Phil Collins vs Peter Gabriel: Who sold more records as a solo artist?
It’s a question many a Genesis fan inevitably asks themselves: Does the Peter Gabriel era or the Phil Collins-fronted incarnation stand as the band’s golden age?
While there’s no clear severance between the early art-rock prog theatre and the smooth pop rock of the 1980s, Genesis’ tenure is inescapably divided between those who were handling frontman duties.
Founded in 1969, Genesis found themselves at the fore of the UK prog explosion that dominated the early 1970s, despite sharing a greater creative proximity to Jethro Tull than the likes of Yes or Emerson, Lake & Palmer. Weaving grand conceptual narratives bolstered by ambitious progressive compositions, Genesis would enjoy commercial success during their early years, 1973’s Selling England by the Pound climbing to a respectable number three on the UK albums chart.
Any diffidence with the prog label wasn’t helped by Gabriel’s endless wardrobe of outlandish costumes. Each persona was ostensibly thought out and served some thematic purpose, be it the Watcher of the Skies deity, the leather-clad Rael, or the Slipperman’s bulbous mass of bubbling flesh. Initially winning plaudits from the prog crowd, the increasingly elaborate theatrics, coupled with the flashy slide projections and lighting, soon tested the band’s patience, irked that critical coverage focused on the optics over the music.
Artistic differences and battling egos spelt Gabriel’s departure. Losing their frontman in 1975, Genesis briefly entertained the idea of continuing as an instrumental quartet, then settled on drummer Collins stepping up to vocal duties after a string of failed auditions with eager singers. Releasing their first album since Gabriel’s exit the following year, A Trick of the Tail would carry over Genesis’ proggy songcraft but would slowly evolve into a tighter, more accessible soft rock pop outfit that would win commercial fortunes while alienating their original fan base.
Gabriel’s run of eponymously titled solo records would pursue art-rock over prog bombast, 1977’s LP enjoying a sonic realm that didn’t feel too far away from the emerging new wave textures beginning to coat the pop hits of the day. With his pricey acquisition of the pioneering Fairlight CMI synthesiser, 1980’s fourth album in the Peter Gabriel series would dazzle with its innovative production, setting a template that the artists still stuck in the polyphonic synth age would catch up in the next few years.
The 1980s would stand both Gabriel in Collins in good stead. Genesis evolved further into a well-oiled pop machine and selling albums by the Platinum-load, but Collins’ solo records around his Genesis day job thrust him to a stratospheric pop elevation, Hello, I Must Be Going! and No Jacket Required, turning Collins into a bona fide superstar. As Genesis dropped the equally mammoth Invisible Touch in 1986, Gabriel also reached his commercial stride with that year’s So, buoyed by the mega ‘Sledgehammer’ single and its MTV hogging video.
So, who sold more records?
While the pair have gone to enjoy fruitful respective solo careers, Collins has sold more records by a country mile.
It’s difficult to ascertain which of Genesis’ tenures generated the most sales, but it’s a safe bet that Collins’ steering of the group from prog toward pop yielded the most. Genesis has sold just shy of 45 million albums since forming nearly 60 years ago.
Gabriel has sold a respectable 16.5m LPs worldwide, while Collins trounces the competition with an over staggering 100m. Curiously, Genesis’ 1991 effort We Can’t Dance, the last featuring Collins, stands as the biggest-selling Genesis album despite its release long after their commercial heyday.
