Deep Purple

Deep Purple formed in Hertford, England in 1968 and became one of the foundational bands of hard rock and heavy metal alongside Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin. The Mark II lineup — Ian Gillan, Ritchie Blackmore, Roger Glover, Jon Lord, and Ian Paice — produced Machine Head (1972), which contains Smoke on the Water, one of the most recognized guitar riffs in history. Blackmore's neoclassical guitar style, fusing Bach and blues, influenced an entire generation of metal guitarists. Jon Lord's Hammond organ playing gave the band a classical grandeur unique in hard rock. Made in Japan (1972) is considered one of the greatest live albums ever recorded. The band has sold over 100 million records worldwide and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016.