Deep Purple

Deep Purple are a British rock band formed in London in 1968. They are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although their musical style has varied throughout their career. Originally formed as a psychedelic rock and progressive rock band, they shifted to a heavier sound with their 1970 album Deep Purple in Rock. Deep Purple have been referred to as being part of the "unholy trinity of British hard rock and heavy metal in the early to mid-'70s", alongside Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. Listed in the 1975 Guinness Book of World Records as "the globe's loudest band" for a 1972 concert at London's Rainbow Theatre, they have sold over 100 million records worldwide. Deep Purple have also generated several successful spinoff bands, including Rainbow, Whitesnake, and Gillan.

Deep Purple were founded by vocalist Rod Evans, guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, bassist Nick Simper, keyboardist Jon Lord and drummer Ian Paice. After three studio albums, the "Mark I" line-up came to an end in 1969 when Evans and Simper were dismissed from the band and replaced by Ian Gillan and Roger Glover respectively, forming the classic "Mark II" line-up of Deep Purple. Following the orchestral collaboration Concerto for Group and Orchestra (1969), the Mark II line-up recorded four studio albums – Deep Purple in Rock (1970), Fireball (1971), Machine Head (1972), and Who Do We Think We Are (1973) – and a live album, Made in Japan (1972), that cemented their popularity and played a key role in shaping the emerging genres of hard rock and heavy metal. Gillan and Glover both left the band in 1973 and were replaced by David Coverdale and Glenn Hughes respectively. The "Mark III" line-up recorded two studio albums, Burn and Stormbringer (both 1974), and Blackmore parted ways with the band in 1975 due to musical differences. He was replaced by Tommy Bolin, and the resulting "Mark IV" line-up made one studio album, Come Taste the Band (1975). Deep Purple disbanded in July 1976, and Bolin died from a drug overdose five months later.

The "Mark II" line-up reunited in 1984, and recorded two studio albums, Perfect Strangers (1984) and The House of Blue Light (1987), before Gillan was fired in 1989 due to creative and personal differences within the band. He was replaced by Joe Lynn Turner, who appeared on one album, Slaves and Masters (1990), before his dismissal from the band in 1992. Gillan returned for the next album, The Battle Rages On... (1993). Blackmore left the band again in 1993, and was replaced temporarily by Joe Satriani and then permanently by Steve Morse. The "Mark VII" line-up (consisting of Paice, Lord, Gillan, Glover and Morse) lasted for nearly a decade, during which the band recorded two studio albums, Purpendicular (1996) and Abandon (1998). Lord retired from Deep Purple in 2002 and was replaced by Don Airey, leaving Paice as the only remaining original member. The "Mark VIII" line-up of Paice, Gillan, Glover, Morse and Airey was the longest-lasting line-up in the band's history, spanning twenty years and six studio albums. Their first line-up change in twenty years took place in 2022, when Morse left after twenty-eight years as guitarist and was replaced by Simon McBride.

Deep Purple were ranked number 22 on VH1's Greatest Artists of Hard Rock programme, and a poll on radio station Planet Rock ranked them fifth among the "most influential bands ever". The band received a Legend Award at the 2008 World Music Awards, and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016.