By: Brooke Johnpier, Music Department Member
Led Zeppelin was an English rock band that formed in London in 1968, and is known as one of the forefathers of rock and roll and heavy metal due to their guitar-driven sound. The band consisted of singer Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist and keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham.
The band’s debut self-titled album was released on January 12, 1969. According to Page, the album only took 36 hours (about one and a half days) to fully create. This album is also one of the most iconic for covers, with the photo of the Hindenburg exploding. This album contained three major hits, “Good Times Bad Times,” “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You,” and “Dazed and Confused.” For being a debut album only recorded in a little under two days, it did insanely well, peaking at number 10 on the Billboard 200 charts.
Zeppelin’s second album, Led Zeppelin II, was released on October 22, 1969. Although he contributed to the production of the previous album, the entire production of this album was credited to Page. Even though the album only has one major hit, “Whole Lotta Love,” the album was received very well, taking the top spot of all the charts in most countries around the world. The album was also nominated for a Grammy award in 1970, for Best Recording Package. Unfortunately, Zeppelin didn’t win.
The next year, Zeppelin’s third studio album, Led Zeppelin III, was released. This album also had great critical and commercial success, following in its predecessor’s footsteps by peaking at number one on most charts. This album had one more hit than the last one with “Immigrant Song,” and “Since I’ve Been Loving You.”
Zeppelin’s fourth studio album is untitled and was released on November 8, 1971. Depending on who you talk to, it’s also called Led Zeppelin IV; I also refer to it as such. This album was also produced by Page, and contains their most well-known song of all time, “Stairway to Heaven.” Along with “Stairway to Heaven,” this album also contained “Black Dog.” Although this album had, in my opinion, a better selection of hit songs, it landed one spot below its former, at number two on the Billboard 200 chart. A fun fact about this album cover is that the photo on it is of Lot Long, a Wiltshire thatcher. The photo was taken in 1892.
Zeppelin’s fifth album, and the first that wasn’t self-titled, Houses of the Holy, was released on March 28, 1973. This album was also nominated for the Grammy award of Best Recording Package for the year 1974. Unfortunately, they wouldn’t win this award, either. Even though I don’t know a single song on this album, nor have I heard any of the songs on this album, the people loved it, and put it back in the number one spot on the Billboard 200 chart.
Their sixth album, Physical Graffiti, was released on February 24, 1975. It was also released as a double-album. The photo on the album cover is of 96 and 98 St. Mark’s Place in New York City’s East Village. This album followed the former’s footsteps with once again being nominated for the Best Recording Package Grammy award. Although this album only has one major hit, “Kashmir,” it had great acclaim and landed, once again, at number one.
Their seventh studio album, Presence, was released on March 31, 1976, and is another album I have never listened to. Even though I don’t know the songs on the album, the world did, as this album also landed number one on the Billboard 200 chart.
Zeppelin’s eighth, and final, studio album In Through the Out Door was released on August 22, 1979. The album was named after the band’s struggles since the passing of Plant’s son in ‘77, and the taxation exile the band took, resulting in them not being able to tour in the UK. Although I, once again, don’t know what’s on this album, it peaked at number one on the Billboard 200 charts. A fun fact about this album is that there were six variants for the album cover. The records were also covered in a paper bag sleeve.
Even though the band disbanded in 1980, they won some major awards and achievements for their music. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995, and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2009. They won a Grammy Lifetime Achievement award in 2005, and four of their songs alone have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. In 2003, Rolling Stone released the 500 Greatest Albums of all-time, with five of those albums being from Led Zeppelin. The next year, the 500 Greatest Songs of all-time came out, with six of those songs being by Zeppelin. They were also recipients in 2012 at the Kennedy Center Honors.
Led Zeppelin is one of the most influential and successful bands of all-time. If you haven’t listened to them yet, do so. You won’t regret it, and you’ll understand why they’re so great.
Want to share your thoughts? Have a band/artist you want to be featured? Email Brooke at johnpibl23@bonaventure.edu!
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