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Led Zeppelin
Clockwise, from top left: Jimmy Page, John Bonham, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones
Background information
Also known as	The New Yardbirds, The Nobs
Origin	London, England
Genres	Hard rock, blues rock, heavy metal, folk rock
Years active	1968–1980 (reunions: 1985, 1988, 1995, 2007)
Labels	Atlantic, Swan Song
Past members	Jimmy Page Robert Plant John Bonham John Paul Jones
Website	ledzeppelin.com

Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed as The New Yardbirds in London in 1968. The band consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. They are widely considered to be one of the most successful, innovative and influential rock groups in history. Due to the heavy, guitar-driven blues rock sound of their first two albums, Led Zeppelin are frequently recognised as one of the progenitors of heavy metal.

After changing their name from the New Yardbirds to Led Zeppelin, they signed a favourable deal with Atlantic Records that allowed them considerable artistic freedom. With albums Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin II, Led Zeppelin III, Led Zeppelin IV, Houses of the Holy, and Physical Graffiti, the band achieved significant commerical impact. Although they remained commercially and critically successful, in the later 1970s, starting with Presence, the band's output and touring schedule were limited by the personal difficulties and circumstances of the members. Led Zeppelin disbanded following Bonham's unexpected death in 1980.

Since 1980, the surviving members have pursued solo careers and have also been involved in a series of collaborations and sporadic one-off reunions, notably their performance at Live Aid in 1985. In 2007, the surviving members of Led Zeppelin, with Bonham's son, Jason, performed for the Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert at The O2 Arena in London.

Led Zeppelin are one of the best-selling music artists in the history of audio recording—various sources estimate the group's sales at more than 200 or even 300 million albums worldwide. With 111.5 million RIAA-certified units they are the second-best-selling band in the United States. Each of their nine studio albums reached the top 10 of the US Billboard album chart, and six reached the number-one spot.

History

Formation

In 1966, Jimmy Page joined the blues-influenced rock band, The Yardbirds, to replace bassist Paul Samwell-Smith. Page soon switched from bass to lead guitar, creating a dual lead-guitar line-up with Jeff Beck. Following Beck's departure in October 1966, the Yardbirds—tired from constant touring and recording—began to wind down. Page wanted to form a supergroup with him and Beck on guitars, and Keith Moon and John Entwistle of The Who on drums and bass. Vocalists Steve Winwood and Steve Marriott were also considered for the project. The group never formed, although Page, Beck and Moon did record a song together in 1966, "Beck's Bolero", in a session that also included bassist John Paul Jones.

The Yardbirds played their final performance in July 1968 at Luton College of Technology in Bedfordshire. They were still committed to several concerts in Scandinavia, so drummer Jim McCarty and vocalist Keith Relf authorised Page and bassist Chris Dreja to use "the Yardbirds" name to fulfill the band's obligations. Page and Dreja began putting a new line-up together. Page's first choice for the lead singer was Terry Reid, but Reid declined the offer and suggested Robert Plant, a Stourbridge singer for the Band of Joy and Hobbstweedle. Plant eventually accepted the position, recommending former Band of Joy drummer John Bonham. When Dreja dropped out of the project to become a photographer, John Paul Jones, at the suggestion of his wife, contacted Page about the vacant position. Having known Jones from his session days, Page agreed to let him join as the final member.

The four played together for the first time in a room below a record store on Gerrard Street in London. Page suggested that they attempt "Train Kept A-Rollin'", originally a jump blues song popularised in a rockabilly version by Johnny Burnette, which had been covered by the Yardbirds. "As soon as I heard John Bonham play", recalled Jones, "I knew this was going to be great ... We locked together as a team immediately". Before leaving for Scandinavia the group took part in a recording session for the P.J. Proby album, Three Week Hero. The album's track "Jim's Blues", with Plant on harmonica, was the first studio track to feature all four members of the future Led Zeppelin.

The band completed the Scandinavian tour as the New Yardbirds, playing together for the first time in front of a live audience at Gladsaxe Teen Clubs in Gladsaxe, Denmark, on 7 September 1968. Later that month, they began recording their first album, which was based on their live set. The album was recorded and mixed in nine days, and Page himself covered the cost of £1,782. After the album was completed, the band were forced to change their name after Dreja issued a cease and desist letter, stating that Page was only allowed to use the New Yardbirds moniker for the Scandinavian dates.

