#6 Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin was not a metal band. They were a blues based classic rock band. Their interpretation of folk and the blues defined their music. Zeppelin did not limit themselves however. They also included rockabilly, reggae, soul, classical, Indian, Arabic, pop, Latin, and even country into their work. Then, they would take the music into new directions.

Zeppelin’s themes also separated them from the pack. Robert Plant’s interest in history and fantasy found an outlet in songs such as “Stairway to Heaven”, “The Immigrant Song”, and “Ramble On”. He brought a Medieval feel to the work. Guitarist Jimmy Page’s embrace of the occult has been overblown, but it fit into the band’s narrative and music, and complimented Plant's interests. Drummer John Bonham is second only to The Who’s Keith Moon amongst rock’s elite drummers. Bonham experiment and did things on the drums people are still trying to copy. Bassist John Paul Jones held the music together with innovative and time shifting bass lines.

Led Zeppelin experienced unbridled success throughout the seventies. They were the greatest band of the era and many critics place them behind only Stevie Wonder as greatest act of the seventies. During this period, “Stairway to Heaven” was released and is still considered by many to be the greatest rock song of all time. Additionally, they have sold over 200 million albums. Then, it ended. Like Keith Moon, John Bonham died young. Unlike The Who, Zeppelin broke up.

In 1982, Zeppelin released an album of out takes. They reunited with Phil Collins on drums for Live Aid in 1985. The performance was not released on the Live Aid DVD because the band felt their performance was substandard. Page and Plant reunited without Jones in the mid-90s for a pair of albums and tour. This was a point of contention between the three at the Rock n Roll Induction ceremony in 1995. In 2007, the band reunited once more for the Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert. Afterwards, rumors about a reunion tour went out of control. Plant shot them down and went onto Grammy success with Alyson Krauss.

Rock n Roll Moment: The Fish Story

Essential Zeppelin:

Led Zeppelin (1969)
Zeppelin II (1969)
Zeppelin III (1970)
Zeppelin IV (1971)
Houses of the Holy (1973)
Physical Graffiti (1975)

Led Zeppelin’s Top 10:

Whole Lotta Love
Heartbreaker
Ramble On
Immigrant Song
Black Dog
Rock and Roll
Stairway to Heaven
Kashmir
Houses of the Holy
In the Evening