Deep Purple

As a pioneering band of the hard rock genre in the early 1970s, Deep Purple went through many different lineups and enjoyed tremendous success, epitomized by the song “Smoke on the Water”. Formed in Hertford, England, in 1968, Deep Purple settled in London and, with singer Rod Evans, guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, and keyboardist Jon Lord, recorded three albums influenced by blues and psychedelia before embracing the symphonic rock trend with their new singer, Ian Gillan, on Concerto for Group and Orchestra (1969), recorded with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1970, the album Deep Purple in Rock, featuring the classic “Child in Time”, laid the foundation for a hard rock sound that was a hit in the United Kingdom (No. 4). The core lineup, rounded out by Roger Glover (bass) and Ian Paice (drums), saw its fame spread throughout Europe and the United States with the release of the albums *Fireball* (1971), Machine Head (1972) and its iconic track “Smoke on the Water”, followed by the live double album Made in Japan (1973). This lineup, considered a golden age for the band, would reunite between 1984 and 1989, and again in 1992–1993. In the meantime, David Coverdale and Joe Lynn Turner took turns on vocals, Tommy Bolin and Steve Morse on guitar, Don Airey on keyboards, and Glenn Hughes on bass, depending on the recordings and tours. After splitting up in 1976, Deep Purple reunited for the albums Perfect Strangers (1984), The House of Blue Light (1987), Slaves and Masters (1990), and The Battle Rages On... (1993), which reunited Gillan, Blackmore, Lord, Glover, and Paice, while guitarist Joe Satriani replaced Blackmore on tour. The first album with Steve Morse, Purpendicular (1995), was followed by Abandon (1998), Bananas (2003), and Rapture of the Deep (2005). This lineup continued on Now What?! (2013), Infinite (2017), and Woosh! (2020), all produced by Canadian producer Bob Ezrin, who also worked on the cover album Turning to Crime (2021). Having been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 8, 2016, Deep Purple underwent its ninth lineup change in 2024 with the album =1, which marked the departure of Steve Morse, replaced by Simon McBride. In 2026, the band announced Splat!, its twenty-fourth studio album, once again produced by Bob Ezrin. Billed as one of their heaviest albums in a long time, the album was preceded by the singles “Arrogant Boy”, “Diablo”—featuring Keith Urban on guitar—and “Guilt Trippin’”.