One account of how the new band's name was chosen held that Moon and Entwistle had suggested that a supergroup with Page and Beck would go down like a "lead balloon", an idiom for disastrous results. The group dropped the 'a' in lead at the suggestion of their manager, Peter Grant, so that those unfamiliar with the phrase would not pronounce it "leed". The word "balloon" was transformed into "zeppelin", perhaps an exaggeration of the humour, and to Page the name conjured the perfect combination of heavy and light, combustibility and grace.

Grant secured an advance deal of $220,000 from Atlantic Records in November 1968, which was then one of biggest deals of its kind for a new band. Atlantic was a label with a catalogue of mainly blues, soul and jazz artists, but in the late 1960s it began to take an interest in British progressive rock acts. It signed Led Zeppelin without having ever seen them, largely on the recommendation of singer Dusty Springfield. Under the terms of their contract, the band had autonomy in deciding when they would release albums and tour and had final say over the contents and design of each album. They also would decide how to promote each release and which tracks to release as singles. They formed their own company, Superhype, to handle all publishing rights.

Early years (1968–70)

The band began their first British tour on 4 October 1968, still billed as the New Yardbirds, and played their first show as Led Zeppelin at the University of Surrey in Battersea on 25 October. Tour manager Richard Cole organised their first North American tour at the end of the year, and became a major figure in the touring life of the group. The first show was in Denver on 26 December 1968, where the band opened for Spirit and Vanilla Fudge. The eponymous debut, Led Zeppelin, was released in the US during the tour on 12 January 1969. The UK release date was 31 March 1969. According to Steve Erlewine, its memorable guitar riffs, lumbering rhythms, psychedelic blues, groovy, bluesy shuffles and hints of English folk, made it "a significant turning point in the evolution of hard rock and heavy metal". Plant received no credit for his songwriting contributions, as he was still under contract to CBS Records. The album eventually peaked at number 10 in the US and number 6 in the UK.

In their first year, Led Zeppelin completed four US and four UK concert tours, and also released their second album, titled Led Zeppelin II. Recorded almost entirely on the road at various North American studios, it was an even greater commercial success than their first album and reached the number one chart position in the US and the UK. The album further developed the mostly blues/rock musical style established on their debut album, creating a work with a direct sound that was "heavy and hard, brutal and direct" and which became highly influential and frequently imitated. Steve Waksman has suggested that Led Zeppelin II was "the musical starting point for heavy metal".

The band saw their albums as indivisible, whole listening experiences, disliking the re-editing of existing tracks. Grant maintained an aggressive pro-album stance, particularly in the UK where there were few radio and TV outlets for playing rock music. Without the band's consent or under their protest, however, some songs were released as singles, particularly in the US. In 1969 an edited version of "Whole Lotta Love" from their second album was released as a single in the US. It reached number four in the Billboard chart in January 1970, selling over one million copies and helping to cement the band's popularity. The group also increasingly shunned television appearances, enforcing their preference that their fans hear and see them in live concerts.

Following the second album's release, Led Zeppelin completed several more US tours. They played initially in clubs and ballrooms, then in larger auditoriums as their popularity grew. Early Led Zeppelin concerts featured expanded and improvised live versions of their song repertoire. Many of these shows have been preserved as Led Zeppelin bootleg recordings. It was during this period of intensive concert touring that the band developed a reputation for off-stage excess. One example of such extravagance was the shark episode, or red snapper incident, which took place at the Edgewater Inn in Seattle on 27 July 1969.

For the third album, Led Zeppelin III, Page and Plant retired to Bron-Yr-Aur, a remote cottage in Wales, in 1970. The result was a more acoustic sound that was strongly influenced by folk and Celtic music, and showcased the band's versatility. The album's rich acoustic sound initially received mixed reactions, with critics and fans surprised at the turn from the primarily electric arrangements of the first two albums, fuelling further hostility to the musical press. It reached number one in the UK and US charts, but its stay on the Billboard 200 chart was shorter than that of the previous two albums. The album's opening track, "Immigrant Song", was released in November 1970 as a single in the US against the band's wishes, peaking at number 16 on the Billboard chart.

