Ranking Bruno Mars’ Collaborations
Bruno Mars has earned his place as one of the biggest names in the music industry thanks to his powerful vocals, songwriting skills, and collaborations. Over the years, he’s teamed up with a wide range of artists in various capacities — as a songwriter, producer, or featured singer (that’s just how talented he is!). However, for the purpose of this post, we’ll focus only on his collaborations as a featured singer.
Let’s rank some of Bruno Mars’ best collaborations (number 1 is a dead giveaway). These songs represent the diverse range of sounds Mars can give his fans and listeners when working with other talented artists.
7. “Young, Wild and Free” with Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa
Aside from being a featured singer, Mars also produced “Young, Wild and Free” with Philip Lawrence and Ari Levine, collectively known as the Smeezingtons, during a freestyle studio session. Aaron Bay-Shuck, CEO of Warner Bros. Records asked the trio to finish it because it has the potential to become a hit.
The song was commercially successful, perhaps because it’s relatable to young people, particularly the chorus: “So what we get drunk?/So what we smoke weed?/We’re just having fun/We don’t care who sees/So what we go out?/That’show it’s supposed to be/Living young and wild and free.”
Since the other verses are NSFW, just click here to listen to the song.
6. “Please Me” with Cardi B
Released on February 15, 2019, “Please Me” is the perfect Valentine’s Day song since the lyrics talk about flirting with your lover and telling them to “please me.” Music critics gave mostly positive reviews, especially Cardi B’sverses and Bruno Mars’ vocals. Aside from being a singer, Mars also co-wrote the song with Cardi B and co-produced the song with The Stereotypes.
Since it’s a “bedroom banger” and “unapologetically sexy,” as critics call it, it’s NSFW. Click here to listen to the song instead.
5. “Mirror” with Lil Wayne
Bruno Mars singing the chorus and Lil Wayne rapping the verses just work so well. The lyrics are also profound especially if you look at it from Lil Wayne’s perspective and everything that he’s been through: “Uh, I see the truth in your lies/I see nobody by your side/But I’m with you when you’re all alone/And you correct me when I’m looking wrong/I see the guilt beneath the shame/I see your soul through your window pane/I see the scars that remain/I see Wayne, I’m lookin’ at the/Mirror on the wall.”
It’s NSFW, still, give it a try and listen to it here.
4. “Uptown Funk” with Mark Ronson
Aside from the catchy lyrics, “I’m too hot (Hot d—)/Call the police and the fireman/I’m too hot (Hot d—)/
Make a dragon wanna retire, man/I’m too hot (Too hot, hot d—, hot da—)” and danceable melodies, Mars’ “Uptown Funk” with Mark Ronson reached a milestone of being the 13th song to receive the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) Diamond certification, per Entertainment Weekly.
Even if the song was critically and commercially successful, it was plagued with controversies and lawsuits over copyright infringement. In 2015, the Gap Band was added as co-writers and must receive 17% of the publishing royalties, according to Billboard.
3. “Put On A Smile” with Anderson. Paak
The sixth track from Anderson. Paak and Bruno Mars debut album as a duo, An Evening With Silk Sonic, “Put On A Smile” was released in November 2021. It’s the type of song you would want to listen to sitting on a recliner, sipping wine and reminiscing about that lost love. (“Tryna put on a smile (Put on a smile)/Tryna fight these tears from cryin’/But Lord knows I’m dyin’, dyin’/Tryna put on a smile, smile (Put on a smile)/Ooh, out here smilin’ like a fool/When the only thing worth smilin’ for/Baby girl, the only thing worth smilin’ for was/You.”)
2. “Apt.” with BLACKPINK’s Rosé
Mars’ duet with BLACKPINK’s Rosé is the collaboration we didn’t know we needed. Still, it was nothing short of magic. The first single in Rosé’s first studio album, Rosie, the duo won the Global Sensation award at the 2024 MAMA Awards where they also performed the song.
It was a difficult decision to rank “Apt.” at number two because a. it’s a catchy song b. the music video is fun to watch and c. it’s a song about a drinking game. However, the first song deserves its spot.
1. “Die With a Smile” with Lady Gaga
A no-brainer! Mars’ duet with Lady Gaga is at the top spot because of the relatable lyrics and Gaga and Mars’ powerful vocals. Lyrically, “Die With a Smile,” explores themes of love, life, and the desire to enjoy every moment since there’s always that feeling of uncertainty.
How could you not hug your loved ones and tell them you love them when you hear Mars and Gaga singing, “Wherever you go, that’s where I’ll follow/Nobody’s promised tomorrow/So I’ma love you every night like it’s the last night/Like it’s the last night/If the world was ending/I’d wanna be next to you.”
The song is nominated for Song of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the Grammy Awards. The song peaked at number 1 on the Billboard Global 200 for eight weeks and number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Aside from the song’s awesomeness (which, let’s be real, is why it went viral), fans also had the time of their lives creating memes about Mars’ supposedly $50 million gambling debt and how the song was his ticket out of it. But Mars, ever the cool guy, didn’t just ignore the rumors, he actually reposted some of the memes himself, per BuzzFeed. We stan a king who can poke fun at himself!
Bruno Mars collaborations have kept us on our toes, always guessing who he will collaborate with next. He’s proven time and time again that he can work with artists from various genres while still creating something fresh and memorable. These collaborations show that Bruno Mars’ talent knows no bounds.
