What year did Phil Collins release "In the Air Tonight"
Executive summary
Phil Collins released "In the Air Tonight" in 1981 as the lead single from his debut solo album Face Value, with multiple reputable sources specifying its release in January 1981 [1] [2] [3]. Contemporary and retrospective accounts converge on 1981 as the release year, though published listings differ by a few days for the single’s exact January release date [4] [5].
1. The simple answer: the year was 1981
Every authoritative recounting consulted places the song’s release in 1981: Wikipedia describes "In the Air Tonight" as released in January 1981 as the lead single from Face Value [1], Biography frames the track as Collins’s 1981 original and notes its connection to his divorce and the album Face Value [2], and music outlets and archives likewise date it to January 1981 [3] [6].
2. Why multiple sources emphasize January
Several sources add the precision that the single appeared in January 1981, with Rhino marking January 5, 1981 as an original release date and noting anniversary timing [4], while other music sites record slightly different January release days—Golden80s lists January 9, 1981 for the single’s issue with “The Roof Is Leaking” as the B-side [5]. This minor variation is common in music-release histories because U.K., U.S., and international release schedules, promotional servicing to radio, and later reissues can create small discrepancies around the exact day while leaving the year undisputed [4] [5].
3. Context that cements 1981 as the pivotal year
The song’s placement at the front of Collins’s solo career — as the lead single from his first solo album, Face Value — makes 1981 crucial in his transition from Genesis frontman to solo star; multiple histories tie the track, the album and Collins’s post-Genesis work to that year [1] [2] [3]. Retrospectives highlight 1981 not only for the single’s release but for the cultural aftershocks the song created: its iconic drum fill, ensuing myths about the lyrics, and its later high-profile uses in TV and film all trace to that 1981 launch [6] [3].
4. The song’s mythology versus documented facts
While urban legends about the song’s lyrical inspiration—most famously the drowning story—have circulated widely and been referenced in pop culture, reliable accounts and Collins himself reject those specific myths; reporting instead situates the song’s genesis in Collins’s emotional state around his divorce and the Break Genesis took before Face Value, again anchored to 1981 [3] [2]. It is important to separate those unverifiable anecdotes from the documented release fact: the song was issued in 1981 [1] [6].
5. Minor discrepancies in release-day reporting and why they matter little
Different databases and fan sites record slightly different January release dates—Rhino cites January 5, 1981 [4], Golden80s records January 9, 1981 [5], and wider discography listings on sites like Discogs compile multiple pressings and regional editions that can show variant dates [7]. These small-day inconsistencies do not contradict the central, well-documented claim: the single’s release year is 1981, and the song remains historically and culturally anchored to that year across major references [1] [2] [6].
6. Bottom line and suggested further verification
The verifiable, consensus answer is that "In the Air Tonight" was released in 1981, with multiple reputable sources specifying January of that year for the single’s appearance [1] [4] [3]. For readers seeking the pinpoint day for a particular territory or pressing, primary-release documentation such as contemporary music trade magazines, original single pressings catalogued on Discogs, or record company release sheets will resolve the minor day-to-day discrepancies noted among secondary sources [7] [4].