Phil Collins’ 1981 hit ‘In the Air Tonight’ emerged from an improvised studio session rather than a lengthy, deliberate songwriting process. Collins has said the song began when he started experimenting with a drum machine and keyboard, developing the central atmosphere and lyrics in around 20 minutes; it later became one of his most recognisable and commercially valuable recordings.

The song appeared on Collins’ debut solo album, Face Value, and helped establish him beyond his role as Genesis’s drummer and singer. Its sparse arrangement, brooding vocal and famous drum break made it a lasting cultural fixture, while its worldwide sales, radio exposure and repeated use in film, television and advertising have generated substantial income.