Phil Collins cries as Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducts him as solo artist

A solo honour for Phil Collins

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame held its induction ceremony at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Saturday, 14 November. Phil Collins, 75, was inducted as a solo artist, having already entered the hall in 2010 as a member of Genesis. He has not performed on stage since 2022, and he has said he can only walk with assistance after five operations on his knee. He has also had back and arm injuries that the reports link to years of drumming. Travis Barker of Blink-182 inducted him, praising a career that combined drumming with hit pop songs in the 1980s.

Tears, canes and a drum fill

Collins walked slowly to the stage using a pair of canes, and he cried after a long ovation from a crowd that included his daughter, the actor Lily Collins. Barker called the drum fill in 'In the Air Tonight' arguably the most badass of all time, then played it himself while Cynthia Erivo sang a slowed-down version of the song that built to a wailing crescendo. Collins then spoke briefly to the audience.

“I grew up just wanting to play the drums. Everything else has been a really happy accident.”

He said he could not believe how his life had gone, and he assured the crowd that 'you haven't heard the last of me', even though he has not performed live in four years.

Other inductees and absences

Billy Idol, 70, was inducted with his longtime guitarist Steve Stevens, and he performed at the ceremony. Tony Kanal and Gwen Stefani of No Doubt inducted the pair and joined Idol for a duet on 'Eyes Without a Face'. New Order and Joy Division were honoured together, and Peter Hook was the only member of either band to attend. Hook thanked fans for their efforts in making the night happen and called his 50 years in music a wild ride. Queen Latifah and MC Lyte were also honoured, and U2 opened the night with 'Silencio' and 'Pride (In the Name of Love)'.

Oasis were also inducted but did not attend. Bob Odenkirk, who inducted the band, asked whether anyone was surprised by their absence. Liam Gallagher had posted on X that the trip was too far for one night, while Noel Gallagher was performing at the London Jazz Festival that Saturday. Sade and Iron Maiden also missed the ceremony. Run DMC and Aerosmith closed the night with 'Walk This Way'.

Career context

The New York Times described Collins as a child actor, a versatile sideman, a progressive-rock innovator with Genesis, a producer and a prolific pop hitmaker. It also noted that he has been divorced three times and has struggled with alcoholism. His 1985 album 'No Jacket Required' surpassed 10 million sales, and the Recording Industry Association of America presented a Diamond Award for it. In an interview at his Manhattan apartment, Collins said he had grown quite used to being overlooked, and he said he was very pleased with the honour.

“It's just a pat on the back, you know.”