Having released 14 studio albums and sold over 50 million records worldwide,[2] the group has received several Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2009.

"Africa" topped the Billboard Hot 100, while "Rosanna" reached number 2, helping Toto become one of the best-selling music groups of their era.

[5] The members of Toto were regulars on albums by Steely Dan,[6] Seals and Crofts,[7] Boz Scaggs,[8] Sonny and Cher,[9] and many others, contributing to many of the most popular records of the 1970s.

According to popular myth, at the first recording sessions, in order to distinguish their own demo tapes from other bands' in the studio, Jeff Porcaro wrote the word "Toto" on them.

David Hungate, after viewing the name on the demo tapes, explained to the group that the Latin words "in toto" translated to "all-encompassing".

[13] For the tour, Toto brought along two additional musicians, Tom Kelly (guitar, backup vocals) and Lenny Castro (percussion), to increase the depth of the sound.

At the close of the first tour, the band began work on their next album, Hydra, which was released later that year and featured the single "99", inspired by George Lucas' cult film THX 1138.

Its disappointing chart performance and sales in almost every country except Japan and Norway put the band's career into further jeopardy, as they had not had a hit single in North America in almost two years at that point.

The album featured three singles that reached the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart: "Rosanna", "Africa" and "I Won't Hold You Back".

"Africa" topped the charts in February 1983 and was a constant presence on radios around the world, but it was "Rosanna" that earned the band multiple Grammy nominations.

[13] During this time, Steve Porcaro co-wrote and co-composed "Human Nature", which Michael Jackson recorded for his best-selling album Thriller (1982), turning the song into a smash hit.

Jeff Porcaro and Steve Lukather also appeared on Thriller on multiple tracks, most notably on Beat It and the Jackson/Paul McCartney duet "The Girl Is Mine".

Hungate, who had relocated to Nashville in 1980 to pursue a session/production career, felt that the fame surrounding Toto IV would prevent him from spending time with his family.

From 1991 on, Steve Lukather would handle a majority of the vocals (until Bobby Kimball's return in 1998), but some older songs originally sung by Kimball, Fergie Frederiksen, and Joseph Williams were put in the set list and sung by new backup singers Fred White (who was replaced by John James in 1992), Jackie McGee, who had joined for the 1990 tour and was replaced by Donna McDaniel in 1992, and Jenny Douglas-McRae, who came aboard in 1990.

From March to November 1993, Lukather and Phillips teamed up with friends David Garfield and John Pena on the side project Los Lobotomys and recorded the album Candyman.

A departure from Toto's sound of the late 1970s and 1980s, Tambu was a very organic release and featured the single "I Will Remember", which received moderate radio play.

1997 marked the band's 20th anniversary, and in order to commemorate it, David Paich and Steve Lukather started to go through several old tapes and demos for a special record of unreleased songs.

The new album featured three singles, "Melanie", "Cruel" and "Mad About You", a song co-written by David Paich and former Toto vocalist Joseph Williams.

I really can't go out and play Hold The Line with a straight face anymore.Steve Lukather released his next solo album on February 22, 2008, titled Ever Changing Times.

Steve Lukather stated that the band still existed: Edit to 2010.. well with Mike not being well and some of us missing each other the REAL high school friends (yes that includes Joe!!)

People want to hear the hits played the way they were recorded, Joe has his voice back 100% and I loved having that power in front again and all REAL, BIG vocals again strong and seeing Paich AND Steve Porcaro with THOSE real keyboard sounds, Simon back and as Lee was busy having old pal Nate East step in.. it was so much fun and so successful we thought "Hmm, maybe a few gigs once in awhile would be fun" and we can make some money etc.. please some of the hard core fans.

On January 21, 2013, Steve Lukather released a solo album, Transition, featuring former Toto touring bassist Leland Sklar, as well as Gregg Bissonette and Chad Smith.

[51] On April 6, 2015, Toto announced that they would embark on August 7, 2015, in Mashantucket, Connecticut, with the band Yes, on a joint summer tour of North America, due to end on September 12 in Coquitlam, British Columbia.

In June 2016, keyboardist Steve Porcaro released his first solo album, titled Someday/Somehow featuring Michael McDonald and Toto touring backing singer Mabvuto Carpenter.

David Paich made a special appearance with the group at the tour opener in Los Angeles, singing and playing on “Africa” and “Home of the Brave”.

The new band lineup would feature bassist John Pierce (Huey Lewis and the News, Pablo Cruise, and a long-time session player), drummer Robert "Sput" Searight (Ghost-Note, Snarky Puppy), and keyboardists Dominique "Xavier" Taplin (Prince, Ghost-Note) and Steve Maggiora (Robert Jon & the Wreck), as well as multi-instrumentalist Warren Ham.

On June 28, 2021, Lukather stated that the group has no plans to record any future studio albums, though he was open to working with Williams on solo projects.

[71] In January 2024, Toto announced on Facebook the return of keyboardist Greg Phillinganes and drummer Shannon Forrest ahead of their "Dogz of Oz" tour in 2024, replacing Taplin and Searight.

In the second half of 2024, Toto toured Europe from late June-late July,[73] returned to perform in its hometown of Los Angeles at the Hollywood Bowl on September 1, 2024,[74] and then played a series of concerts in Latin American countries such as Mexico, Argentina, and Colombia.

Members of Toto have also collaborated with Larry Carlton, Pink Floyd, Quincy Jones, Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, James Newton Howard, Michael McDonald, the Eagles, Earth, Wind & Fire, Yes, Eddie Van Halen, Los Lobotomys, Yoso, Richard Page (of Mr. Mister, who was proposed to replace Bobby Kimball), and Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band (also featuring Richard Page).