Phil Collins is 74 years old now. It feels weird even typing that because, for many of us, he’s still that guy with the explosive drum fills and the relentless energy from the 1980s. But time is a thief.
Honestly, the headlines about him lately have been pretty grim. You’ve probably seen the rumors—hospice care, terminal illnesses, you name it. Most of it is total garbage. But the reality isn't exactly a walk in the park either. He’s retired, he’s in a lot of pain, and he’s basically accepted that his days of playing "In the Air Tonight" are over.
The Reality of Phil Collins Age and Health Today
Let’s get the facts straight. As of January 2026, Phil is 74. He’s living in Miami. Most of his days are spent quietly, far away from the stage lights.
The biggest thing people get wrong? They think he’s dying of some mysterious disease. He isn't. But he is "very sick" by his own admission. In a 2025 interview with MOJO, he didn't sugarcoat it. He said he’s been through the wringer. He also mentioned that he’s lost the "hunger" to even go down to his home studio. That’s the part that hurts the most for fans—the idea that the music just stopped calling to him.
It’s not one single thing. It’s a pile-on. We’re talking about nerve damage, spinal issues, and most recently, a major knee surgery in the summer of 2025 that triggered a wave of "hospice" rumors. His rep had to come out and tell everyone to chill—it was just a recovery from surgery, not the end of the line.
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Why He Can’t Play the Drums Anymore
It started back in 2007. During a Genesis reunion, he dislocated a vertebra in his neck. Sounds painful? It was worse than it sounds.
That injury sent a shockwave through his nervous system. Imagine spending 50 years hunched over a drum kit, hitting things with massive force. Your spine eventually pays the tax. For Phil, it meant severe nerve damage in his hands. He famously said he had to tape the drumsticks to his hands just to get through some shows.
Eventually, even the tape wasn't enough. He has "drop foot" now too, which is why you see him using a cane or sitting in a wheelchair. It’s a condition where you can’t lift the front part of your foot. It makes walking a gamble and drumming impossible.
The Toll of the "Last Domino" Tour
When Genesis went back on the road for The Last Domino? tour in 2021 and 2022, it was bittersweet.
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Phil was 71 then. He spent the entire show sitting in a chair. His son, Nic Collins, took over the drum kit. Watching your kid play your parts because your own hands won't work? That’s heavy.
Phil looked frail. His voice was still there—mostly—but the physical decline was impossible to ignore. That final show at London’s O2 Arena in March 2022 was the definitive end. He joked that he’d have to get a "real job" now, but everyone in that room knew it was a final goodbye.
A Timeline of the Breakdown
- 2007: The spinal injury that changed everything.
- 2009: First announcement that he couldn't play drums anymore.
- 2015: Major neck surgery to try and fix the nerve damage. It didn't quite do the trick.
- 2017: A nasty fall in a hotel room that resulted in a "gashed forehead" and more mobility issues.
- 2022: Official retirement from the stage.
- 2025: Admitted he has been "very sick" and underwent emergency knee surgery.
Is He Still Making Music?
Short answer: No.
Long answer: He wants to want to. He told reporters he thinks about going downstairs to record, but the drive isn't there. When you're dealing with chronic pain and the frustration of not being able to use your hands the way you used to, the creative spark gets buried.
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He’s also dealt with Type 2 diabetes and an old bout of acute pancreatitis. The guy’s body has been through a literal war.
What Fans Should Actually Care About
Instead of doom-scrolling through fake "death hoaxes," it’s better to look at what he’s actually doing. He’s a dad. He’s watching his son Nic become a monster on the drums in his own right. He’s watching his daughter, Lily Collins, dominate Hollywood.
He’s "using up his air miles," as he put it.
The legacy is safe. You can’t take away the 100 million albums sold or the fact that he defined the sound of a decade. But the Phil Collins of 2026 is a man who has traded the stadium roar for a quiet house in Florida. He's earned the rest, even if the reason for it is a series of brutal health setbacks.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Avoid the tabloids: If you see a headline saying he's in hospice, check a reputable source like People or Rolling Stone first. Most of it is clickbait based on his 2025 knee surgery.
- Listen to the "Not Dead Yet" audiobook: If you want the real story of his physical decline, he narrates it himself. It's raw and honest about his struggles with alcohol and health.
- Support Nic Collins: If you miss Phil’s drumming style, his son is the closest thing you’ll ever hear to the original "Face Value" energy.