Peter Gabriel

Peter Gabriel (Peter Brian Gabriel) was born on 13 February 1950 in Chobham, Surrey, England. He is an English singer, songwriter and musician whose work spans progressive rock, art rock and pop. Gabriel is notable as the original lead singer of Genesis and for a solo career that combined chart success with experimentation in production, music video and world-music collaborations.

Gabriel co-founded Genesis in the late 1960s and became known for his theatrical stage presence and narrative songwriting. He left the band in 1975 and began a solo career, releasing a sequence of self-titled albums that established his independent artistic direction. Early solo highlights included “Solsbury Hill” and politically oriented material such as “Biko”, and he developed a reputation for innovative studio techniques and distinctive rhythmic production.

His peak commercial period arrived with the album So (1986), which produced major singles including “Sledgehammer” and “Don’t Give Up” (with Kate Bush). “Sledgehammer” became his biggest hit and its accompanying video won a record nine MTV Video Music Awards. Gabriel’s prominence in the 1980s also reflected his role in popularising the music video format and in supporting broader international influences within mainstream pop and rock.

From the late 1980s onwards, Gabriel continued releasing albums and large-scale projects, including Us (1992) and the soundtrack work for films such as The Last Temptation of Christ. He expanded his activity beyond recording through Real World Studios and the Real World label, and he co-founded WOMAD, a festival associated with global music, arts and dance. After a long gap between studio albums of new original material, he released i/o in 2023, which became his third UK number one album.

Gabriel’s catalogue has received substantial sales and long-term airplay, and he has been recognised with major awards across music and video. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist in 2014, in addition to earlier recognition associated with Genesis. His influence is often discussed in relation to studio innovation, high-concept visual presentation and the integration of global musical approaches into British and American popular music.