"The Biggest Band in the World" (1971–75)

In the 1970s, Led Zeppelin reached new heights of commercial and critical success that made them one of the most influential groups of the era, dwarfing their earlier achievements. The band's image also changed as members began to wear elaborate, flamboyant clothing. Led Zeppelin began travelling in a private jet airliner (nicknamed The Starship), rented out entire sections of hotels (including the Continental Hyatt House in Los Angeles, known colloquially as the "Riot House"), and became the subject of frequently repeated stories of debauchery. One involved John Bonham riding a motorcycle through a rented floor of the Riot House, while another involved the destruction of a room in the Tokyo Hilton, leading to the band being banned from that establishment for life. Although Led Zeppelin developed a reputation for trashing their hotel suites and throwing television sets out of the windows, some suggest that these tales have been exaggerated. Music journalist Chris Welch argues that " travels spawned many stories, but it was a myth that were constantly engaged in acts of wanton destruction and lewd behaviour".

Led Zeppelin's fourth album was released on 8 November 1971. There was no title or conventional band name on the original cover, as the group wished to be anonymous and to avoid easy pigeonholing by the press. The album remained officially untitled and is most commonly known as Led Zeppelin IV, though it is variously referred to as Untitled, IV, or after the four symbols appearing on the record label, as Four Symbols, Zoso or Runes. The album debuted at number two in the US and number one in the UK. Led Zeppelin IV is one of the best-selling albums in history and its massive popularity cemented Led Zeppelin's status as superstars in the 1970s. By 2006, it had sold over 23 million copies in the United States alone. The track "Stairway to Heaven", although never released as a single, is sometimes quoted as being the most requested song on the radio.

Led Zeppelin's next album, Houses of the Holy, was released in 1973 and topped both UK and US charts. It featured further experimentation, with expanded use of synthesisers and mellotron orchestration. The predominately orange album cover of Houses of the Holy depicts images of nude children climbing the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland. Although the children are not shown from the front, the cover was controversial at the time of the album's release. Reception to the album was mostly positive. John Ingham of Let It Rock said that the album showed "increasing diversity, humour, and richness, with only moderate self-indulgence."

Led Zeppelin's subsequent concert tour of North America in 1973 broke records for attendance, as they consistently filled large auditoriums and stadiums, grossing over $4 million for 35 shows. On 4 May, the band attracted 49,236 fans to their concert in Atlanta, Georgia, who paid $246,180 in total. The next day, the they played at Tampa Stadium, Florida, where they were attended by 56,800 fans, breaking the record set by The Beatles at Shea Stadium in 1965, and grossed $309,000. Three sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden in New York City were filmed for a motion picture, but the theatrical release of this project (The Song Remains the Same) was delayed until 1976. Before the final night's performance, $180,000 of the band's money from gate receipts was stolen from a safe deposit box at the Drake Hotel.

In 1974, Led Zeppelin took a break from touring and launched their own record label, Swan Song, named after the unreleased song. The record label's logo, based on a drawing called Evening: Fall of Day (1869) by William Rimmer, features a picture of Apollo. The logo can be found on Led Zeppelin memorabilia, especially T-shirts. In addition to using Swan Song as a vehicle to promote their own albums, the band expanded the label's roster, signing artists such as Bad Company, The Pretty Things and Maggie Bell. The label was successful while Led Zeppelin existed, but folded less than three years after they disbanded.

Physical Graffiti, Presence, and hiatus from touring

In 1975, Led Zeppelin's double album Physical Graffiti was their first release on the Swan Song label. It consisted of fifteen songs, of which eight had been recorded at Headley Grange in 1974 and seven had been recorded earlier. A review in Rolling Stone magazine referred to Physical Graffiti as Led Zeppelin's "bid for artistic respectability", adding that the only bands Led Zeppelin had to compete with for the title "The World's Best Rock Band" were The Rolling Stones and The Who. The album was a massive fiscal and critical success. Shortly after the release of Physical Graffiti, all previous Led Zeppelin albums simultaneously re-entered the top-200 album chart, and the band embarked on another North American tour, now employing sophisticated sound and lighting systems. In May 1975, Led Zeppelin played five sold-out nights at the Earls Court Arena in London, to 85,000 people in total, at the time the largest arena in Britain.

