Gabriel, Peter (1950– )

English rock and pop singer and songwriter who was a member of the group Genesis 1966–75. His first solo album Peter Gabriel was released in 1977. He became a champion of world music with songs such as the anti-apartheid anthem ‘Biko’. He rose to international stardom in 1986 with the hit single ‘Sledgehammer’, which was promoted by a groundbreaking video.

Gabriel's third album, So (1986), from which ‘Sledgehammer’ was taken, became a multi-platinum success. The album Passion (1989) won a Grammy award for best new age performance. After releasing the album Us in 1992, he concentrated on his multimedia company Real World.