Phil Collins was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist on Saturday (Nov. 14), and used his acceptance speech to tell the crowd he isn’t done yet.
“You haven’t heard the last of me,” Collins said during the ceremony at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. “I promise you that.”
The honor marks Collins’ second induction. He entered the Hall in 2010 as a member of Genesis, making him one of a small number of two-time inductees.
Travis Barker inducted Collins, highlighting his impact as a drummer. “I remember hearing the drums for the first time and being blown away,” the Blink-182 drummer said of “In the Air Tonight.” “That sound changed everything. It helped define the sound of drums in the eighties, and you can still hear Phil’s influence today.”
Barker also pointed to Collins’ success with both Genesis and his solo career. “He wasn’t just successful at both,” he said, “he was one of the best at both.”
Collins did not perform at the ceremony. He said earlier this year that he had declined an invitation to play because he wasn’t “match-fit” enough to rehearse and sing properly, though he did not rule out returning to the stage. Cynthia Erivo performed “In the Air Tonight” in his place, with Barker on drums.
In his speech, Collins said he felt unprepared following a night of more polished addresses, and opened by telling the audience he’s “really not as bad as it looks.” He said his career began with a single goal: “I grew up wanting to play drums. Everything else has been a happy accident.”
Collins credited his assistant with saving his life, saying he needed to name her despite her dislike of attention. “I’m not joking when I say without her I wouldn’t be here,” he said. “I’d be in a box six feet under.” He said she had told him what he was doing was bad for him and what to do about it, adding that he’s “a well man now.”
He also thanked longtime manager Tony Smith, Atlantic Records’ Ahmet and Nesuhi Ertegun, and Virgin Records founder Richard Branson, who he said “took me under their wing and they saw something that was worth nurturing,” as well as “my three ex-wives, because they’ve loved me through the years and given me five great children.” His daughter, actress Lily Collins, attended the ceremony with him.
Collins closed by naming Eric Clapton and Robert Plant among the musicians he has played with. “These guys were heroes to me,” he said.
The induction follows years of health issues for the 75-year-old musician. A 2007 spinal injury caused nerve damage that left him unable to grip a drumstick, and he has since undergone knee surgeries and dealt with ongoing mobility problems. His son Nic played drums on Genesis’ 2021-22 farewell tour, with Collins singing from a seated position. Collins told the BBC in January that he now has a 24-hour live-in nurse.
As a solo artist, Collins scored seven No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including “Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now),” “Sussudio,” “One More Night” and “Another Day in Paradise.” His albums No Jacket Required and …But Seriously both topped the Billboard 200.
The 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony airs Dec. 8 from 8-11 p.m. ET on ABC and streams on Disney+ the following day.
