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.
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