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There hasn’t been much reason to feel good about 2020, but one of the few bright spots may be two brothers recording their reactions while listening to a classic tune for the very first time.
Known as “TwinsthenewTrend,” YouTube stars Tim and Fred Williams have been growing in popularity as they listen to a wide range of songs by top recording artists, from George Jones to Amy Winehouse, to Luciano Pavarotti.
But it took listening to Phil Collins for the first time for the brothers to go viral — an occurrence that convinced some that there may be hope for this world after all.
The reason the twins are popular is because they’re listening to the songs as genuine music aficionados. They are not mocking the music, but appreciating it for its beauty, even though it may not exactly be in their everyday playlist.
And their reactions are often hilarious, as they are taken aback by the sounds being absorbed.
All of which explains why Phil Collins was suddenly trending online.
Every time a popular celebrity begins trending, people fear the worst, and one of the first things we see is a meme of a relieved Denzel Washington finding out the person is still alive.
I saw Phil Collins trending and nearly had a heart attack pic.twitter.com/qcg5jl0VDn
— nic (@nic_doh) August 7, 2020
The twins were listening to the hit song ”In the Air Tonight,” and digging what they were hearing.
Even more so, social media boomers seemed to appreciate them for bringing the song back out into the sunlight — the 1980 song was Phil Collins’ debut solo single, after the English drummer left Genesis.
Urban legend says the song’s lyrics are based on a drowning incident, where someone who was close enough to save the victim did not help, while Collins looked on, too far away to help.
The rapper Eminem referenced this scenario in one of his songs — Collins dismissed the theory in an interview with BBC World Service.
“I don’t know what this song is about,” Collins explained. “When I was writing this I was going through a divorce. And the only thing I can say about it is that it’s obviously in anger. It’s the angry side, or the bitter side of a separation. So what makes it even more comical is when I hear these stories which started many years ago, particularly in America, of someone come up to me and say, ‘Did you really see someone drowning?’ I said, ‘No, wrong.'”
“And then every time I go back to America the story gets Chinese whispers, it gets more and more elaborate,” he added. “It’s so frustrating because this is one song out of all the songs probably that I’ve ever written that I really don’t know what it’s about, you know?“
Still, the song was a big hit and was even used in the intro of “Miami Vice.”
36 years ago, this intense and iconic scene from the pilot episode of Miami Vice (featuring Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight”) would forever redefine how television shows would be filmed. pic.twitter.com/MQawlRo8Jf
— Khanoisseur 🐶🤦🏻♂️🌎 (@Khanoisseur) August 7, 2020
As for reactions, the response online was just as noteworthy as the twin’s response.
“You either die a hero, or live long enough to see urban youths decide Phil Collins is cool again,” tweeted Real Clear Investigation’s Mark Hemingway.
You either die a hero, or live long enough to see urban youths decide Phil Collins is cool again. https://t.co/4VC02iTMI0
— Mark Hemingway (@Heminator) August 7, 2020
Here’s a sampling of other responses from Twitter:
I felt like that the first time I heard the song, too. #PhilCollins https://t.co/jTh90zKTYL
— Charles V Payne (@cvpayne) August 7, 2020
These guys reacting to Phil Collins is everything I needed to see rn. pic.twitter.com/CFtrcuYwbM
— iPaulie (@iPaulie) August 7, 2020
“I ain’t never seen somebody drop a beat three minutes into a song.”
Zoomer twins listening to “In the Air Tonight” by Phil Collins for the first time. 😂 pic.twitter.com/BNMGOKUGDT
— Travis Akers (@travisakers) August 7, 2020
Phil Collins was a hipster before you. pic.twitter.com/OBf8sPMMmj
— Eric Alper 🎧 (@ThatEricAlper) August 7, 2020
Nice to see some Phil Collins love on the TL today.
He’s class live too. pic.twitter.com/XXJza3YqX2
— Evan (@EvanMcFarlane) August 7, 2020
Phil Collins being discovered by teens in 2020 is hope! That’s all…
pic.twitter.com/h2eTFsT40o— DreamQueen (@ATDreamQueens) August 7, 2020
OMG. I literally cried when I heard Phil Collins perform, “In The Air Tonight”, live, in concert. The lead up to the drum solo, then the payoff…perfection. One of the most memorable moments of my life.💗 https://t.co/v26RIP58cb
— Bonnie North (@BonnieNorthGP) August 7, 2020
Teens react listening to @PhilCollinsFeed for the first time is what the world needs rn ❤️😊 #philcollins #FridayFeeling #fridaymorning pic.twitter.com/gqWkCOxLg9
— Dino Ali (@iDinoAli) August 7, 2020
If you get too down and cynical today, and I'm guilty I do it far too much, just realize that Phil Collins is trending because two teenagers filmed themselves discovering the drum break on "In the Air Tonight" for the first time and there is plenty of good in the world. Carry on pic.twitter.com/CAokLRKD3U
— Andrew Donaldson (@four4thefire) August 7, 2020
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