21
Bananas (2003)
-This is considered to be a severe bomb. This is album #17 in the bands' discography and it is wrong in every sense of the word. Organist Jon Lord had recently retired and it left a gaping wound in the Deep Purple family. To replace him, the band brought in just as good organist Don Airey, whose impressive career with other bands improved morale just a bit. Most would accuse Deep Purple of sleepwalking through the whole process of recording songs, picking album art and title. Some would accuse Deep Purple of being, to use one of their songs "Lazy"
20
The Battle Rages On...(1993)
-Yet another miserable failure, this album was made when Ian Gillan rejoined the band. Some would even think with a title like this, it would not seem out of place on a Rainbow album or even Dio album
19
Slaves and Masters (1990)
-Joe Lynn Turner had taken the vocal reins on this album. Some think he was intentionally cast hook, line and sinker by former Rainbow band mate Ritchie Blackmore. Yet again, another failure
18
Infinite (2017)
-This album was a mixed bag, according to some. The album showed that the band can still rock, even after the success of 2013's Now What?!
17
Now What?! (2014)
-With Jon Lord recently passing from cancer and Don Airey becoming the official organ player for Purple, the band was unsure how fans would take this album. This album seems to have not only made the old fans happy, but also gained some new fans here and there
16
Deep Purple (1969)
-This was their third album. Each lineup was referred to as Mark I, Mark II, etc. This was the Mark I lineup. Their creative steam was leaking at the speed of rats leaving a burning ship and considering 1969 was the Summer of Love, they were still grappling with the idea of concept rock or art rock
15
Rapture of the Deep (2005)
-This album was a mixed bag. Bananas was a joke and yet this album proves that the band does take themselves seriously.
14
Concerto for Group and Orchestra (1970)
-You know how every band or musician out there will do something just totally out of the blue? This was the "wild card" of Deep Purple's career. This was a mesh of symphony orchestra and Deep Purple's brand of hard rock. Watching videos from this session, you can almost see Ritchie Blackmore itching to let loose on the guitar. Instead, in videos from the sessions for this album, he stands there, still as a board, playing. No showing off or anything he is known for.
13
Shades of Deep Purple (1968)
-One of the songs that has come from this album and defined Deep Purple as a success was a cover of the Joe South song "Hush". Deep Purple electrified the song and gave it a hard rock makeover. Nowadays, this is one of the most anticipated songs at their concerts. While this album may not have been #1 in the eyes of most, the band was still building themselves up and getting a rhythm going. Give 'em time and see what happens.
12
Abandon (1998)
-This was only the second album after Ritchie Blackmore left for good. It was good, with some hard rocking tracks. It was, overall, successful
11
The House of Blue Light (1987)
-Problems were arising. Both sides were said to be horrible. The classic five man band was starting to have issues. Who knows what those issues were? I certainly don't. Both sides are various genres of music.
10
The Book of Taliesyn (1968)
-Once again, the band, named Mark I, is still heading up the charts in terms of success. Some of their more creative tracks include a cover of "Kentucky Woman", Listen, Learn, Read On", "Shield". Of course, if you know about the history of Purple, you'll know Rod Evans was the vocalist here, not Ian Gillan.
9
Stormbringer (1974)
-From the "interesting" Glenn Hughes/David Coverdale era, Ritchie Blackmore was on his way out. He was getting increasingly frustrated with the heavy funk/soul direction that Deep Purple seemed to be heading in and he was already planning a new band, which he would call Rainbow. This band would later become known as the pioneers of a new genre of metal-neoclassical metal, combining the symphonic feelings and rhythms of Bach and other classical music with the punch of metal. The only songs that seemed to fare somewhat well was the title track, "You Can't Do It Right", which had a heavy funk feel and the melodic "Soldier of Fortune"
8
Who Do We Think We Are (1973)
-Made with the Mark II lineup (Ian Gillan-vocals, Ritchie Blackmore-guitars, Ian Paice-drums, Roger Glover-bass and Jon Lord-organ), stress was beginning to fracture the band. Ian Gillan and Ritchie Blackmore were nearly at each other's throats. Still, through the fighting, they wrote some pretty impressive tracks, like "Woman from Tokyo", "Rat Blue Blue", "Super Trouper".
7
Purpendicular (1996)
-Their album The Battle Rages On... left everyone thinking that Deep Purple was DOA (dead on arrival for those who don't know). It would take more than a miracle to get some sort of positive review for these guys. This was after Ritchie Blackmore had left again. He seemed to have a habit of joining and leaving. This was the second time he left. First time was during Stormbringer. When they brought in Steve Morse to replace the Man in Black, new blood gave the band fresh ideas and their miracle seemed to come in the form of Steve Morse
6
Perfect Strangers (1984)
-This album is considered to be one of the more popular albums by fans. It takes what the band is known for-straight up hard rock- and gives it a modern makeover. One of the more powerful tracks is the doomy, ominous "Knocking at Your Back Door"
5
Come Taste the Band (1975)
-After Ritchie Blackmore had left to form Rainbow, this album is considered interesting because of the various types of songs here. Remember, with Glenn Hughes and David Coverdale in the band, the sounds were going to be very heavy funk/soul/R&B. They had a short-lived guitarist named Tommy Bolin who was just as nuts about his drug habit as Glenn Hughes was. Still, "This Time Around" among others, was a good song
4
Fireball (1971)
-Underrated is a word many use to describe this album. Experimental might also be one. The band experimented with various types of music. The title track was a breakneck piece of rock while another track, "Strange Kind of Woman", is mysterious but still gets played live to this day.
3
Burn (1974)
-We're back to the Glenn Hughes/David Coverdale era. This was known as the Mark III lineup. The title track just sucks you in and doesn't let go until the final minute of the final track "A' 200"
2
Machine Head (1972)
-This is considered to be the most influential album of the Mark II lineup. This album is a MUST HAVE album among the Deep Purple fandom. With tracks like the raging "Highway Star", the head banging "Space Truckin'" and the riff that inspires all people to be guitarists, "Smoke on the Water", this is the album that says inspiration for anyone wanting to pursue the guitar as a career.
1
In Rock (1970)
-This album essentially helped save the band from the depression of the 1960s. It helped rocket them out of concept and art rock into the stratosphere of hard rock and heavy metal. With songs like the breakneck pace of "Speed King", the peaks of the mountains and the valleys of those mountains of "Child in Time", this album has it all. Not only that, some find it amusing that the album cover is a mock up of Mount Rushmore only with the faces of all five Deep Purple members instead of the presidents.
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