Following their triumphant Earls Court appearances, Led Zeppelin took a holiday and planned an autumn tour in America, scheduled to open with two outdoor dates in San Francisco. In August 1975, however, Plant and his wife Maureen were involved in a serious car crash while on holiday in Rhodes, Greece. Plant suffered a broken ankle and Maureen was badly injured; a blood transfusion saved her life. Unable to tour, he headed to the Channel Island of Jersey to spend August and September recuperating, with Bonham and Page in tow. The band then reconvened in Malibu, California. During this forced hiatus much of the material for their next album, Presence, was written. By this time, Led Zeppelin were the world's number one rock attraction, having outsold most bands of the time, including the Rolling Stones. The recording of Presence commenced in October 1975 at SIR Studios in Los Angeles, and finished at Musicland Studios in Munich that December. Released in March 1976, the album marked a change in Led Zeppelin sound towards more straightforward, guitar-based jams, departing from the acoustic ballads and intricate arrangements featured on their previous albums. For Presence, Page had taken a bigger part in songwriting than the other three members. The album debuted at number one on both US and UK charts, and went gold in the UK and platinum in the US on advance sales alone, becoming the fastest-selling album of all time for Atlantic Records. The general reception of Presence was positive, with Stephen Davis of Rolling Stone billing Led Zeppelin as "heavy-metal champions of the known universe." Page had begun using heroin during the recording of Presence, which negatively affected later live shows of the band, although this has been denied by Page.

Because of Plant's injuries Led Zeppelin did not tour in 1976. Instead, the band released the concert film The Song Remains the Same and the accompanying soundtrack album. The recording had taken place during three concert nights at Madison Square Garden in July 1973, during the band's concert tour of North America, and Shepperton Studios in August 1974. The film premiered in New York City on 20 October 1976, but was given a lukewarm reception by critics and fans. The film was particularly unsuccessful in the UK, where, unwilling to tour since 1975 because of their tax exile status, Led Zeppelin faced an uphill battle to recapture the public's affection. The soundtrack album was rather successful, reaching number two on the US charts and number one on the UK charts.

Return to touring and last American tour

In 1977, Led Zeppelin embarked on another major concert tour of North America. The band set another attendance record, with an audience of 76,229 at the Silverdome on 30 April. It was, according to the Guinness Book of Records, the largest attendance to that date for a single act show. Although the tour was financially profitable it was beset by off-stage problems. On 19 April, over 70 people were arrested as about 1,000 fans tried to gatecrash Cincinnati Riverfront Coliseum for two sold-out concerts, while others tried to gain entry by throwing rocks and bottles through glass doors. On 21 May 1977, a riot broke out after the band's concert at The Summit in Houston, leading to $500,00 of damage and arrest of 40 people. On 3 June, a concert at Tampa Stadium was cut short because of a severe thunderstorm. A riot broke out, resulting in arrests and injuries.

During the 23 July show at the Days on the Green festival at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California, Bonham and members of the band's support staff badly beat Jim Matzorkis, one of Bill Graham's staff. The next day, Matzorkis informed police about the incident, and Grant, John Bindon, Bonham, and Richard Cole were arrested by Oakland's SWAT team. They were held in an open jail for several hours, prior to being released on bail. The 24 July show marked the band's last-ever concert in the United States. Two days later, as the band checked in at a French Quarter hotel for their 30 July performance at the Louisiana Superdome, Plant received news from his wife that his five-year-old son, Karac, had died from a stomach virus. The rest of the tour was immediately cancelled, prompting widespread speculation about the band's future.

Bonham's death and break-up (1978–80)

In November 1978, the started recording at Polar Studios in Stockholm, Sweden. The resulting album, In Through the Out Door, exhibited sonic experimentation that again drew mixed reactions from critics. Nevertheless, the album reached number one in the UK and the US in just its second week on the Billboard album chart. The album had sold more than one million copies in the first 48 hours, and more than 5 million copies in a few months. With this album's release, Led Zeppelin's entire catalogue returned to the Billboard Top 200 in the weeks of 27 October and 3 November 1979.

In August 1979, after two warm-up shows in Copenhagen, Led Zeppelin headlined two concerts at the Knebworth Music Festival, playing to a crowd of approximately 104,000 on the first night and 40,000 on the second night. A brief, low-key European tour was undertaken in June and July 1980, featuring a stripped-down set without the usual lengthy jams and solos. On 27 June, at a show in Nuremberg, Germany, the concert came to an abrupt halt in the middle of the third song when Bonham collapsed on-stage. Speculation in the press suggested that his collapse had been the result of excessive alcohol and drug use, but the band claimed that he had simply overeaten.

