The Film

Despite a lengthy career as the frontman of Genesis and four self-titled solo albums, Peter Gabriel really didn't hit the "big time" until he released his first album that didn't include his name as part of the title. That was 1986's So.

Was So really as good as its sales and plaudits suggest, though, or one of those fluke hits that catch and ride a wave? Certainly the video for lead single, 'Sledgehammer', did no harm: ubiquitous upon its release, it's said to remain MTV's most played video of all time, and its innovative content was indeed both thrilling and witty thanks to director Stephen R Johnson, stop motion animators the Quay Brothers and an at the time little known company called Aardman Animations.