Partners

Blockbuster duets albums–when a star pairs with an A-list cast of co-vocalists–are commonplace these days. So it might be easy to forget that Barbra Streisand practically invented the genre in the late '70s, when she teamed with names like Neil Diamond, Donna Summer, and Barry Gibb. For her 34th studio album (!), Streisand taps contemporary hitmakers as well as legends. "Billy, let's go get some pizza," she quips to Billy Joel at the conclusion of his classic "New York State of Mind." John Mayer both sings and solos on "Come Rain or Come Shine," and Babs is joined by her son Jason Gould on "How Deep Is the Ocean." The tunes are classically arranged, with sweeping string crescendos and rousing piano runs. Even the King shows up for a posthumous duet on "Love Me Tender," an apt pairing for this queen of pop standards.