The Who are an English rock band formed in London in 1964. The group's classic line-up consisted of vocalist Roger Daltrey, guitarist and principal songwriter Pete Townshend, bassist John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. The Who are regarded as one of the most significant rock bands of the 20th century and have been associated with developments in live sound reinforcement, the use of synthesisers in rock music, and distinctive instrumental techniques employed by Townshend, Entwistle, and Moon.
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The Who are an English rock band formed in London in 1964. The group's classic line-up consisted of vocalist Roger Daltrey, guitarist and principal songwriter Pete Townshend, bassist John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. The Who are regarded as one of the most significant rock bands of the 20th century and have been associated with developments in live sound reinforcement, the use of synthesisers in rock music, and distinctive instrumental techniques employed by Townshend, Entwistle, and Moon. The band were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.
The group developed from an earlier band called the Detours. Daltrey founded the Detours in 1959, later recruiting Entwistle and Townshend. After briefly performing as the High Numbers in 1964, the group adopted the name The Who. During the mid-1960s they became closely associated with the British mod movement and gained attention for energetic live performances that often featured the destruction of instruments on stage.
The band's first single as The Who, "I Can't Explain", reached the UK top ten in 1965. It was followed by a series of successful singles including "Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere", "My Generation", "Substitute", "I'm a Boy", "Happy Jack", and "Pictures of Lily". "My Generation" became one of the group's best-known songs and was later regarded as a defining recording of the mod era. In 1967, The Who performed at the Monterey Pop Festival and released "I Can See for Miles", which became their only top ten single in the United States.
Their debut album, "My Generation" (1965), was followed by "A Quick One" (1966) and "The Who Sell Out" (1967). In 1969, the band released the rock opera "Tommy", a concept album that achieved both commercial success and critical recognition. The album included the single "Pinball Wizard" and was later adapted into a feature film.
The Who's appearances at major festivals, including Woodstock and the Isle of Wight Festival, contributed to their growing international reputation. The live album "Live at Leeds" (1970) is frequently cited among the most notable live rock recordings. Following "Tommy", Townshend began work on a multimedia project titled "Lifehouse", which was ultimately abandoned. Material from the project formed the basis of the album "Who's Next" (1971), which included the songs "Baba O'Riley", "Behind Blue Eyes", and "Won't Get Fooled Again".
The band released another concept album, "Quadrophenia" (1973), which explored themes associated with mod culture in Britain. During the 1970s, they also released "The Who by Numbers" (1975) and "Who Are You" (1978). Shortly after the release of "Who Are You", Keith Moon died on 6 September 1978 at the age of 32.
Moon was replaced by drummer Kenney Jones, formerly of the Small Faces and Faces. The band resumed touring and released the films "Quadrophenia" (1979) and "The Kids Are Alright" (1979). Two further studio albums followed: "Face Dances" (1981) and "It's Hard" (1982). Internal differences regarding the band's future contributed to their dissolution in 1983, when Townshend announced his departure.
Although the group ceased regular activity, The Who reunited on several occasions. They performed at Live Aid in 1985 and undertook a 25th-anniversary tour in 1989 with Simon Phillips on drums. During 1996 and 1997, Daltrey, Townshend, and Entwistle toured with a live presentation of "Quadrophenia", featuring Zak Starkey on drums. A more permanent reunion followed in 1999, with Starkey serving as the band's principal drummer.
John Entwistle died on 27 June 2002 in Las Vegas at the age of 57. Following his death, Daltrey and Townshend continued The Who with a touring line-up that included various supporting musicians. The band's first studio album after Entwistle's death, "Endless Wire", was released in 2006. It was followed by "Who" in 2019.
Throughout the 21st century, The Who continued to tour internationally and appeared at events including the Super Bowl XLIV halftime show in 2010 and the closing ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. In 2025, the band undertook "The Song Is Over North American Farewell Tour", which was announced as their final North American tour.
The Who's catalogue includes a number of influential studio albums, live recordings, and concept works. Their music has been cited as an influence by artists associated with hard rock, punk rock, power pop, and other genres, and the band remain one of the most commercially successful and critically recognised groups in the history of rock music.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Who
Studio albums
My Generation (1965)
A Quick One (1966)
The Who Sell Out (1967)
Tommy (1969)
Who's Next (1971)
Quadrophenia (1973)
The Who by Numbers (1975)
Who Are You (1978)
Face Dances (1981)
It's Hard (1982)
Endless Wire (2006)
Who (2019)
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…shrink me down again