10 Greatest British Hard Rock Bands

In the late '60s, it seemed that the hard rock scene in England was growing more and more each day. Whether you were listening to the stylings of Cream or hearing the early rumblings from American import Jimi Hendrix, the entire UK rock scene was still seeped heavily in the blues. Deep Purple may have started out as your typical blues act, but they soon learned how to bring almost any genre to the table.

As opposed to many bands who have one signature sound, Deep Purple ended up creating new genres of music due to how much experimentation they did on record. Combing through jazz licks and classical pieces, Ritchie Blackmore was a musical wizard who turned in some of the greatest riffs ever heard like "Smoke on the Water" and "Black Night." On the other hand, Jon Lord's Hammond organ brought a level of sophistication to the mix with his brilliant arrangements and whirlwind of notes.

Given the band's many lineup changes, they were able to cover a broad range of material, from the bluesy shrieks of Ian Gillan to the soul-infused phrasing of David Coverdale and Glenn Hughes. Even if Deep Purple aren't in the same league as Led Zeppelin, you can't deny the raw musicianship and attention to detail they brought to their craft.