A North American tour, the band's first since 1977, was scheduled to commence on 17 October. On 24 September 1980, Bonham was picked up by Led Zeppelin assistant Rex King to attend rehearsals at Bray Studios. During the journey Bonham asked to stop for breakfast, where he downed four quadruple vodkas (450 ml/15 oz.), with a ham roll. After taking a bite of the ham roll he said to his assistant, "breakfast". He continued to drink heavily when he arrived at the studio. The rehearsals were halted late that evening and the band retired to Page's house—The Old Mill House in Clewer, Windsor. After midnight, Bonham, who had fallen asleep, was taken to bed and placed on his side. At 1:45 pm the next day Benji LeFevre (Led Zeppelin's new tour manager) and John Paul Jones found Bonham dead. The cause of death was asphyxiation from vomit, which caused pulmonary oedema, and a verdict of accidental death was returned at an inquest held on 8 October. An autopsy found no other drugs in Bonham's body. Bonham was cremated on 10 October 1980, and his ashes were buried at Rushock parish church in Droitwich, Worcestershire.

The planned North American tour was cancelled, and despite rumours that Cozy Powell, Carmine Appice, or Bev Bevan would join the group as his replacement, the remaining members decided to disband. A 4 December 1980 press statement stated that, "We wish it to be known that the loss of our dear friend, and the deep sense of undivided harmony felt by ourselves and our manager, have led us to decide that we could not continue as we were", and was simply signed "Led Zeppelin".

Post-breakup

1980s

The first significant post-Led Zeppelin project was The Honeydrippers, formed in 1981 by Robert Plant and featuring Jimmy Page on lead guitar, along with studio musicians and friends of Plant and Page, including Jeff Beck, Paul Shaffer, and Nile Rodgers. Plant focused the band in a different direction from Led Zeppelin, playing standards and in a more R&B style, highlighted by their cover of "Sea of Love", which peaked at number three on the Billboard charts in early 1985.

1982 saw the release of a collection of outtakes and unused tracks from the band's career, titled Coda. It included two tracks taken from the band's performance at the Royal Albert Hall in 1970, one each from the Led Zeppelin III and Houses of the Holy sessions, and three from the In Through the Out Door sessions. It also featured a 1976 John Bonham drum instrumental with electronic effects added by Jimmy Page, called "Bonzo's Montreux".

On 13 July 1985, Page, Plant and Jones reunited for the Live Aid concert at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia, playing a short set featuring drummers Tony Thompson and Phil Collins and bassist Paul Martinez. Collins had contributed to Plant's first two solo albums while Martinez was a member of Plant's pre-Zeppelin group Band of Joy. The performance was marred by the lack of rehearsal with the two drummers, Page's struggles with an out-of-tune guitar, poorly functioning monitors, and by Plant's hoarse voice. Page described the performance as "pretty shambolic", while Plant characterised it as a "fucking atrocity".

The three members reunited again on 14 May 1988, for the Atlantic Records 40th Anniversary concert, with Bonham's son, Jason Bonham, on drums. The result was another disjointed performance; Plant and Page had argued immediately prior to coming on stage about whether to play "Stairway to Heaven". The event was broadcast live on HBO Channel, whose TV crew completely lost Jones' keyboard feed. Page described the performance as "one big disappointment", and Plant said that "the gig was foul".

1990s

The first Led Zeppelin box set, featuring tracks remastered under Page's supervision, was released in 1990 and bolstered the band's reputation, leading to abortive discussions among Page, Plant and Jones about a reunion. This set included four previously unreleased tracks, including a version of Robert Johnson's "Travelling Riverside Blues". The song peaked at number seven on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart. 1992 saw the release of "Immigrant Song"/"Hey Hey What Can I Do" (the original B-side) as a CD single in the US. Led Zeppelin Boxed Set 2 was released in 1993; the two box sets together containing all known studio recordings, as well as some rare live tracks.

In 1994, Page and Plant reunited for a 90-minute "UnLedded" MTV project. They later released an album called No Quarter: Jimmy Page and Robert Plant Unledded, which featured some reworked Led Zeppelin songs, and embarked on a world tour the following year. This is said to be the beginning of a rift among the band members, as Jones was not even told of the reunion.

