Deep Purple is one of those bands whose music has had lasting listening quality through the years. They started out back in 1968 in England, and they’ve since become certified legends in the hard rock world on an international level. Let’s take a look at four of Deep Purple’s biggest charting hits! All of these songs are essential listening if you want to get into good hard rock.
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1. “Smoke On The Water”
“Smoke On The Water” is Deep Purple’s biggest hit to date. It peaked at no. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1973 where it stayed for a whopping 16 weeks. It deserved that spot, too. It’s classic rock and roll, and the guitar riff is recognizable to even the most low-key hard rock fan. However, the whole of Machine Head is essential listening if you really want to get Deep Purple’s vibe.
2. “Hush”
“Hush” is also technically Deep Purple’s biggest hit. It peaked at no. 4 on the Hot 100 in 1968, but it only stayed on the chart for about 10 weeks. It’s a great example of Ritchie Blackmore’s ability to cover top-notch rock songs; the original “Hush” was written by Joe South. This era of the band was notable among fans and marked their transformation into a unique rock band in a sea of other British rock bands that were getting famous during the British Invasion.
3. “Kentucky Woman”
This killer track peaked at no. 38 on the Hot 100 in 1968. The original “Kentucky Woman” was written by folk rock legend Neil Young a year earlier. However, there was something fascinating about Deep Purple’s cover. And clearly, listeners could hear it, too.
4. “Woman From Tokyo”
“Woman From Tokyo” made it to no. 60 on the Hot 100 chart in 1973. It’s not their highest-charting hit, but it’s one of their best songs to date. It marked an essential time in the band’s career when they managed to blend together classic hard rock with pop. The song’s album Who Do We Think We Are? is great as a whole, too.