Status Quo debuted with a pastiche of psychedelic and progressive rock, Pictures Of A Matchstick Man (1968), but rapidly converted to hard-rock with Ma Kelly's Greasy Spoon (Pye, 1970) and Down The Dustpipe. They were among the least inspired of hard-rock bands of the Led Zeppelin era and appropriately ignored by the masses until Piledriver (Vertigo, 1973) established them as the "next big thing". Hello (1973), their bestseller, contained 4500 Times, Caroline, Roll Over Lay Down, the lengthy FFHT. The music of Quo (1974), On The Level (1975), with the hit Down Down, Blue For You (1976), with Rain, Rocking All Over The World (1977), with Rocking All Over The World Whatever You Want (1979), with Whatever You Want, was no less insignificant.

Few bands were more derivative and less original, but Status Quo continued to be worshipped throughout the punk era, a feat that almost noone else could manage.

Status Quo's guitarist Rick Parfitt died at the age of 68. Singer and bassist Alan Lancaster died in 2021.