1985 Rock Hit, Inspired by a Nonsense Word, Became a Global Smash

In the mid 1980s, Phil Collinsreleased a song that left fans scratching their heads with confusion.

"Sussudio" is one of the singer and drummers most famous hits, and its unusual title has been a huge talking point since its release in 1985. The song, the second single from Collin's third solo album, No Jacket Required, quickly became a commercial success and dominated the charts. In the U.S., the track hit no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and no. 4 on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart. In the U.K., "Sussudio" peaked at No. 12 on the Singles Chart.

The song's title comes from a unique word that the former Genesis drummer made up during the songwriting process. According to Collins, the song is about a schoolboy's crush on a girl, although the pair don't know each other all too well. The word Sussudio was originally supposed to act as a placeholder for a girl's name, but it stuck.

"It's simple, really. Is a word that I made up. I didn't even make it up, it just came out of my mouth when I was recording at home," the British musician explained in an interview withDavid Letterman. "I was originally going to replace it but I couldn't find a word that meant anything that [sounded] so well. So I got stuck with it. So I had to reverse it and think: 'Okay, this is the word. What does it mean?' So I invented a meaning, which is actually a girl's name."

"Sussudio" became a pop culture phenomenon after being featured in the 2000 black comedy horror filmAmerican Psycho. During the movie, Christian Baledelivered an iconic line that praised the track and Collins' career.

"This is 'Sussudio,' a great, great song, a personal favorite," the actor's character, Patrick Bateman, said during the memorable scene.

Related: 1986 Rock Classic, Named the 'Most Played Video in MTV History,' Became a Timeless Anthem

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This story was originally published June 14, 2026 at 9:31 AM.