In the Airs Tonight #OneSongOnePlaylist

Another entry in the sporadic and unnecessary #OneSongOnePlaylist series. One song, as many versions as I can find, and more listening than anyone should admit to.

This time: Phil Collins’ In the Air Tonight.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3BnBgaAN0RTA2WN6lvZBps?si=cbxEvmR-RWygduOCs6tm6g

It started simply. I was making a playlist for Love is on the Air on Lichfield Radio and thought a cover version might be good. I knew there were a few out there, so I started adding them to see what worked.

I stopped at 106 versions. That is over six and a half hours of In the Air Tonight. As usual, a quick bit of prep turned into something much more questionable.

It is a good song for this kind of thing. The original is all atmosphere and tension, with that feeling that something big is coming. Then there is the drum bit. Covers usually go one of three ways: they keep the mood, they try something clever, or they miss the point.

This is also the first time I have noticed how many AI-generated versions now fill up the search results. It is like asking a machine for In the Air Tonight, but country, or In the Air Tonight, but reggae. I have tried to leave those out. They do not fit the spirit of a playlist that someone has spent far too long curating. If I wanted AI versions, I could make them as fast as I could find them.

Standout versions - A few that stood out from the pile:

• Two Gregorian chant versions — possibly the same recording released under two different names. I didn’t care enough to investigate properly.
• Pickin' On Series / Hit & Run Bluegrass — the banjo version, because of course there is one.
• The Alarm — Who knew? Though a bit too close to the original for my liking. If you’re going to cover a song, do it in your own style.
• Casper Esmann — a nicely judged acoustic guitar instrumental.
• Judith Hill — In the Air Tonight as if it had been recorded by Celine Dion.
• Block & Crown — the clear winner of the dance versions.
• Phil Collins’ demo — almost fully formed, but notably missing that drum bit.

That is the strange appeal of these playlists. Some songs fall apart when repeated. Some just show how many people should have left them alone. But In the Air Tonight mostly holds up. It is strong enough to be pulled in different directions without breaking.

So if you want to spend six and a half hours hearing people try the same song in every possible way, including bluegrass, chant, dancefloor filler, and the slow rise of AI versions, the playlist is ready.

Feel free to judge me accordingly.