Ranking All the Deep Purple Studio Albums
In total, there are twenty-two studio albums to Deep Purple’s credit since they first formed together as a British rock band in 1968. In addition to that, there are also forty-five live albums, twenty-eight compilation albums, fifteen video albums, and forty-five singles. Founder Ian Paice is the only original band member still part of the roster as Jon Lord, Rod Evans, Ritchie Blackmore, and Nick Simpler all moved on to other endeavors. Over the years, Deep Purple has gone through a number of lineup changes, as well as enduring an eight-year hiatus from the music scene from 1976 until 1984.
22. The Book of Taliesyn
The second studio album from Deep Purple is (The Book of Taliesyn), which was released in October 1968. Through the record label, Harvest, the album found enough popularity in North America, thanks to the hit single, (Hush). The song peaked as high as second on RPM Canada’s Singles Chart and as high as fourth on the US Billboard Hot 100.
21. Shades of Deep Purple
The hit single, (Hush), comes from Deep Purple’s debut album, (Shades of Deep Purple). The album was first released in the United States in July 1968. It was then released to the UK in September 1968. As for Hush, Deep Purple’s coverage of the Billy Joe Royal 1967 original made the song become hugely popular enough that has less informed fans thinking the song belongs to them.
20. Deep Purple
The Bundesverband Musikindustrie (BVMI) from Germany certified Deep Purple’s self-titled studio album Gold after it sold over 250,000 copies since its release date of June 21, 1969. The combination of progressive, psychedelic, and hard rock, dominates the entire layout of eight tracks as a heavier approach to music than the two previous albums the British band had produced so far. Although there are no singles officially charted on any of the top-ranking billboards, the album was well-received overall as among the best display of musical originality recordings the band ever produced.
19. Abandon
On June 2, 1988, the first two albums released under the EMI record label is (Abandon). Among the European audience, the album was well-received, especially in the nation of Norway, which its Norweigan Records Chart listed it sixth during its debut week of release. While there are no known top-billboard chart ranks to speak of where the singles are concerned, the album is well balanced out, track for track. This would be the final album Jon Lord would record, leaving drummer Ian Paice as the last founder of Deep Purple to still remain with the band.
18. Bananas
Released on September 9, 2003, (Bananas) is the seventeenth album Deep Purple released, but the first without the involvement of one of its founding members, Jon Lord. Lord was replaced with Don Airey on keyboards and organ for the band, who had the big shoes to fill with his brand of talent. While none of the twelve songs recorded on the album realized any chart success, some of their music has been requested pieces for the Space Shuttle Columbia astronauts, namely the instrumental piece, (Contact Lost).
17. Rapture of the Deep
The eighteenth studio album, (Rapture of the Deep), was released on November 1, 2005, and received favorable reviews from music critics. It was the first album released through the German label, Edel Records. In the US, the album was issued through Edel’s sub-label, Eagle Records. None of the songs from the album charted on any major billboard lists, but the album was still favored enough by the fans where the album charted on the US Billboard Top Independent Albums at forty-three with 2500 copies sold within the first week. Throughout the European nations, the album charted within the top twenty among their billboard listings.
16. Purpendicular
The fifteenth album, (Purpendicular), was released on February 17, 1996. It was the first album recorded without founding Deep Purple member Ritchie Blackmore. Steve Morse from Dixie Dregs fame replaced him as the band’s new guitarist. Among the European nations, the album charted as high as third on the Swedish Album Chart, ninth on the Finnish Album Chart, and as low as number eighty-seven on the Dutch Albums Chart.
15. Turning to Crime
The most recent album release by Deep Purple is (Turning to Crime), which came out November 26, 2021. It is the twenty-second studio album released by the band and the second through the earMusic label. None of the singles have been officially charted yet, but the tracks featured on the album continue to demonstrate Deep Purple is still going strong.
