Jethro Tull emerged during the experimental rock and roll period of the late ‘60s in the U.K. and has released no less than 11 gold and five platinum records since, all of which display their brand of hard rock tinged with blues, embedded in folk melodies.

Ian Anderson, the flautist/guitarist/singer/songwriter who would anchor Jethro Tull throughout the years, had played with several bands before forming a new group with guitarist/singer Mick Abrahams, drummer Clive Bunker and bassist Glenn Cornick. They tried out several names before adopting Jethro Tull, a moniker borrowed from an 18th century farmer/inventor (yes, really) that proved memorable and released their first single, "Sunshine Day," in 1968. One year later the band debuted a different sound on Stand Up, which was followed by a string of successful U.K. singles like "Sweet Dream," "The Witch's Promise" and "Reasons for Waiting." Benefit was Jethro Tull's last venture into the blues and after scoring charting singles in the U.S. with "Teacher" and "Sossity, You're A Woman," the band shared a bill with B.B. King, Jimi Hendrix and Johnny Winter at the Atlanta Pop Festival.

Despite enduring near-constant lineup changes, Jethro Tull released what was hailed as their magnum opus, Aqualung, in 1971. Anderson delved into topics like the relationship between man and God in the hard rock-infused album and critics and audiences alike took the bait; Aqualung soared to number seven in America and number four in England. The follow-up album came in the form of Thick as a Brick, released in 1972, but after 1973's A Passion Play Jethro Tull experienced a critical backlash that saw critics attacking the album despite it snagging the number one spot in America. In 1974 Jethro Tull delivered War Child (in which the band went back to songs that adhered to conventional lengths) and 1975's Minstrel in the Gallery featured a strong folk influence.

After steadily churning out albums throughout the remainder of the 1970s and 80s, Jethro Tull celebrated their 20th anniversary in 1988 and received the Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance for Crest of the Knave. The band was once again launched into the spotlight, despite critics debating whether or not they deserved the award, and they have more or less remained present on the music scene ever since, releasing live albums well into the new millennium.