"Seconds Out" received average to positive reviews upon its release, and reached No. 4 in the UK and No. 47 in the US. Its release coincided with the departure of guitarist Steve Hackett who left the group during the album's mixing stages, thus reducing Genesis to the core trio of keyboardist Tony Banks, guitarist/bassist Mike Rutherford, and drummer and singer Phil Collins who recorded "...And Then There Were Three..." by this time. "Seconds Out" has been reissued for CD in 1994 and 2009, the latter as part of the "Genesis Live 1973–2007" box set.