With the premiere of David Guetta and Nicki Minaj’s “Hey Mama” video — on upstart subscription service Vessel, natch — it’s hard not to wonder who hasn’t worked with the promiscuously productive French DJ.
His dance card so far includes Ne-Yo, Will.i.am, Sia, Kelly Rowland, Akon, Kid Cudi, Timbaland, Jennifer Hudson, Snoop Dogg, John Legend — and that’s just the people who’ve popped up on Guetta’s own albums, not his producer-for-hire gigs.
Then again, some of those collaborations have been more important than others. Here’s a look back at a few key ones — and it’s not necessarily the ones with the biggest names.
‘Up & Away’ (1994)
Robert Owens is a household name only if you’re really into Chicago house. But his performance on this austere slow burner helped put Guetta on the Parisian club map.
‘Love Don’t Let Me Go’ (2002)
Another relatively unknown American singer, Chris Willis, was all over Guetta’s first studio album, “Just a Little More Love.” More than any other, this song captures Guetta’s burgeoning signature style: shameless hook, super-basic lyrics, big beat.
‘Love Is Gone’ (2007)
Chris Willis was back for this flashy number from Guetta’s third record, “Pop Life.” Those synth lines are Euro-house incarnate. Translation: One man’s cheese is another man’s chart-topper.
‘When Love Takes Over’ (2009)
Soaring pop-gospel vocals work great with Guetta’s gigantic hooks, and here they come courtesy of Kelly Rowland. A key moment in EDM’s march toward world domination, and merely the first big hit on Guetta’s breakthrough album, “One Love.”
‘Titanium’ (2011)
By the turn of the 2010s, Guetta’s bona fides as a hitmaker were firmly established and he didn’t have to hire faceless stringers anymore. Cue “Nothing But the Beat,” which featured so many stars, it might have been an awards show. Still, one of the finest tracks wasn’t the biggest or glitziest but this pop bomb featuring Sia — and that in turn jet-propelled the Aussie eccentric into the big leagues.
‘Ain’t a Party’ (2013)
Guetta is anathema to electronic-music purists, who must have snickered at Jack Back, an imprint dedicated to star-less releases and his latest effort at dance floor respectability. Guess what? It still bears his trademark shameless hooks, like this team-up with Dutch duo Glowinthedark and British singer-DJ Harrison Shaw.