The album received mixed reviews from critics, with complaints stemming from Sinatra's specified style of isolated performance wherein he was never joined by his duet partners in the studio, an artificial method of record production which lacked the elements of personal collaboration and spontaneity.

[5]: 5  Ramone felt that Sinatra's classic songs would be brought to new, younger listeners by way of the Duets project.

[5]: 6 The project was pushed forward by Charles Koppelman, the CEO of EMI Records Group North America.

[5]: 4, 7-8  On the second day, Hank Cattaneo (co-producer), suggested to Ramone, Schmitt and Pat Williams, that they create a small elevated stage set-up for Sinatra to stand on, and to place Bill Miller and his piano adjacent to Frank within the open-air stage/booth to make the recording session feel more like a live performance.

Cattaneo further suggested to Ramone and Schmitt that they record with the wireless microphones that Frank was accustomed to using in live performances.

[5]: 7  Bono and Aretha Franklin asked that Ramone fly out to appear in person at their local studios to strengthen the connection to Sinatra and the project.

Bono recorded his part to "I've Got You Under My Skin" while standing on a couch in the STS Studios control room in Dublin, singing into a handheld microphone.

It was placed on the Sinatra 80 album and then added to subsequent pressings of Duets as a bonus track addition.

In additions to the original duets, the new release includes two previously unreleased recordings, "One for My Baby (And One More for the Road)" featuring Tom Scott and "Embraceable You" with Tanya Tucker, plus bonus tracks "Fly Me to the Moon" with George Strait and two versions of "My Way", one recorded with Luciano Pavarotti and the other with Willie Nelson.