Led Zeppelin

Widely regarded as the first heavy-metal band, Led Zeppelin was called the heaviest band of all times and the biggest band of the 70s by Rolling Stone Magazine. Led Zeppelin has had over 300 million records sales worldwide and all of their albums have made it to Billboard magazine's Top Ten. They are ranked number one on VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock.

Led Zeppelin formed out of the dissolution of the old super-group the Yardbirds. Jimmy Page had been playing bass for them since 1966. The Yardbirds gradually disintegrated due to burnout but they still had contractual obligations to tour. Jimmy Page formed the New Yardbirds around himself and the old Yardbirds drummer. Robert Plant was eventually tapped as lead singer, John Bonham replaced the old Yardbirds drummer and John Paul Jones tried out and became the interim groups bassist. The New Yardbirds were formed and finished off the required touring schedule. Everyone could see that this was no mere scratch band and a special chemistry was evolving.

The origin of the band's naming, has become almost legendary. Keith Moon and John Entwistle suggested that a possible supergroup containing themselves, Jimmy Page, and Jeff Beck would go down like a lead zeppelin, a term Entwistle used to describe a bad gig. The group deliberately dropped the 'a' in Lead at the suggestion of their manager, Peter Grant, to prevent "thick Americans" from pronouncing it as "leed". ¹

Their manager Peter Grant signed a $200K deal with Atlantic Records sight unseen in Oct. 1968 and Led Zeppelin was born. They began touring almost immediately in the US and the UK befor their first album had even been pressed.

Released in Jan. 1969, their first self titled album Led Zeppelin became a pivitol album in the creation of heavy metal.

Good Times Bad Times

Dazed and Confused

Led Zeppelin II established Led Zeppelin as no mere flash in the pan and as a genuine super-group. It was even more successful than their first album hittin #1 in both the US and the UK.

Whole Lotta of Love

Led Zeppelin III was a departure from the hard driving metal sound of their first two albums. The electric was replaced by acoustic and the blues influence was replaced by folk. Only in this case Led Zeppeling pulled it off beautifully with another trans-Atlantic #1 hit.

Immigrant Song

Since I've Been Loving You

Led Zeppelin IV or "the Runes Album" is a classic album by anyones definition.

Black Dog

Stairway To Heaven

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1- Wikipedia, Led Zeppelin