short-lived. Biggie’s involvement in the East Coast-West Coast Hip Hop rivalry resulted in his death, in 1997. But with the help of technology, Evans still keeps Biggie’s memory alive: in 2017, she released their collaborative album, The King & I, which charted worldwide.

#9: Faith Hill & Tim McGraw

True love and country music keep this couple going. And they have indeed been going at it strong since their marriage in 1996. Hill and McGraw have collaborated on several successful songs inspired by their romance. Their love songs have won many awards over the years, including two Grammy Awards. They tour as a pair, having co-headlined a total of four tours together. And in 2017, they released a collaborative album of duets, titled The Rest of Our Life. Their continued success is a testament to their undying love for each other.

#8: Paul & Linda McCartney

This ‘70s-rock pair had both a strong musical and romantic relationship. The two met in 1967 when they locked eyes across a dance floor in a UK dance club. At the time, Paul was in the Beatles and Linda was a photographer. They married in 1969, and were inseparable until Linda’s death in 1998. They collaborated on songs for Paul’s 1971 solo album, and Paul then asked Linda to join his band, Wings, so they wouldn’t have to be apart while the band was on tour. Wings eventually won four Grammy Awards, including an induction into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

#7: Jack & Meg White

Yes, they were married. And no, they are not siblings. Although they could pass for brother and sister—and they did for years—this couple married in 1996. After forming The White Stripes in 1997, they told the press they were brother and sister because they wanted the media to focus on their music, not their relationship. And their music was worth the attention. They even continued making hit songs together after their divorce in 2000. Their dedication to their music and their friendship paid off. Their last three albums won Grammy Awards for Best Alternative Music Album.

#6: Win Butler & Régine Chassagne

These college kids joined forces to create some of the coolest music of the early 21st century. While both in university in Montreal, Win came across Régine singing jazz at an art opening. He asked her to start a band with him, and they eventually started dating. Soon after, they formed the indie-rock band, Arcade Fire. In 2003, they recorded their debut album, and, that same year, the couple got married, Canadian-style, at a maple-sugar farm. Over the years, Arcade Fire has became a commercial success and won many awards, including the 2011 Album of the Year Grammy Award for their album, The Suburbs.

#5: JAY-Z & Beyoncé

This power couple is a force to be reckoned with. After first getting together following their successful musical match-up on “03 Bonnie & Clyde,” Jay and Bey kept their relationship on the DL for quite a while – and even managed to get married in 2008 without much fanfare. But today, their partnership as both musicians and romantic partners is constantly in the headlines: between their kids, their activism and their hit songs, Queen Bey and her King have proved they’re “Crazy in Love.” What’s more, they’ve famously worked through marital issues in the public eye, and made it out the other side. They may have 99 problems, but success ain’t one.

#4: Agnetha Fältskog & Björn Ulvaeus / Benny Andersson & Anni-Frid Lyngstad

Swedish pop group, ABBA, consisted of not one, but two married couples during the peak of their music career. From 1978 to 1980, both of the As in ABBA—Agnetha and Anni-Frid—were married to the Bs—Bjӧrn and Benny. ABBA topped world charts from 1974 to 1982 with numerous hits, including “Dancing Queen” and “S.O.S.” ABBA's songs were later used in theater and film, and even went on to inspire the hit Broadway musical-turned-film, Mamma Mia! In 2012, ABBA was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They have sold an estimated 500 million records, making them one of the most commercially successful acts in the history of popular music.

#3: Sonny & Cher

This duo was incredibly prominent in music and TV for years. They first met at a coffee shop in 1962. Sonny Bono worked at a Hollywood recording studio and wanted to launch Cherilyn Sarkisian as a solo artist. But since she suffered from stage fright, she chose to perform by his side instead. They married in 1964; the following year, they released their debut album, which featured the massive hit, “I Got You Babe.” They sold more than 40 million records worldwide, and also hosted two popular TV shows, The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour and The Sonny & Cher Show. Following Sonny’s death in 1998, the duo was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

#2: John Lennon & Yoko Ono

After meeting in the mid-‘60s, this pair formed the Plastic Ono Band and ultimately tied the knot in 1969. Cementing their status as an anti-war power couple, John and Yoko spent their honeymoon protesting the Vietnam War in Bed-Ins for Peace across the globe, famously recording the song “Give Peace a Chance” from a hotel room in Montreal. Soon after, Yoko also helped create one of John’s greatest hits, the peaceful protest anthem "Imagine." Roughly a decade later, their album, Double Fantasy, topped US charts and won the Album of the Year Grammy Award. Okay, many fans may blame this coupling for breaking up the Beatles, but today Yoko works tirelessly to keep her husband’s memory alive.
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Before we unveil our top pick, here are some honorable mentions:
Chris Frantz & Tina Weymouth
John & Korey Cooper

#1: Johnny Cash & June Carter

This one's for all the hopeless romantics out there. These soulmates met while Cash was on tour with the Carter Family. June helped Johnny overcome his amphetamine addiction. She also helped write his hit song “Ring of Fire.” In 1968, he proposed to June on stage, and they married a week later. Throughout their music careers, they collaborated on songs and albums,m and won two Grammy Awards together. Johnny and June stayed married until June passed away in 2003, and Johnny died less than four months later, possibly from a broken heart.