Deep Purple

Few bands can claim they helped invent an entire genre, but Deep Purple have a legitimate case. Coming together in England in 1968, the band went through several lineup shifts before hitting their stride with what fans call the Mark II lineup: Roger Glover and Ian Gillan joining the already formidable Ritchie Blackmore, Jon Lord, and Ian Paice. That configuration produced some of the heaviest, most technically accomplished rock of the early 70s, blending blues-drenched riffs with classical influences and genuine virtuosity across the board.

Machine Head from 1972 remains their crown jewel, housing the immortal Smoke on the Water alongside Highway Star and Space Truckin. But Perfect Strangers, their 1984 comeback record, proved they still had teeth after a decade apart. Blackmore's razor-sharp guitar work, Lord's Hammond organ roar, and Gillan's operatic screams created a sound that was simultaneously tight and explosive, influencing practically every hard rock and heavy metal act that followed.

Deep Purple's cultural footprint is enormous even if casual listeners only know them from that four-note riff every beginning guitarist learns on day one. They sat at the same table as Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath when heavy rock was being written into existence, and their DNA runs through everyone from Dio to Dream Theater. Still touring well into their 50th year as a band, they're a genuine institution.