Phil Collins has revealed that much of In the Air Tonight came together without a detailed plan. In a recent interview, the singer and drummer said roughly 80% of the song was improvised, including much of the first verse. Collins explained during the conversation that the track began with a keyboard sound and a drum-machine pattern. The song has since become one of Collins’ best-known recordings, helped by its atmospheric production and famous drum entrance. Decades later, In the Air Tonight remains closely associated with Collins’ solo career.