Phil Collins Inducted Into Rock Hall as a Solo Artist, Vows to Return
Phil Collins was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist on Saturday, Nov. 14, at a ceremony in Los Angeles. He did not perform. Instead, the singer and drummer sent his thanks in a speech that ended on a promise.
Travis Barker, the drummer, made the induction. Cynthia Erivo then stepped in for Collins and performed "In the Air Tonight," one of his best-known songs, with Barker on drums. Billboard reported the performance and the speeches from the evening.
Collins explained why he would not sing. He said he had turned down an invitation to play because he was not "match-fit" enough, a sporting term meaning in good enough physical shape, to rehearse and sing properly. He still closed his acceptance speech with a line fans will want to hear: "You haven't heard the last of me." He added, "I promise you that."
His daughter, the actress Lily Collins, attended the ceremony with him.
The honour is his second Hall of Fame induction. He first entered in 2010 as a member of the band Genesis. This time, the Hall recognised his work as a solo artist.
His solo career is measured in part by the Billboard Hot 100, the weekly chart that ranks the most popular songs in the United States. Collins scored seven No. 1 hits on that chart as a solo artist. Two of his albums, No Jacket Required and ...But Seriously, also reached the top of the Billboard 200, the weekly chart for albums.
Viewers who missed the night can catch it later. The 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony airs on ABC on Dec. 8, from 8 to 11 p.m. Eastern Time. It will stream on Disney+ the following day, Dec. 9.
For many fans, the evening was less about the performance they did not get and more about the one they did. Erivo's rendition of a song built around one of the most famous drum fills in pop history, played with Barker behind the kit, gave the room a moment that was partly tribute and partly reunion. Collins's decision to step back from the microphone was open about his own limits, and his speech made clear he expects to be back on stage.
