The Who, formed in 1964, was one of the British rock groups that dominated the 1960s and 1970s. The members include Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, John Entwistle, and Keith Moon; Keith Moon was later replaced by Kenney Jones in 1970. They’re known for pioneering rock opera, progressive and arena rock music. Originally called the Detours, they changed their name to the Who because they thought it was more impactful.
During the early ‘60s, the band was struggling to make it big, so in the meantime, most of the members worked odd jobs and performed at small clubs in London. Once they had a manager, they were encouraged to experiment with R&B music and embrace the Mod movement, a British youth subculture characterized by unique fashion and alternative music. The Who wrote and released powerful songs about feeling isolated and frustrated. At one of their concerts, Townshend, the guitarist, accidentally smashed his guitar; this became popular with mod culture as it resembled auto-destructive art. The band described the destruction of their instruments as a type of relieving practice.
The Who’s popularity compared to that of other British rock legends like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. Their sound was mainly inspired by American R&B and American artists like James Brown, Booker T. & the MG’s, and Eddie Cochran. However, they were a lot more successful in Britain than in the United States. They separated themselves from other artists at the time by not writing songs about peace and love. Instead, they wrote and sang songs about unreciprocated lust, peer pressure, and bugs.
One of the Who’s biggest songs was the teenage angst hit, “Baba O’Riley.” Other iconic hits include “My Generation,” “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” “I Can’t Explain,” and “I Can See for Miles.” They also wrote a couple soft romantic songs like “Behind Blue Eyes” and “Love Ain’t for Keeping.” One of the Who’s most popular rock albums was "Who's Next", which was a best-seller and solidified the band as famous rockers. Other albums include "Tommy," an adventurous rock opera about the struggles a Who fan named Jimmy, and "Quadrophenia", a follow-up album to "Tommy" that feature songs about real-life happenings like the Brighton Beach brawl that pitted mods and rockers against each other.
The Who had a huge impact on teenagers and the mod culture in the ‘60s and ‘70s because of their relatable and edgy rock ‘n’ roll music. The Who influenced more current artists like Eddie Vedder from Pearl Jam, Billie Joe Armstrong, Wayne Coyne from the Flaming Lips, and Bono from U2.
Because the Who didn’t write many songs about love, the type of songs which dominated the ‘60s, they were viewed as punk outcasts. Even though that may seem alienating, the Who was loved by millions of fans. The Who’s Next tour set the Who as one of the must-see rock bands in the world.
