Virgin/AtlanticPhil Collins may have been waiting for this moment for all his life: He’s now number one on Billboard‘s Rock Digital Songs Chart with a song that came out in 1981.
Thanks to a viral video of 22-year-old twins Tim and Fred Williams listening to Phil’s classic hit “In the Air Tonight,” the song — from his 1981 solo debut Face Value — sold 15,000 downloads last week, representing a sales increase of more than 1,250%, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data. It’s Phil’s first number one on the chart, which started in 2010.
“In the Air Tonight” is also number three on the all-format Digital Song Sales chart, and has even made the top ten on Billboard‘s Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart, thanks to racking up 3.5 million streams and increased airplay.
When the song first came out, it peaked at number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The Williams twins featuring “In the Air Tonight” on one of their First Time Hearing videos — where they play old hits that they’re unfamiliar with — was first posted on July 27.
It went viral mostly due to the part where the twins react to the famous drum break that comes about three minutes into the song: Their jaws literally drop when they hear it, and it’s adorable. The video is now up to nearly 6.5 million views.
By Andrea Dresdale
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