14. Whoosh!
(Whoosh!) is the first of two albums through earMusic’s record label. It was released on August 7, 2020. Originally, the album was scheduled to be released on June 12, 2020, but due to issues revolving around the COVID-19 pandemic, the release was delayed. None of the singles became charted hits, but the album’s performance overall has been favorable enough to receive mostly positive reviews from the fans and critics alike.
13. Now What?!
Released on April 26, 2013, Deep Purple’s nineteenth album, (Now What?!), but the first the band released in seven years. The songs, (Uncommon Man) and (Above and Beyond) were dedicated to the band’s founding member, Jon Lord, who passed away in July 2012. With Germany’s BVMI, the album sold enough copies to become certified Gold. This achievement was realized once the album broke the 100,000 albums sold mark six months after its release.
12. Infinite
(Infinite) is the twentieth studio album recorded by Deep Purple, which was released April 7, 2017. It received favorable reviews by the critics but did earn a Gold certification by Germany’s BVMI for having over 100,000 copies of the album sold. The elaborate blues-style performance throughout the album is the description given among the critics who felt the album was recorded by a band comfortable enough with their own style without feeling the need to produce some charted hit singe.
11. Slaves and Masters
Released on October 5, 1990, (Slaves and Masters) was Deep Purple’s thirteenth studio album. It is the one and only album that featured Joe Lynn Turner as the band’s lead vocalist. Turner replaced Ian Gillan, who had been fired from the band. Unfortunately for the group, sales of the album were not as well as they expected. It did however earn Gold certification for having over 25,000 copies sold, according to Switzerland’s International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI).
10. Come Taste the Band
Deep Purple’s tenth album, (Come Taste the Band) was released on October 10, 1975. Despite the mixed reviews it received from the music critics, the album still earned Silver certification from the UK’s British Phonographic Industry for having over 60,000 copies sold and Gold certification from the Czech Republic’s Billboard for having over 50,000 copies sold. After the band finished touring in March 1976, they broke up for eight years.
9. The House of Blue Light
Released January 12, 1987, (The House of Blue Light) was Deep Purple’s twelfth studio album as a band. According to the band’s resources, the creation process of the album took longer than normal, which is noted by founding members Ian Gillan and Jon Lord. Despite the issues putting the album together, it still won enough critical acclaim to be deemed favorable. It also sold over two million copies worldwide. With Music Canada and Switzerland’s IFPI, the album was certified Gold. With the UK’s BPI, it was certified, Silver. Two singles from the album also appeared on the charts. The first was (Call of the Wild), which peaked as high as number fourteen on US Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks. The second single, (Bad Attitude), also appeared on the same chart with the same peak number.
8. The Battle Rages On…
(The Battle Rages On…) was Deep Purple’s fourteenth album, which was released on July 2, 1993. Prior to the recording and release of this album, there were a number of lineup changes within the band. Even after the album was released, an infuriated Ritchie Blackmore quit the band while on tour and was temporarily replaced by American guitarist, Joe Satriani until the tour was over. Despite the lineup issues, the album still did well enough throughout the European album ranking charts as it placed within the top forty among all of them. With the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ), the album received a Gold certification for having over 100,000 copies sold. The single, (The Battle Rages On) peaked on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks at number twenty-two, which performed better than the album itself as it ranked at 192 on the US Billboard 200.
7. Fireball
The fifth studio album recorded and released by Deep Purple was (Fireball). Released on July 9, 1971, the chart-topping album produced a total of two singles that would realize chart success worldwide. The first hit, (Strange Kind of Woman), charted to number one on the Danish Singles Chart, and at number eight on the UK Singles Chart. (Fireball) was the second hit, which charted as high as number three with the Danish and at number fifteen with the UK. The album became certified Gold with Germany’s BVMI, Netherlands NVPI, Sweden’s GLF, and USA’s RIAA.
