Smoke on the WaterDeep Purple1rank/position

Deep Purple – Smoke on the Water (LIVE 1974)

Deep Purple’s signature song, released in 1972, took the world by storm with a guitar riff made of just four notes.

This classic of rock history was inspired by a fire that broke out at a Frank Zappa concert.

On December 4, 1971, a flare gun fired by an audience member ignited the ceiling at a casino in Switzerland.

Witnessing the scene firsthand, the band members masterfully transformed it into music.

Though simple, the riff has a profound allure, and the song is known as a rite of passage for many guitarists.

Beloved by people of all ages, it conveys the timeless power of rock.

Deep Purple MedleyDeep Purple2rank/position

Deep Purple Medley Hokkaido University Wind Orchestra

When it comes to bands that epitomize hard rock formed in 1968, Deep Purple surely comes to mind.

The Deep Purple Medley, which includes famous tracks like Smoke on the Water and Highway Star, is a staple in wind ensemble repertoire! The rich, layered sound of wind bands surprisingly suits hard rock when performed.

Having a conductor with rock band experience can also bring great groove and make the music really cool.

It’s also recommended for ensembles because playing a genre they don’t usually tackle boosts their experience.

Highway StarDeep Purple3rank/position

Deep Purple – Highway Star 1972 Video HQ

Deep Purple is a quintessential British hard rock band that, despite a breakup and numerous lineup changes, released a new album in 2024 and continues to perform as an active band.

As one of the groups that drove the hard rock boom of the 1970s, they enjoy immense popularity in Japan as well.

“Highway Star,” included on their landmark album Machine Head, stands alongside “Smoke on the Water” as a quintessential masterpiece often cited as a model study piece for guitarists.

This famous track is also referenced in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, where it appears in Part 4, Diamond Is Unbreakable, as Yuya Fungami’s Stand.

Black NightDeep Purple4rank/position

Black Night

Deep Purple’s “Black Night” is a song released in 1970 and one of the band’s signature tracks.

It wasn’t included on an album for a while, but it was added as a bonus track when the remaster of Deep Purple in Rock was released in 1995.

The guitar riff—one of the band’s hallmarks—is striking in this song as well, and the way the chugging rhythm and vocals layer over it gives the track a cool, driving feel.

In Japan, it was used in commercials for UCC Black (unsweetened), and the pairing with this song even makes black coffee feel cool.

Speed KingDeep Purple5rank/position

Deep Purple – Speed King

This is the commercial song for the Skyline GT-R R33.

Deep Purple is a hard rock band from England formed in 1968.

The guitar riff of “Smoke on the Water” is more than famous.

Space Truckin’Deep Purple6rank/position

Space Truckin’ [complete] – Deep Purple

Deep Purple, a legendary rock band on par with Led Zeppelin, is a group highly respected by countless listeners in Japan.

Owing to their achievements and enduring popularity, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016.

Among their songs with a starry theme, the one that comes to mind is surely “Space Truckin’.” Released in 1972, this track gained popularity for its humor-filled lyrics centered on outer space.

FireballDeep Purple7rank/position

Deep Purple – Fireball

Ian Paice of Deep Purple is one of the most iconic drummers in the hard rock world.

His groundbreaking technique has influenced many drummers, and the title track that opens the 1971 album Fireball kicks off with a powerful drum solo packed with those techniques.

Incidentally, the song is also famous for the anecdote that Paice incorporated a “twin bass drum” setup, placing two bass drums side by side for rapid-fire hits.