After almost six decades of delivering chart-topping hits, the legendary Phil Collins revealed he’s been “very sick” and is no longer “hungry” to make music, an admission that marks the end of an era for one of pop and rock’s most beloved artists.

Stepping away from music hasn’t been easy for Phil Collins, who’s spent more than six decades producing chart-topping hits as a solo artist and as the drummer and frontman of Genesis.

But after years of serious health issues – including hearing loss in 2000 and in 2017 a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis – Collins, who officially retired from touring in 2022, seems to be at peace with his decision.

Spinal injury

In the 2024 YouTube documentary, Phil Collins: Drummer First, Collins, 74, opened up on his decision to step away from the stage following a 2007 spinal injury that affected his mobility, and his future in music.

“If I can’t do what I did as well as I did it, I’d rather relax and not do anything,” he said in the two-hour long film. “But if I wake up one day and I can hold a pair of drumsticks, then I’ll have a crack at it. But I just feel like I’ve used up my air miles.”

in 2007 Collins suffered severe nerve damage following a spinal injury and admitted he struggled after surgeries on his back in 2009 and again in 2015 affected his nerves. He was also diagnosed with drop-foot, a condition that affected his sensation in one of his feet.

In recent years, he’s had deteriorating mobility, leaving him drumming disabled.

“I’m kind of physically challenged a bit, which is very frustrating because I’d love to be playing up there. I can barely hold a (drum) stick with this hand, so there are certain physical things which get in the way,” the eight-time Grammy winner said in a 2021 interview with BBC.

Unfortunately, things didn’t improve for the singer of “Against All Odds.”

Singing and sitting

More than 15 years later, during Genesis’s farewell shows in 2022, the “In the Air Tonight” singer belted out his vocals from a chair, placed in front of the drums that were played by Collin’s 23-year-old son Nic.

“The way we did it proved that despite his struggles health-wise, he was still able to sing brilliantly and we’re able to put on a good show and people can come and celebrate the music that they’ve either grown up with or haven’t been able to hear live if they’re from a newer generation,” Nic told Rolling Stone about touring with his superstar dad. “I know that my dad misses playing the drums, and I know the fans wish they could see him. I wish he could play as well.”

Nic playing the drums for Genesis was a powerful passing of the torch, but also a bittersweet moment for longtime fans.

Last show

“To be part of their last show, I couldn’t be more grateful. I think at the moment, he’s definitely retired. If you ask me on a serious level, I think that show in London was my dad’s last show,” Nic said, revealing that the March 2022 show in London was his father’s farewell.

Nic adds, “I also do think that my dad is probably excited about the next step in his life. Music has given him so much, but he’s also given so much to it. I think for him to be able to take a step back and not have that pressure that he’s had for decades, I think is going to be nice for him.”

And, in a February 2025 interview with MOJO, Collins confirmed he’s lost interest in writing music and performing.

“I keep thinking I should go downstairs to the studio and see what happens,” the “Invisible Touch” singer said. “But I’m not hungry for it anymore. The thing is, I’ve been sick. I mean very sick.”

For decades, Phil Collins was unstoppable – a drummer, a frontman, and a solo superstar. But after years of pushing through pain and health struggles, it’s clear that his body is telling him it’s time to rest.

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