Releasing more than 10 years of Billboard charting hit albums while establishing a progressive heavy metal genre that stuck with Britain even as the band waned, Uriah Heep was one of the most well-known heavy metal bands of the early 1970s, persevering despite changing decades of music and a revolving door of band members. Uriah Heep saw more than 30 musicians partake in the band in its two-decade music career, still somehow managing to keep the rock group's image and music steady among times of shaky foundation.

Formed as the brainchild of British vocalist David Byron and guitarist Mick Box, Uriah Heep began in 1970 in London, England. The two musicians began their careers together in the mid-1960s as part of the rock band the Stalkers, continuing their partnership with the duo Spice in the late ‘60s that eventually morphed into Uriah Heep after the induction of band members guitarist/keyboardist/vocalist Ken Hensley, bassist Paul Newton and drummer Alex Napier (who was quickly replaced by Nigel Olsson.) Uriah Heep took immediately to the progressive rock scene, releasing the band's debut album Very ‘eavy... Very ‘umble in 1970 (entitled Uriah Heep in the U.S.) After the release of Salisbury (an album featuring a 16-minute title track and a 26-piece orchestra), the band endured a succession of drummers before Gary Thain became the group's most stable replacement, sticking with the band through the ‘70s.

Uriah Heep was insanely productive in the 1970s, releasing five albums in three years while standing at the apex of their career. Starting in 1975, however, the Brit rockers started slipping in the ranks of rock music, a number of musicians entering and exiting the band that made it even harder for Uriah Heep to stay surfaced. Although the ‘80s were less than productive for the band, Uriah Heep continued releasing hit songs right on into the ‘90s and ‘00s.