The ULTIMATE In The Air Tonight Chords & Guitar Lesson

Behold…

A moody, vibey, and iconic song inspired from an absolutely tragic divorce.

There are not that many legendary hit songs tunes where the drummer is the writer, and also the lead singer. But this is one of them. You only need 3 chords to play it.

So grab your axe and let’s dive into this “In The Air Tonight” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote In The Air Tonight?

In the Air Tonight" is one of Phil Collins’ most iconic songs. It’s got a haunting atmosphere, dark lyrics, and one of the most famous drum fills in rock history.

Phil Collins wrote "In the Air Tonight" entirely on his own. It was the lead single from his debut solo album, Face Value (1981). The song is often interpreted as being about anger, betrayal, and personal loss—largely inspired by Collins' painful divorce from his first wife, Andrea Bertorelli.

Collins has said that Andrea was the one who initiated the breakup. As most women do, statistics show about 7 to 8 out of 10 divorces are initiated by women. According to his autobiography, she had an affair, which led to the end of their marriage.  

The lyrics are cryptic and have fueled various urban legends. The most famous myth is that Collins wrote the song about witnessing a drowning and not being able to save the person, or that he saw someone let another person drown and later confronted them. Collins has repeatedly debunked these rumors, stating the lyrics were more abstract and rooted in his emotions at the time.

"In the Air Tonight" was recorded in 1979 at The Townhouse in London. The song was one of the first major recordings to use the gated reverb drum sound, which became a signature of the 1980s. This effect was discovered accidentally by Collins and producer Hugh Padgham while experimenting with a talkback microphone in the studio. The dramatic drum break that comes in after 3 minutes of atmospheric tension was not originally planned—it was added later to intensify the emotional impact. 

The song reached #2 on the UK Singles Chart and #19 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

It became one of Collins' most iconic and recognizable tracks. The drum fill at about (3:16) is widely considered one of the greatest in rock history. 

The tune has been used in numerous films, commercials, and TV shows, most famously in Miami Vice (1984), which helped etch its status as a pop culture classic.

"In the Air Tonight" remains one of the most mysterious and powerful songs in rock history. Even after decades, it still gives people chill.

Now, you may be wondering…

What is the tuning for In The Air Tonight?

The tuning for "In The Air Tonight" by Phil Collins is standard tuning. Standard tuning for a guitar is spelled out as EADGBE. 

Here are the strings:

• E (6th string, lowest pitch)
• A (5th string)
• D (4th string)
• G (3rd string)
• B (2nd string)
• E (1st string, highest pitch)

Now that you know the “In The Air Tonight” tuning, let’s next talk about the…

In The Air Tonight Chords

If you want to play “In The Air Tonight” on guitar you’ll need to know 3 main chords they are Dm, C/D, and Bb/D. Let’s take a look at a few ways these chords can be played on the fretboard.

Dm is played in 5th position fretting the top 3 strings like so:

C/D retains the open 4th string and shifts down to 3rd position like this:

Finally, Bb/D shifts down again to the 1st position like this:

If you’ve struggled to understand the fretboard for RHYTHM and LEAD guitar and want to discover the easiest and fastest way. Then get your hands on my free fretboard guide PDF right here now:  

Is In The Air Tonight hard to play on guitar?

“In The Air Tonight” is not too difficult to play on guitar as it only uses 3 chords and the progression is quite simple. However, creating the feeling and vibe of the music is where the tricky part lies. You can use the chords mentioned above, you could alternatively play the Dm and C chords in open position to make things a little more easier.

What key is In The Air Tonight in?

“In The Air Tonight” as recorded by Phil Collins is in the key of D minor. The primary scale is the D natural minor scale which uses the notes: D – E – F – G – A – Bb – C – D 

Let’s first take a look at how these chords all relate in the key of Dm:

1) Dm (D minor) – The Tonic (i Chord)

Notes: D - F - A

This is the home chord in the key of D minor. It establishes the minor tonality.

2) C/D (C major over D) – A Suspended Feel

Notes: D - C - E - G

This is essentially a C major chord (C - E - G) with a D in the bass.

Functionally, it often acts as suspended IV chord (Csus2/D).

It can create tension that resolves back to Dm or to Bb/D.

3) Bb/D (B-flat major over D) – The bVII Chord

Notes: D - Bb - F

This is a Bb major chord (Bb - D - F) with D in the bass.

In the key of D minor, Bb is the bVII chord, a very common sound in minor progressions (used in rock, blues, and cinematic music).

It can be used as a substitute for the dominant (V) chord or a step-down from C/D before resolving back to Dm.

How They Work Together in Progressions:

Dm → C/D → Bb/D → Dm

This creates a smooth descending motion (D in the bass throughout), with the chords shifting above it.

Dm → Bb/D → C/D → Dm

This moves from the bVII to a suspended dominant feel, creating anticipation before resolving back to Dm.

This type of movement is very effective in moody, cinematic, or bluesy minor-key progressions. 

So that’s the theory, but all of that doesn’t mean a thing without a good…

In The Air Tonight Strumming Pattern

The main underlying groove for “In The Air Tonight” is a light, cinematic 8th-note rock feel. In 4/4 time, 8th notes divide each beat into two equal parts, creating a driving, steady rhythm like this: 

1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

The numbers (1, 2, 3, 4) represent the main beats in the measure, while the "&" represents the offbeats that add energy and momentum.

When counted out loud, it sounds like: 

"One-and, Two-and, Three-and, Four-and."

This gives a strong and consistent forward motion to the tune. However, if I were to strum this song I would not play all 8th notes continuously. Instead I would mix a combination of 8th notes, quarters notes, and ties like this:

Conclusion

“In The Air Tonight” is one of the most haunting and epic rock songs of the 80s. From the epic drum fills, to the moody and cinematic production, to even the songs inspiration which came from a tragic divorce and life’s turmoil, this one is definitely worth checking out.

Keep practicing, and if you want to learn songs way faster, better understand the fretboard, and not waste years spinning your wheels with guitar, grab my free fretboard guide here right now: 

Jon MacLennan