Photo of Phil Collins
Photo: Raph_PH · CC BY 2.0

Solo Artist

Phil Collins

Active1981-present
OriginChiswick, London, England
Albums8
Tracks98

Most frequent collaborator: Hugh Padgham  ·  57 tracks

Pop RockSoft RockBlue-Eyed SoulR&BNew Wave
78%
Authorship
Songwriter

Holds writing credit on 76 of 98 tracks

Does Phil Collins write his own songs?

Mostly yes. Phil Collins is credited on about 78% of his catalogue, writing nearly all of the songs on his original solo albums. Hits like 'In the Air Tonight,' 'Sussudio,' and 'Another Day in Paradise' are his own. The main exception is Going Back (2010), an album of Motown covers he did not write, which pulls his overall figure down.

By the Numbers

8
Studio Albums
98
Tracks Credited
78%
Self-Written
150 million
Records Sold
45
Years Active
31
Collaborators

Authorship Breakdown 76 / 98 self-written

Who wrote the songs?

Across all 98 tracks: how many Phil Collins wrote alone, how many they co-wrote, and how many were written by others. The bracket marks every track they hold any writing credit on.

Phil Collins has a writing credit78%
69%
8%
22%
Sole author68tracks69%
Co-written8tracks8%
Outside writers22tracks22%

Role Fingerprint how they contribute

Lyricist Performer Composer Producer
Phil Collins's roles across the catalogue

Share of all 98 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.

Lyricist (words)78%
Composer (music)78%
Producer100%
Performer100%

Authorship Over Time writing credit per album

Phil Collins's writing credit per album, in release order. Hover any bar for the album.

avg 78%
92%
90%
100%
100%
100%
92%
92%
0%
1981Face Value
1982Hello, I Must Be Going!
1985No Jacket Required
1989...But Seriously
1993Both Sides
1996Dance into the Light
2002Testify
2010Going Back
Early · 94% written
Mid · 97% written
Late · 37% written

Authorship by Decade track-weighted

95%
1980s
Face Value, Hello, I Must Be Going! +2 more
96%
1990s
Both Sides, Dance into the Light
92%
2000s
Testify
0%
2010s
Going Back

Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author

Where Phil Collins sits on the scale from a pure performer (0%, sings songs written by others) to a complete author (100%, writes everything). The bright marker is their catalogue authorship score, plotted against other artists on the site.

Phil Collins
Other artists on the site

Reference artists spread across the scale, closest by genre and era.

Celine Dion2%
Diana Ross10%
Backstreet Boys25%
Kelly Clarkson49%
Cyndi Lauper60%
Gwen Stefani88%
Harry Styles100%
78%Phil Collins
Pure Performer0%
Songwriter~50%
Complete Author100%

Who Really Wrote the Hits signature songs

In the Air Tonight
Face Value
Written by Phil Collins
Wrote it
I Missed Again
Face Value
Written by Phil Collins
Wrote it
You Can't Hurry Love
Hello, I Must Be Going!
Written by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, Edward Holland Jr.
Outside writers
Sussudio
No Jacket Required
Written by Phil Collins
Wrote it
One More Night
No Jacket Required
Written by Phil Collins
Wrote it
Don't Lose My Number
No Jacket Required
Written by Phil Collins
Wrote it
Take Me Home
No Jacket Required
Written by Phil Collins
Wrote it
Another Day in Paradise
...But Seriously
Written by Phil Collins
Wrote it
I Wish It Would Rain Down
...But Seriously
Written by Phil Collins
Wrote it
Something Happened on the Way to Heaven
...But Seriously
Written by Phil Collins, Daryl Stuermer
Co-wrote
Do You Remember?
...But Seriously
Written by Phil Collins
Wrote it
Hang in Long Enough
...But Seriously
Written by Phil Collins
Wrote it
Both Sides of the Story
Both Sides
Written by Phil Collins
Wrote it
Everyday
Both Sides
Written by Phil Collins
Wrote it
Dance into the Light
Dance into the Light
Written by Phil Collins
Wrote it
Can't Stop Loving You
Testify
Written by Billy Nicholls
Outside writers
(Love Is Like a) Heatwave
Going Back
Written by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, Edward Holland Jr.
Outside writers

Discography 8 albums

Collaborator Network who they worked with most

Phil Collins98 tracks
HP57 RC12 EH9 BH8 LD8 DS5

Bubble size = tracks worked on together. HP Hugh Padgham · RC Rob Cavallo · EH Edward Holland Jr. · BH Brian Holland · LD Lamont Dozier · DS Daryl Stuermer

