Born on This Day in 1951, One of Progressive Rock’s Most Legendary Musicians Who Released More US Top 40 Singles Than Any Other Artist in the 1980s

On January 30, 1951, a baby named Philip David Charles Collins was born in London, England. I doubt his parents knew at the time that little Phil Collins would grow up to become one of the most well-known singer-songwriters, drummers, and record producers in rock music history. From a legacy with the band Genesis that won’t soon be forgotten to a solo career that yielded seven No. 1 hits in the US, Collins’ legacy lives on today. And he continues to inspire younger listeners to pick up the sticks and learn how to play the drums. Let’s dive into the music career and life of one of progressive rock’s biggest names.

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Phil Collins Remains One of the Most Legendary Prog-Rock Stars and Drummers of All Time

Phil Collins was given a toy drum kit as a Christmas gift at the age of just five. It was a choice that would likely shape his future forever. As Collins grew older, he continued to sharpen his skills, entering talent contests and consuming music from the likes of The Beatles and Motown Records. Collins began playing the piano around the age of 12.

Interestingly enough, Collins’ career in the early days focused more on acting. He was a full-time student at Barbara Speake stage school. That all changed in 1970, when a rock band called Genesis signed with Charisma Records. They released their second album and decided that their drummer at the time was not who they needed.

Collins went to the auditions and immediately impressed Peter Gabriel, a former drummer. He was quickly brought into the band. From 1970 to 1975, he was merely the band’s percussionist and backing vocalist. But by the end of 1975, Gabriel had opted to leave the band. Collins took over as the lead vocalist and songwriter. That era resulted in some of the band’s best work, from A Trick Of The Tail to …And Then There Were Three…

Phil Collins would then dive into his solo career in the 1980s. His biggest solo hits include “In The Air Tonight” from 1981, “You Can’t Hurry Love” from 1982, and a laundry list of singles from the mid-1980s through the 2000s. In the years since his time in the spotlight, Collins has reunited with Genesis on occasion, continued to tour, and both retire and come out of retirement. He’s still a legend today, and who knows what prog-rock and 1980s pop would have looked like without his influence?

Photo by Brian Rasic/Wire Image