Deep Purple Vs. Creedence Clearwater Revival – Ultimate Classic Rock Hall of Fame Round One

One of England's most important hard rock bands lines up against one of America's greatest roots-rock outfits as Deep Purple battles Creedence Clearwater Revival in round one of June's UCR Hall of Fame election. Each month, our readers will determine which of eight legendary artists or bands is immortalized forever for their contributions to classic rock history.

Somehow, Deep Purple never get the credit they deserve as one of the early pioneers of hard rock and heavy metal. After a few years experimenting with pop, progressive and even classical music, the group hit their stride with 1970's streamlined 'In Rock.' This kicked off a parade of hard-hitting radio staples such as 'Smoke on the Water,' 'Speed King' and 'Highway Star,' all of which can be found on our list of the Top 10 Deep Purple Songs.

Creedence Clearwater Revival, quite simply, are an American treasure. In their extremely brief time together, they were at the forefront of a movement to return rock and roll to its roots after years of increasingly ornate experimentation and production. Led by frontman and songwriter John Fogerty, the group created classic anthems such as 'Fortunate Son,' 'Who'll Stop the Rain' and 'Born on the Bayou.' Again, if you need a refresher course you can check out our list of CCR's Top 10 Songs.

"Why Isn't My Favorite Band Nominated for the UCR Hall of Fame?"

As you can see, both groups are extremely important to the history of classic rock. Which of the two advances to the next round is up to you. Readers can vote once a day from now until 11:59PM ET on June 16. You can read the Hall of Fame’s official rules right here. Be sure to mark your calendars for July 1, when the third entrant into the Ultimate Classic Rock Hall of Fame is revealed.