It was released as the lead single from Collins's debut solo album, Face Value , in January Collins co-produced the single with Hugh Padgham , who became a frequent collaborator in the following years. The song was an instant hit, quickly climbing to No. It peaked at No. The song's music video , directed by Stuart Orme, received heavy play on MTV when the new cable music video channel launched in August Collins wrote the song amid the grief he felt after divorcing his first wife Andrea Bertorelli in In a interview, Collins said of the song's lyrics: "I wrote the lyrics spontaneously.

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Phil Collins' song "In the Air Tonight" has reentered the music charts nearly 40 years after its release, thanks to a viral YouTube video. Let's see," Tim Williams, a year-old who filmed himself listening to Collins' single for the first time alongside his twin brother, Fred, says before playing the song. I've never seen that. The twins' reactions, particularly their surprise at the drum solo, appears to have resonated both with new Collins' listeners and longtime fans of the artist, so much so that "In the Air Tonight" has landed in second place on iTunes on Tuesday, right behind Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion's "WAP.
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But sales, yes. Perhaps it was a bunch of Boomers and Gen X-ers filling in the blanks from way back when they sold their apple crates full of vinyl? Baby Jesus looks just like Phil Collins?
It's become arguably Phil's best known and most loved song ever, thanks to its haunting lyrics and incredible drum solo, but did you know its history? What does the song mean? How was its distinctive sound created?