album rating: ★★★★☆
Genre: Pop rock / AOR / adult contemporary / pop soul. Phil Collins's third solo album is one of the most commercially dominant records of the 1980s. Recorded after the completion of his touring commitments with Genesis and his production work with Eric Clapton, Collins made a conscious decision to write more uptempo and dance-oriented material, moving away from the introspective tone of his first two solo records. The album features an aggressive, horn-driven, heavily syncopated sound built around Collins's own rhythm programming and drumming alongside co-producer Hugh Padgham's polished digital production. Guest backing vocalists include Peter Gabriel, Sting and Helen Terry. The album's title references an incident in which Collins was refused entry to a restaurant in Chicago for not wearing a proper jacket. Four singles were released — 'Sussudio', 'One More Night', 'Don't Lose My Number' and 'Take Me Home' — all top-ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100.
Label: Virgin Records (UK/Ireland), Atlantic Records (USA/Canada), WEA (rest of world), released 18 February 1985.
Producers: Phil Collins and Hugh Padgham.
Recording studios: The Townhouse Studios, London; Old Croft, Surrey (primary sessions); Air Studios, London (string recordings). Mixed at The Townhouse.
Critical reception: The album was widely praised by critics on release. Rolling Stone's David Fricke described Collins's 'newfound fame' as 'inevitable' given the 'sly craft and warm, low-key humour of his solo records'. AllMusic awarded the album a perfect score, calling it 'the best example of one of the most dominating and influential styles of the 1980s.' No Jacket Required won three Grammy Awards in 1986, including Album of the Year. In retrospect, critical opinion has been more divided: some celebrate its commercial craftsmanship, while others see it as the clearest example of the slick, impersonal production values of mid-1980s pop.
Commercial success: No Jacket Required reached number 1 in the UK for five consecutive weeks and for seven non-consecutive weeks in the USA, peaking at number 1 on the Billboard 200. 'Sussudio' and 'One More Night' both reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album has sold over 25 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time.
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