2001 was when collaborations between rappers and singers became commonplace, leading to a new Grammy category: Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. The first winner was "Let Me Blow Ya Mind" by Eve and Gwen Stefani. This was before Stefani put out her first solo album.
The actor Dan Aykroyd sang on "We Are The World." LaToya Jackson did too, so we know they weren't all that picky.
UB40's cover of Neil Diamond's "Red Red Wine" was a minor hit when first released in 1983, but it went to #1 five years later when radio stations in Phoenix started playing it.
Iggy Pop wrote "Lust For Life" with David Bowie, who came up with the music on a ukulele.
We were all party rocking in 2011 with the global smash "Party Rock Anthem," but rap fans know the "Everyday I'm shufflin'" line is a take on "Everyday I'm hustlin'" from the 2006 Rick Ross track "Hustlin'."
Lucinda Williams wrote and recorded "Passionate Kisses" four years before it was a hit for Mary Chapin Carpenter.
Can you be married in one country but not another? Only if you're part of a gay couple. One of the first famous singers to come out as a lesbian, Janis wrote a song about it.
The stories behind "Shine," "December," "The World I Know" and other Collective Soul hits.
With Bernie Taupin, Martin co-wrote the #1 hits "We Built This City" and "These Dreams." After writing the Pretty Woman song for Go West, he had his own hit with "In the House of Stone and Light."
Dan cracked the Top 40 with "Ritual," then went to India and spent 2 hours with the Dalai Lama.
Dean's saga began with "Ariel," a song about falling in love with a Jewish girl from New Jersey.
Greg talks about writing songs of "universal truth" for King Crimson and ELP, and tells us about his most memorable stage moment (it involves fireworks).