This week forty years ago, a former guest in these “Weekend Diversion” posts was back for another of 1986’s one-week Number One hits on the Billboard “Hot 100”. On July 19, 1986 “Invisible Touch” (video up top) by English rock band Genesis reached Number One. While this was the first Genesis song in my “Weekend Diversion” posts, lead singer Phil Collins has been included several times.
“Invisible Touch” was released on May 19, 1986, and was the first single from the band’s 1986 studio album of the same name, their thirteenth studio album. By the time this single-album was released, I thought that Phil Collins and Genesis were the same thing, probably because they mainly were. While I was familiar with Genisis before Collins became the lead, his era was when I first paid serious attention, and I even bought a couple of the band’s albums—but I never bought any of Phil Collins’ albums. That probably says something, but at the time it absolutely wasn’t a deliberate choice, except, maybe, that none of Collins’ albums enticed me to part with some of the few dollars I had at the time to buy one of them. That doesn’t mean I didn’t like his music, nor does the fact I bought Genesis albums mean I liked them better. Instead, it was the result of very specific times, and what I could afford at that time, and nothing more. Just so we’re clear.
Having said all that, 40 years ago, I liked this song well enough, and the fact that I didn’t see any real difference between Phil Collins and Genesis by that time didn’t make me like or dislike the song. The music video for the song wasn’t unique, or maybe even all that interesting, but seeing it again after all these years, I was struck by the opening in which Phil plays around with an 8mm film camera. These days, he’d be holding a smartphone, or maybe a vlogging camera, neither of which existed in 1986, and wouldn’t for more than two decades. Trendsetting?
“Invisible Touch” reached Number 3 in Australia, 6 in Canada, 8 in New Zealand (Platinum), 15 in the UK (Platinum), and Number One on the USA’s “Billboard Hot 100”, 3 of their “US Adult Contemporary” chart, and Number One on their “US Mainstream Rock” chart. I didn’t receive a certiciation in the USA.
The album Invisible Touch reached Number 3 in Australia (3x Platinum), Number One in Canada, New Zealand (4x Platinum), and the UK (4x Platinum), and Number 3 on the USA’s ”Billboard 200”. The album was certified 6x Platinum in the USA.
This series will return in next week, on July 26, with the last one-week Number One song from July 1986. And, August? It’ll be less work for me.
Previously in the “Weekend Diversion – 1986” series:
Weekend Diversion: 1986, Part 1 – January 18, 2026
Weekend Diversion: 1986, Part 2 – February 15, 2026
Weekend Diversion: 1986, Part 3 – March 1, 2026
Weekend Diversion: 1986, Part 4 – March 15, 2026
Weekend Diversion: 1986, Part 5 – March 22, 2026
Weekend Diversion: 1986, Part 6 – March 29, 2026
Weekend Diversion: 1986, Part 7 – April 19, 2026
Weekend Diversion: 1986, Part 8 – May 3, 2026
Weekend Diversion: 1986, Part 9 – May 10, 2026
Weekend Diversion: 1986, Part 10 – May 17, 2026
Weekend Diversion: 1986, Part 11 – June 7, 2026
Weekend Diversion: 1986, Part 12 – June 14, 2026
Weekend Diversion: 1986, Part 13 – July 5, 2026
Weekend Diversion: 1986, Part 14 – July 12, 2026
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