Some of the greatest songs ever written are born from love, family, life experiences or pure inspiration. But some songs are born from conflict.
Rivalries, whether between collaborators, rival bands or even artists competing to get under the same spotlight, have long driven musicians to push boundaries and to challenge one another again and again.
These tensions often spill into lyrics, albums and even performances, transforming just a simple private disagreement into anthems sung by millions around the world.
In many cases, the bitterness happening behind the scenes gives the music an extra kick, turning a personal struggle into a universal expression.
The result is often a beloved classic that might never have existed without the spark of tension between two artists.
1
Elton John vs. Rod Stewart
Decades-long frenemy rivalry, each pushing bigger rock anthems.
2
The Clash vs. The S- Pistols
Punk’s defining rivalry; Pistols’ raw chaos vs. Clash’s political fire.
3
The Beach Boys vs. The Beatles
Pet Sounds inspired Sgt. Pepper’s, and Beatles’ innovations pushed Wilson toward “Good Vibrations.”
4
Oasis vs. Blur
Media turned it into a cultural war.
5
Blur’s “Country House” and Oasis’ “Roll With It” released the same day in 1995
6
Johnny Cash vs. Waylon Jennings
Friendly but competitive outlaw country rivalry that pushed each toward hits.
7
John Lennon vs. Paul McCartney
Post-Beatles digs: Lennon’s “How Do You Sleep?” vs. McCartney’s “Too Many People.”
8
Prince vs. Michael Jackson
Creative and competitive sparks, especially around Jackson’s “Bad” (which Prince almost sang on).
9
David Bowie vs. Iggy Pop
Although a friendly rivalry, their competitive energy and collaborations pushed both into groundbreaking territory.
10
Paul Simon vs. Art Garfunkel
Simon wrote “The Only Living Boy in New York” about Garfunkel’s film distractions; Garfunkel responded with more focus on solo vocals in their later sessions.
11
Eric Clapton vs. George Harrison
Their personal/artistic rivalry (centered on Pattie Boyd) gave rise to Clapton’s “Layla” and Harrison’s “Something.”
12
Pink Floyd vs. Roger Waters
An internal feud. Waters' solo concept albums vs. Gilmour-led Floyd's hits.
13
The Everly Brothers
Their fraught sibling rivalry boiled over on stage and influenced their solo material.
14
The Beatles vs. The Rolling Stones
Media-fueled rivalry that pushed both bands to outdo each other with hits like “Satisfaction” and “Day Tripper.”
