When it comes to TV shows that have made a massive mark on pop music, Glee is undoubtedly one of the most impactful. Sure, the musical dramedy following a midwestern high school glee club went on to win plenty of awards, including Emmys and Golden Globes. But the music built into its DNA helped turn the show into a cultural phenomenon.
Over the course of six seasons, the Glee Cast released over 700 songs — including covers of top 40 pop hits and Broadway classics, as well as several original compositions. The show’s cult following (enter: the gleeks) sent 207 tracks to the Billboard Hot 100, breaking Elvis Presley’s decades-held record for the most entries on the chart less than two years after the show’s premiere in 2009. The one that started it all, a cover of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’,” remains the cast’s highest charting song at No. 4 — but even original numbers like “Loser Like Me” have pushed into the top 10.
It’s clear that the cast shines brightest as a collective, but a handful of duets have also taken center stage. Although not all have entered the Hot 100, Billboard has rounded up 15 duets we’ll never forget, covering artists from Aerosmith to Adele. Whether they’re duets between leading couples like Finn Hudson (Cory Monteith) and Rachel Berry (Lea Michele), siblings like Blaine (Darren Criss) and Cooper Anderson (Matt Bomer), nemeses like Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison) and Bryan Ryan (Neil Patrick Harris) or friends like Mercedes Jones (Amber Riley) and Artie Abrams (Kevin McHale), these performances left lasting impressions.
From the stage to the choir room and beyond, take a look back at the best Glee duets below — ranked based on vocal delivery, creativity and on-screen execution.