The Writers & Producers Behind Phil Collins 6 key collaborators

HP
Hugh Padgham
Producer
Face Value / Hello, I Must Be Going! / No Jacket Required / ...But Seriously57 tracks
RC
Rob Cavallo
Producer
Testify12 tracks
EH
Edward Holland Jr.
Songwriter
Hello, I Must Be Going! / Going Back9 tracks
BH
Brian Holland
Songwriter
Hello, I Must Be Going! / Going Back8 tracks
LD
Lamont Dozier
Songwriter
Hello, I Must Be Going! / Going Back8 tracks
DS
Daryl Stuermer
Songwriter
No Jacket Required / ...But Seriously / Testify5 tracks

The Authorship Story

Data Insight

Phil Collins' authorship score is high for his original albums but dragged down significantly by Going Back (2010), which contains zero original songs. On his first seven studio albums, he wrote or co-wrote nearly everything, with the main exceptions being occasional covers (Tomorrow Never Knows, You Can't Hurry Love, The Times They Are a-Changin') and a handful of Daryl Stuermer co-writes. Both Sides (1993) is the purest expression of his songwriting: he wrote every track alone and played every instrument. His lyricist and composer scores are essentially identical, unlike artists who write only words or only music.

Quick Facts

  • SalesHas sold an estimated 150 million records worldwide as a solo artist
  • GrammysWon eight Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year for No Jacket Required
  • Academy AwardWon the Oscar for 'You'll Be in My Heart' from Disney's Tarzan
  • GenesisWas the drummer and later lead singer of Genesis before and during his solo career
  • In the Air TonightHis 1981 debut single, famous for its drum break, remains his signature song

Creative Fingerprint

A self-writing solo star with one big exception: Phil Collins is credited on about 78% of his catalogue, writing nearly all of his original albums himself, with the gap coming almost entirely from his Motown covers album Going Back.

The Story

Philip David Charles Collins (born January 30, 1951) is an English drummer, singer, and songwriter who rose to fame as the drummer and vocalist for Genesis before launching one of the most commercially successful solo careers in pop history. His 1981 debut Face Value, recorded during his divorce, introduced the iconic gated reverb drum sound on 'In the Air Tonight'. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time with over 100 million records sold, and one of only three artists to have had a number-one UK album in each of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. Collins writes or co-writes virtually all of his own solo material, with exceptions being cover recordings, most notably his 2010 album Going Back, which is entirely composed of Motown and classic soul covers.

Awards & Recognition

Won eight Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year for No Jacket Required (1986)
Won the Academy Award and Golden Globe for 'You'll Be in My Heart' from Tarzan (2000)
No Jacket Required (1985) topped the charts worldwide and produced multiple hit singles
One of the best-selling solo artists of all time, with around 150 million records sold

Frequently Asked Questions Phil Collins

Does Phil Collins write his own songs?
Mostly yes. Phil Collins is credited on about 78% of his catalogue, writing nearly all of the songs on his original solo albums. Hits like 'In the Air Tonight,' 'Sussudio,' and 'Another Day in Paradise' are his own. The main exception is Going Back (2010), an album of Motown covers he did not write, which pulls his overall figure down.
Who wrote 'In the Air Tonight'?
'In the Air Tonight,' the lead single from Face Value (1981), was written entirely by Phil Collins during his divorce. Its slow build and explosive drum break made it his signature song and one of the most recognisable records of the 1980s.
Did Phil Collins win an Oscar?
Yes. He won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for 'You'll Be in My Heart,' which he wrote for Disney's Tarzan (1999). He also won a Golden Globe for the same song, adding film honours to his eight Grammy Awards.
What was Going Back?
Going Back (2010) is an album of Motown and soul covers on which Phil Collins aimed to recreate the original recordings faithfully. Because none of the songs are his own, it is the main reason his authorship figure sits below 100 percent.
Was Phil Collins in Genesis?
Yes. He joined Genesis as drummer in 1970 and became lead singer in 1975 after Peter Gabriel left. He ran a hugely successful solo career alongside the band, writing and singing hits for both.
How many albums did Phil Collins release?
This catalogue covers his solo studio albums from Face Value (1981) through Going Back (2010), including the blockbuster No Jacket Required and ...But Seriously.
Did Phil Collins win Album of the Year?
Yes. No Jacket Required (1985) won the Grammy for Album of the Year, part of an eight-Grammy career. It contained self-written hits like 'Sussudio' and 'One More Night.'
What genre is Phil Collins?
Phil Collins makes pop rock, soft rock, and blue-eyed soul, from the moody 'In the Air Tonight' to upbeat pop like 'Sussudio' and socially conscious ballads like 'Another Day in Paradise.'

Sources

Wikipedia: Phil Collins