Stevie Nicks is the latest legend to collaborate with Gorillaz. If you’re not familiar with them, Gorillaz is a “virtual” band formed by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett in 1998.
Albarn is also the frontman for the British band Blur. He’s a busy guy: he has a number of other musical projects as well. He’s made music with The Good, The Bad and The Queen (which also features former Clash bassist Paul Simonon) and Rocket Juice & The Moon (along with Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers). Jamie Hewlett, meanwhile, is an animator who is the co-creator of the comic book Tank Girl.
The “band” consists of four fictional members: 2-D (vocals, keyboards), Murdoc Niccals (bass guitar), Noodle (guitar, keyboards, vocals), and Russel Hobbs (drums). They’ve released seven albums over the years and they’ve even toured. The shows feature Albarn with live musicians but the focus is generally on animation, which is shown on screens around and above the stage. And, as you’ll see below, they tend to collaborate with a lot of well-known singers, musicians and even actors.
Stevie Nicks, of course, is no stranger to collaboration. She became an instant superstar upon joining Fleetwood Mac for 1975’s self-titled album. She also managed to balance being in the band with her hugely successful solo career. In 2019, she became the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice.
And she always seems game for a collaboration: even before she went solo, she had a huge hit with “Whenever I Call You Friend,” a duet with Kenny Loggins. She has also collaborated with a number of other artists, including Don Henley and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. But she’s also worked with artists who grew up listening to her music, including Sheryl Crow, Foo Fighters, Harry Styles, Miley Cyrus, Lady A and Maroon 5, among others.
But here’s a list of other legends who Gorillaz have collaborated with. The next Gorillaz album, featuring the collaboration with Nicks, is called Cracker Island and will be out in February 2023, according to the band’s Instagram account.