In 1995, Led Zeppelin were inducted into the United States Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith. Jason and Zoe Bonham also attended, representing their late father. At the induction ceremony, the band's inner rift became apparent when Jones joked upon accepting his award, "Thank you, my friends, for finally remembering my phone number", causing consternation and awkward looks from Page and Plant. Afterwards, they played one brief set with Tyler and Perry, with Jason Bonham on drums, and then a second with Neil Young, this time with Michael Lee playing the drums. On 21 November 1995, Peter Grant, Led Zeppelin's former manager suffered a heart attack and died. The funeral was attended by all three surviving members of the band and Bonham's family, plus some famous associates, including Jeff Beck, Paul Rodgers, and Simon Kirke.

In 1997, Atlantic released a single edit of "Whole Lotta Love" in the US and the UK, the only single the band released in their homeland. It peaked at number 21 in the UK. In November 1997, the band's second live album, BBC Sessions was released. A two-disc set, it was recorded on various dates in 1969 and 1971. Page and Plant released another album called Walking into Clarksdale in 1998, featuring all new material, and embarked on a worldwide tour that year. Because of the album's disappointing sales, the partnership dissolved before a planned Australian tour.

2000s and beyond

2003 saw the release of the triple live album How the West Was Won, and Led Zeppelin DVD, a five-hour chronological set of live footage that became the best-selling music DVD in history. In 2005, the band received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. In November 2005, Led Zeppelin was named as one of the winners of the 2006 Polar Music Prize. The King of Sweden presented the prize to Plant, Page, and Jones, along with John Bonham's daughter, Zoë, in Stockholm in May 2006. In November 2006 Led Zeppelin were inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame.

In November 2007, Atlantic/Rhino and Warner Home Video released three Zeppelin titles. First was Mothership, a 24-track best-of spanning the band's career, followed by a reissue of the soundtrack to The Song Remains the Same, which included previously unreleased material, and remastered film. Led Zeppelin also made their catalogue legally available for digital download, becoming one of the last major rock bands to do so.

On 10 December 2007, Led Zeppelin reunited for the one-off Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert at The O2 Arena in London, with Jason Bonham again taking his late father's place on drums. According to Guinness World Records 2009, Led Zeppelin set the world record for the "Highest Demand for Tickets for One Music Concert" as 20 million requests for the reunion show were rendered online. Music critics praised the band's performance and there was widespread speculation about a full reunion. Page, Jones and Jason Bonham were reported to be willing to tour, and to be working on material for a new Led Zeppelin project. Plant continued his touring commitments with Alison Krauss, stating in September 2008 that he would not be recording or touring with Led Zeppelin. Jones, Page and Bonham looked for a replacement for Plant, considering singers including Steven Tyler and Myles Kennedy, but in January 2009 it was confirmed that the project had been abandoned. A film of the Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert, titled Celebration Day, premiered on 17 October 2012 in theatres worldwide and was released on home video on 19 November 2012. The release was a massive success – the film grossed $2 million worldwide in the opening night, and the live album peaked at number four and nine in the UK and US, respectively.

Following the film's premiere, Page revealed that he has been remastering the band's discography with a release set for 2013. He promised releasing "substantial stuff", meaning that the upcoming box sets will include bonus material, such as studio outtakes and unreleased concert footage.

Musical style

Led Zeppelin's music was rooted in the blues. The influence of abrupt, non-fluid American blues of Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters and Skip James was particularly apparent, especially on Led Zeppelin and Led Zeppelin II. Tracks were structured around the twelve-bar blues on every studio album except for Houses of the Holy, and the blues directly and indirectly influenced other songs both musically and lyrically. The band were also strongly influenced by the music of the British, Celtic and American folk revivals. Scottish folk guitarist Bert Jansch helped inspire Page, and from him he adapted open tunings and aggressive strokes into his playing. The band also drew on a wide variety of genres, including world music, and elements of early rock and roll, jazz, country, funk, soul and reggae, particularly on Houses of the Holy, Physical Graffiti and the albums that followed.

The material on the first two albums was largely constructed out of extended jams of blues standards and folk songs. This method led to the mixing of musical and lyrical elements of different songs and versions, as well as improvised passages, to create new material, but later lead to accusations of plagiarism and some legal disputes over copyright. Usually the music was developed first, sometimes with improvised lyrics that might then be rewritten for the final version of the song. From the visit to Bron-Yr-Aur in 1970, the songwriting partnership between Page and Plant became predominant, with Page supplying the music, largely via his acoustic guitar, and Plant emerging as the band's chief lyricist. Jones and Bonham then added to the material, in rehearsal or in the studio, as a song was developed. In the later stages of the band's career, Page took a back seat in composition and Jones became increasingly important in producing music, often composed on the keyboard. Plant would then add lyrics before Page and Bonham developed their parts.

