Phil Collins is such a mega talent

Many years ago, I believe probably 20 or more actually, he stated after watching a music awards show that "this is no longer my scene" and basically stated that he is retiring from music. He was seeing that it was becoming a Gong Show.

I don't follow his career so I don't know how many new songs and albums he has released. In his prime though, he was definitely a creative force from Genesis on out.
 
The definition of underrated is something that has not received the merit, recognition or praise it deserves

250 million plus albums....that's a lot of recognition.
Not necessarily critical. Sales does not equal critical acclaim. Tons of artists are ridiculed by critics and sell tons.

Throughout the 1980s, the Collins was the embodiment of empty pop music embraced by upwardly mobile white men. His joyful songs were “bright, white-R&B” that was engineered to make you “feel so good,” even if the lyrics didn’t exactly make sense. (“Sussudio” was based around a sound he made up while improvising with a drum machine.) His sad songs were mainly about heartbreak and were often personal, although the lyrics were often vague: “In the Air Tonight” famously recounted the bitter 1980 divorce with his first wife, Andrea Bertorelli: “Wipe off that grin / I know where you’ve been / it’s all been a pack of lies” as the guitar shudders behind him.


This is a writer telling you what critics thought of Collins' work...not very highly rated.
 
Not necessarily critical. Sales does not equal critical acclaim. Tons of artists are ridiculed by critics and sell tons.

Throughout the 1980s, the Collins was the embodiment of empty pop music embraced by upwardly mobile white men. His joyful songs were “bright, white-R&B” that was engineered to make you “feel so good,” even if the lyrics didn’t exactly make sense. (“Sussudio” was based around a sound he made up while improvising with a drum machine.) His sad songs were mainly about heartbreak and were often personal, although the lyrics were often vague: “In the Air Tonight” famously recounted the bitter 1980 divorce with his first wife, Andrea Bertorelli: “Wipe off that grin / I know where you’ve been / it’s all been a pack of lies” as the guitar shudders behind him.


This is a writer telling you what critics thought of Collins' work...not very highly rated.

In The Air Tonight wasn't written for critics though. That song really made him a superstar nonetheless (critics are rarely in sufficient enough numbers to make or break a musician).

As far as I am concerned that song was about the mood and ambience of the song. The lyrics were ambivalent enough to allow all the folk tales to make their rounds and created an aura of danger and intrigue around the song. Which in turn made it more popular with the youth at the time.

I recall John Mellencamp addressing Jack and Diane in an interview and not shying away from the fact the song made him big. Specifically his opportunities with women.

He said to the effect (I take some liberty with the original quote based on memory) "I don't run away from Jack and Diane, because of that song I could write Hurts So Good and have fun with the ladies".

Sometimes one song just opens up so many doors for the rest of their lives, even if they are sick of singing it. Better to just embrace it even if it runs it's course. Phil is better than that one song, though it's my personal fave of his (I'm not a super fan or anything)
 
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Throughout the 1980s, the Collins was the embodiment of empty pop music embraced by upwardly mobile white men.
Just goes to show New Republic knows less about music than they do about politics, which is nothing. Throughout the 1970's and 1980's he put out leading edge underground Jazz Rock Fusion with the cutting edge band "Brand X." You can see what a great touch he has on the drums with that band.
Brand X is truly "underrated!"




You got a little taste of what he was doing with Brand X on his Face Value release with these two tracks.

 
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Land of confusion
In the Air
One more night
Easy lover
Can’t hurry love
 
Personally, I thought he was shite but everyone to their own.
He wasn't a patch on previous Genesis frontman Peter Gabrial.
That dirge he did 'Another Day In Paradise' - god that took dreary to new levels of despair.

Peter Gabrial - Solsbury Hill

 
In The Air Tonight wasn't written for critics though. That song really made him a superstar nonetheless (critics are rarely in sufficient enough numbers to make or break a musician).

As far as I am concerned that song was about the mood and ambience of the song. The lyrics were ambivalent enough to allow all the folk tales to make their rounds and created an aura of danger and intrigue around the song. Which in turn made it more popular with the youth at the time.

I recall John Mellencamp addressing Jack and Diane in an interview and not shying away from the fact the song made him big. Specifically his opportunities with women.

He said to the effect (I take some liberty with the original quote based on memory) "I don't run away from Jack and Diane, because of that song I could write Hurts So Good and have fun with the ladies".

Sometimes one song just opens up so many doors for the rest of their lives, even if they are sick of singing it. Better to just embrace it even if it runs it's course. Phil is better than that one song, though it's my personal fave of his (I'm not a super fan or anything)
I am just answering the todsterpatriot guy. I am not a critic, but I know what they said. For a while there Collins was the brunt of a lot of jokes. Especially when he started with the Disney soundtrack shit.
I Like Collins in Genesis. I REALLY like Gabriel in Genesis but Collins was good.
 

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