Phil Collins | British Musician - Encyclopedia Britannica

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Solo career

Although Collins stayed with Genesis until 1996, he also began a solo career in 1981. Whereas Genesis produced “intellectual” album-oriented rock, Collins as a solo performer featured pop songs that appealed to more general audiences. In 1981 Collins released his debut solo album Face Value, featuring “In the Air Tonight” as its lead single. The song became an international hit, reaching number two on the U.K. charts.

On July 13, 1985, Collins performed at the benefit concert Live Aid. He was the only artist (out of more than 70 acts) to appear on both Live Aid stages, playing in London at Wembley Stadium earlier in the day before crossing the Atlantic on the Concorde to perform at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia.

Singles such as the power ballad “Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)” (1984), the dance song “Sussudio” (1985), and the slow duet (with Marilyn Martin) “Separate Lives” (1985) all became number one hits in the United States. In 1999 Collins won an Academy Award for best original song for “You’ll Be in My Heart,” which was released for the Walt Disney animated movie Tarzan.

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