Genesis, British progressive rock group noted for its atmospheric sound in the 1970s and extremely popular albums and singles of the 1980s and ’90s. The principal members were Peter Gabriel (b. February 13, 1950, Woking, Surrey, England), Tony Banks (b. March 27, 1950, East Hoathly, East Sussex), Michael Rutherford (b. October 2, 1950, Guildford, Surrey), Phil Collins (b. January 31, 1951, London), and Steve Hackett (b. February 12, 1950, London).
Founded in 1967 by schoolmates at the Charterhouse public school, Genesis was first known for their songwriting talents and Gabriel’s uniquely theatrical onstage performances. After their lineup stabilized with the addition of drummer Collins and guitarist Hackett in 1970, the group developed a style that featured heavy synthesizers and arrangements emphasizing group performance over the individual pyrotechnics favoured by many progressive rock groups. The band developed a dedicated following in the early 1970s. After the release of their acclaimed The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974), Gabriel left to pursue a solo career. With Collins performing lead vocals, the band slowly developed a more mainstream sound marked by the successful albums Duke (1980), Abacab (1981), and Invisible Touch (1986) and scored a host of hit singles. Despite many successful side projects—most notably Rutherford’s pop combo Mike + the Mechanics—and the departure of Collins in 1995, the band continued to record with the 1997 release Calling All Stations. This proved to be the group’s final studio album, however, as a 2007 reunion tour, with Collins back as lead vocalist, did not lead to any new material. Genesis was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.