Phil Collins has admitted that being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist in 2026 came as a genuine surprise. Speaking to Eddie Trunk on SiriusXM’s Trunk Nation, the 75-year-old said he had followed the Hall’s results after Genesis was inducted back in 2010, but he assumed that was the end of the story for him personally.
When Trunk asked if the nomination and induction were unexpected, Collins said it was “absolutely” a surprise. He explained that he had always kept an eye on who got in after the Genesis honor, but this time he genuinely thought his own Hall of Fame moment had already happened. “I didn’t expect it,” he said, adding that he felt “very, very flattered and pleased” to be considered and chosen by the voting body.
Collins’ induction places him alongside other Class of 2026 acts including Iron Maiden, Luther Vandross, Wu-Tang Clan, and Joy Division/New Order, who are entering as one act. The article also notes that Oasis were inducted as well, despite their long-running disdain for music-industry honors, and that Liam Gallagher responded with a typically cheeky post on X after the news.
The piece also points out that Collins has been dealing with serious health issues in recent years. Earlier in 2026, he revealed that he now has a 24-hour live-in nurse to help him manage medication after undergoing five operations on his knee. Even so, he told the outlet he has no regrets about his career and would not have missed any of it “for the world.”
It is still not clear whether Collins will attend the ceremony, which is scheduled for November 14 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. For now, the takeaway is simple: after already being honored with Genesis, Collins is still being recognized again on his own terms, and he sounds genuinely touched that his solo work was remembered.