Early lyrics drew on the band's blues and folk roots, often mixing lyrical fragments from different songs. Many of the band's songs dealt with themes of romance, unrequited love and sexual conquest, which were common in rock, pop and blues music. Some of their lyrics, especially those derived from the blues, have been interpreted as misogynistic. Particularly from Led Zeppelin III, they incorporated elements of mythology and mysticism into their music, which largely grew out of Plant's interest in legends and history. These elements were often taken to reflect Page's interest in the occult, which resulted in accusations that the recordings contained subliminal satanic messages, some of which were said to be contained in backmasking: claims generally dismissed by the band and music critics. Susan Fast argues that as Plant emerged as the band's main lyricist, the songs more obviously reflected his alignment with the West Coast counterculture of the 1960s. In the later part of the band's career Plant's lyrics became more autobiographical, and less optimistic, drawing on his own experiences and circumstances.

According to musicologist Robert Walser, "Led Zeppelin's sound was marked by speed and power, unusual rhythmic patterns, contrasting terraced dynamics, singer Robert Plant's wailing vocals, and guitarist Jimmy Page's heavily distorted crunch". Due to these elements they are often cited as one of the progenitors of hard rock and heavy metal and they have been described as the "definitive heavy metal band", although the band members have often eschewed the label. Part of this reputation depends on the band's use of distorted guitar riffs on songs like "Whole Lotta Love" and "The Wanton Song". Often riffs were not doubled by guitar, bass and drums exactly, but instead there were melodic or rhythmic variations; as in "Black Dog", where three different time signatures are used. Page's guitar playing incorporated elements of the blues scale with those of eastern music. Plant's use of high-pitched shrieks has been compared to Janis Joplin's vocal technique. Bonham's drumming was noted for its power, his rapid rolls and his fast beats on a single bass drum. Jones' basslines have been described as melodic and his keyboard playing added a classical touch to the band's sound.

Page has stated that he wanted Led Zeppelin to produce music that had "light and shade". This began to be more clearly realised from Led Zeppelin III, which made greater use of acoustic instruments. This approach has been seen as exemplified in the fourth album, particularly on "Stairway to Heaven", which begins with acoustic guitar and recorder and ends with drums and heavy electric sounds. Towards the end of their recording career, they moved to a more mellow and progressive sound, dominated by Jones' keyboard motifs. They also increasingly made use of various layering and production techniques, including multi-tracking and overdubbed guitar parts. Their emphasis on the sense of dynamics and ensemble arrangement has been seen as producing an individualistic style that transcends any single music genre. Ian Peddie argues that they were "... loud, powerful and often heavy, but their music was also humorous, self-reflective and extremely subtle".

Legacy

Led Zeppelin are widely considered to be one of the most successful, innovative and influential rock bands in the history of music. Rock critic Mikal Gilmore said, "Led Zeppelin—talented, complex, grasping, beautiful and dangerous—made one of the most enduring bodies of composition and performance in twentieth-century music, despite everything they had to overpower, including themselves".

Led Zeppelin have influenced hard rock and heavy metal bands such as Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Rush, Queen, and Megadeth as well as progressive metal bands like Tool and Dream Theater. They influenced some early punk and post-punk bands, among them the Ramones and The Cult. They were also an important influence on the development of alternative rock, as bands adapted elements from the "Zeppelin sound" of the mid-1970s, including The Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. Bands and artists from diverse genres have acknowledged the influence of Led Zeppelin, such as Madonna, Shakira, Lady Gaga, and Katie Melua.

Led Zeppelin have been credited with a major impact on the nature of the music business, particularly in the development of album-orientated rock (AOR) and stadium rock. In 1988 John Kalodner, then-A&R executive of Geffen Records, remarked that "In my opinion, next to the Beatles they're the most influential band in history. They influence the way music is on records, AOR radio, concerts. They set the standards for the AOR-radio format with 'Stairway to Heaven,' having AOR hits without necessarily having Top 40 hits. They're the ones who did the first real big arena concert shows, consistently selling out and playing stadiums without support. People can do as well as them, but nobody surpasses them". Andrew Loog Oldham, the former producer and manager of the Rolling Stones, commented on how Led Zeppelin had a major influence on the record business, and the way rock concerts were managed and presented to huge audiences. The band have sold over 200 million albums worldwide according to some sources, while other sources state that they have sold in excess of 300 million records, including 111.5 million certified units in the United States. According to the Recording Industry Association of America, Led Zeppelin are the fourth-highest-selling music act in the US and one of only three acts to earn four or more Diamond albums. The Sunday Times Rich List, Music Millionaires 2012 (UK), ranked Plant at number 35 with an estimated fortune of £80 million, and Page at number 37 with £75 million. Led Zeppelin remain one of the most bootlegged artists in the history of rock music.

