Genesis

1985–1996: Height of popularity and Collins's departure

Genesis's highest-selling album, Invisible Touch, was released in 1986, at the height of Collins's popularity as a solo artist. The album yielded five US Top 5 singles: "Throwing It All Away", "In Too Deep", "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight", "Land of Confusion" and "Invisible Touch". The title track reached No. 1 in the United States; the only Genesis song to do so; however, it stalled at No. 15 in the UK. In September 1986, Genesis performed "Throwing It All Away" at the 1986 MTV Video Music Awards in Los Angeles.[38] On the last leg of the Invisible Touch Tour in July 1987, Genesis became the first band to play four sold out consecutive nights at Wembley Stadium, London.[39] Genesis was the first band to use Vari*Lite technology,[40] and the Prism sound system, all of which are now standard features of arena rock concerts.

Earlier that year, Collins viewed a spoof of himself on Spitting Image, a satirical British television show which used puppets to lampoon politicians and celebrities. He was impressed with the representation, and commissioned the show's creators, Peter Fluck and Roger Law, to work on the video for the "Land of Confusion" single. The video was formed as an ironic commentary on the Cold War, and played on the perception that the coalition's leaders were "trigger happy" with the nuclear "button". In addition to puppet representations of Banks, Collins and Rutherford, the video showed Ronald Reagan dressed as Superman. At the 1987 MTV Video Music Awards it was nominated for the MTV Video of the Year, losing to Gabriel's "Sledgehammer".[41] At the 1988 Grammy Awards it won the award for Best Concept Music Video.[42]