6. Who Do We Think We Are
(Who Do We Think We Are) was released by Deep Purple on January 13, 1973, and achieved chart-topping success among the European nations of Austria, Denmark, and Norway. It also charted at number one with Australia’s Albums Chart. The successful single (Woman From Tokyo) charted as high as number six on the Dutch Mega Charts, at number sixteen on Germany’s Singles Chart, and at number twenty-three on Belgium’s Singles Chart. On the US Billboard Hot 100, the song charted at number sixty while on Canada’s RPM100, at number sixty-two. The album itself became certified Gold with USA’s RIAA and France’s Syndicat national de l’édition phonographique (SNEP).
5. Stormbringer
Released on December 10, 1974, Deep Purple’s ninth album received a number of mostly favorable critical reviews and certifications despite not having any singles appearing on any official music charts. USA’s RIAA, France’s SNEP, UK’s BPI, and Sweden’s IFPI each certified (Stormbringer) Gold in 1975. The album sparked guitarist Ritchie Blackmore to depart from the band as he was dissatisfied with the integration of funk working its way into a music style the band isn’t typically known for.
4. Burn
(Burn) received three Gold certifications since its February 15, 1974 release from France’s SNEP, Germany’s BVMI, Sweden’s IFPI, UK’s BPI, and USA’s RIAA. The combined total of the number of albums sold is over one million. On the album charts worldwide, it topped the chart in sales within its first week of release in the nations of Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Norway. On the US Billboard 200, it charted at number nine. The single, (Might Just Take Your Life), was a moderate chart success on the UK Singles Chart at number fifty-five and on the US Billboard Hot 100 at number ninety-one.
3. Deep Purple in Rock
The fourth studio album from Deep Purple is (Deep Purple in Rock), which was released on June 5, 1970. Since its release, it has become certified Gold by BPI of the UK, FIMI of Italy, SNEP of France, and USA’s RIAA. It was also the first album released under the Mark II lineup of Ritchie Blackmore, Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Jon Lord, and Ian Paice. The new lineup, plus their first studio album together as a band, received highly favorable reviews from the music critics. Since the album’s release, it has become certified Gold with France’s SNEP, Germany’s BVMI, Italy’s FIMI, Netherlands NVPI, UK’s BPI, and USA’s RIAA. The original single, (Black Night), charted on two different occasions. The first time was on the US Billboard Hot 100 at number sixty-six and on the UK Singles Chart at number two. The second time was on the UK Singles Chart in 1980 at number forty-three. A remixed version of the hit single also realized chart success in 1995 as it peaked at number sixty-six.
2. Perfect Strangers
Released on October 29, 1984, the eleventh album from Deep Purple is (Perfect Strangers). It received mixed reviews from the critics but was favorable enough among the fans where it became certified Platinum with USA’s RIAA for having one million copies sold in that nation alone. It also became certified Platinum in Canada for selling over 100,000 copies. Gold certification was realized with Germany’s BVMI, New Zealand’s RMNZ, and the UK’s BPI. There were three singles from the album that realized chart success.
1. Machine Head
The most successful album for Deep Purple is (Machine Head). Released on March 25, 1972, as the band’s sixth studio album, the double RIAA Platinum, chart-topping record also realized Gold certifications from the UK’s BPI, Japan’s RIAJ, and Italy’s FIMI. With the SNEP of France, it earned double Gold. It was decided among the band members to record the album outside their regular studio environment. Rolling Stones Mobile Studio was hired to record with the band so they could achieve recordings closer to the band’s live concert performances. Originally intended to perform in a casino, plans had to change after the casino was burnt to the ground. This event inspired the hit single (Smoke on the Water) to find its way onto the album. This single, plus the rest of the songs featured on Machine Head, were recorded in a theatre as a substitute location due to the casino’s disaster. Smoke on the Water was the band’s most successful song of all time, despite the fact it did not reach number one on any music charts. The highest rank it achieved was on RPM Canada at number two. On the US Billboard Hot 100, it placed fourth. It is also the only song from the band’s discography to achieve certifications, namely Gold with USA’s RIAA and Italy’s FIMI. With the UK’s BPI, it became certified Silver.
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