Phil Collins said his 1985 hit ‘Sussudio’ helped make him a “whipping boy” for the 1980s, as its ubiquity intensified a backlash against his prominence. The article argues that criticism often overlooked his musical ability and wider work with Genesis, Peter Gabriel, Eric Clapton and Live Aid, reducing a varied career to one lightweight pop single.

Released on the album No Jacket Required, ‘Sussudio’ became a major cultural presence through heavy radio play; Collins later noted that he wrote and recorded it only once, and could not control how often broadcasters played it. The article suggests the song gave listeners an unrepresentative view of his catalogue, while acknowledging that its release as a single contributed to the negative perception.