For a few years in the middle of the 80s, you could not lose Phil Collins if you tried. He was the drummer who became a superstar, the voice behind that thunderous drum fill in "In the Air Tonight," the guy singing the movie ballad and the dance-pop hit and the charity anthem, sometimes all in the same afternoon on the same station. In 1985 he did something no other musician has ever matched: he played two continents in one day.
Phil Collins scored seven number one solo singles on the US Billboard Hot 100 in the 1980s, starting with "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" in 1984 and running through "Another Day in Paradise" at the end of the decade. On July 13, 1985, he became the only performer to appear at both Live Aid concerts on the same day, playing London and then flying by Concorde to play Philadelphia.
The seven number ones
The solo run is staggering. "Against All Odds," his movie ballad, was the first, hitting number one in 1984. Then came a flood: "Sussudio," "One More Night," and "Separate Lives," his duet with Marilyn Martin, all reached number one in 1985. Later in the decade "A Groovy Kind of Love" and "Two Hearts" both topped the chart in 1988, and "Another Day in Paradise" closed the run in 1989.
And that is only the solo career. Collins was also the frontman and drummer of Genesis, which had its own string of 80s radio hits like "Invisible Touch." So on any given hour of Top 40, you might hear Phil Collins twice: once under his own name and once with his band. Few artists have ever occupied that much of the dial at once.
The album that owned 1985
The center of it all was No Jacket Required, released in 1985. It debuted at number one in the UK, reached number one in the US within weeks, and became the best-selling album of his career, later certified Diamond in the United States for sales of twelve million copies. It threw off hit after hit and turned him from a successful artist into an inescapable one. For a stretch of 1985, No Jacket Required was simply the sound coming out of every radio and every store.
The day he played both Live Aids
The Live Aid stunt is the perfect symbol of how big he was. On July 13, 1985, Collins performed his solo songs "Against All Odds" and "In the Air Tonight" at Wembley Stadium in London. Then he left the stage, took a helicopter to Heathrow, boarded a Concorde across the Atlantic, and landed in time to perform the same songs again at the Philadelphia concert that evening.
He did not just play his own sets. In London he backed Sting at the piano, and in Philadelphia he sat behind the drums for Eric Clapton and joined the reunited surviving members of Led Zeppelin. One man, two continents, one day, several bands. It was excessive and a little absurd, and it was exactly the kind of thing only the most ubiquitous star of the moment could pull off.
The honest bottom line
The very things that made Phil Collins dominate the radio also made him an easy target. The production was glossy, the ballads could tip into schmaltz, and being that popular that fast bred a backlash that treated him as the sound of 80s overexposure. Some of that is fair; not every one of those seven number ones has aged into a classic. But the drumming is genuinely great, "In the Air Tonight" still stops a room cold, and writing that many number one songs in one decade is not luck. He earned the saturation, even if hearing him every hour eventually wore people out.
FAQ
How many number one hits did Phil Collins have in the 80s? Seven solo number ones on the US Billboard Hot 100: "Against All Odds" (1984), "Sussudio," "One More Night," "Separate Lives" (1985), "A Groovy Kind of Love," "Two Hearts" (1988), and "Another Day in Paradise" (1989).
Did Phil Collins really play at both Live Aid concerts? Yes. On July 13, 1985, he performed in London, then flew by Concorde across the Atlantic to also perform in Philadelphia the same day, the only artist to appear at both shows.
How did Phil Collins get from London to Philadelphia? He took a helicopter from Wembley to Heathrow Airport, flew a Concorde to New York, then took another helicopter to Philadelphia, all in time to perform that evening.
What was Phil Collins' biggest album? No Jacket Required, released in 1985. It topped the album charts in both the US and UK and is his best-selling album, certified Diamond in the US for twelve million copies sold.
Was Phil Collins in a band besides his solo career? Yes. He was the drummer and later lead singer of Genesis, which had its own major 80s hits, meaning he was often on the radio both solo and with the band at the same time.
What is Phil Collins' most famous song? "In the Air Tonight," known for its dramatic drum break, remains his most iconic track, though "Against All Odds" and "Another Day in Paradise" were among his biggest chart hits.
More from the 80s Radio guide. See also Hall and Oates.
That drum fill hit us in real time, ask the two of us.