Led Zeppelin also had a significant cultural impact. Jim Miller, editor of Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock & Roll, argues that "On one level, Led Zeppelin represents the final flowering of the sixties' psychedelic ethic, which casts rock as passive sensory involvement". Led Zeppelin have also been described as "the quintessential purveyors" of masculine and aggressive "cock rock". The band's fashion-sense has been seminal; Simeon Lipman, head of pop culture at Christie's auction house, has commented that "Led Zeppelin have had a big influence on fashion because the whole aura surrounding them is so cool, and people want a piece of that". Led Zeppelin laid the foundation for the big hair of 1980s glam metal bands such as Mötley Crüe and Skid Row. Other musicians have also adapted elements from Led Zeppelin's attitude to apparel, jewellery and hair, such as the hipster flares and tight band T-shirts of Kings of Leon, shaggy hair, clingy T-shirts and bluesman hair of Jack White of The White Stripes, and Kasabian guitarist Sergio Pizzorno's silk scarves, trilbies and side-laced tight jeans.

Awards and accolades

Throughout their career, Led Zeppelin have collected many honours and awards. They were inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995, and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2006. Among the band's awards are an American Music Award in 2005, and the Polar Music Prize in 2006. Led Zeppelin were the recipient of a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005, and four of their recordings have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. They have been awarded five Diamond albums, as well as fourteen Multi-Platinum, four Platinum and one Gold album in the United States, while in the UK they have five Multi-Platinum, six Platinum, one Gold and four Silver albums. Rolling Stone magazine ranked Led Zeppelin 14th in their list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time", while naming Page the third-greatest guitarist and Plant the 15th-greatest singer. The same magazine has described the band as "the heaviest band of all time", "the biggest band of the '70s" and "unquestionably one of the most enduring bands in rock history". Similarly, the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame stated that the band were "as influential in that decade as The Beatles were in the prior one".

Jimmy Page was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in recognition of his charity work in 2005 and Robert Plant was honoured as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for his services to popular music in 2009. The band are ranked number one on VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock and Classic Rock's "50 Best Live Acts of All Time". They were awarded an Ivor Novello Award for "Outstanding Contribution to British Music" in 1977, as well as a "Lifetime Achievement Award" at the 42nd Annual Ivor Novello awards ceremony in 1997. The band were honoured with the "Best Live Act" prize for their one-off reunion at the 2008 MOJO Awards, where they were described as the "greatest rock and roll band of all time". The three surviving members (Page, Plant, and Jones) were named as 2012 recipients of the Kennedy Center Honors. In March 2013, Led Zeppelin were given Lifetime-Achievement-Award International for Outstanding Contribution to Music at the Echo awards.

Discography

Notes

1. Dreja later took the photograph that appeared on the back of Led Zeppelin's debut album.
2. The previous record had been set by The Who in December 1975 at the same venue. The attendance was 75,962.
3. Six months later, Grant, Bonham, Cole, and Bindon filed pleas of nolo contendere. Their sentences were suspended and they were given fines of undisclosed amount. Matzorkis later filed a $2 million civil suit against Grant, Bonham, Cole, and Bindon, but the four did not appear in the court.
4. The actual attendance of the two concerts has long been debated. Freddy Bannister, the promoter of Knebworth Festival, claimed that 104,000 and 40,000 people attended first and second shows, respectively. However, following the first concert, Peter Grant showed up at Bannister's house with a photograph taken from above the area. He claimed that NASA scientists had analysed the photo and concluded that the first show alone was attended by up to 250,000 people.

Footnotes

1. Greene 2011.
2. Yorke 1993, pp. 56–59.
3. Wall 2010, pp. 15–16.
4. Wall 2010, pp. 13–14.
5. Wall 2010, pp. 14–15.
6. Davis 1995, pp. 28–29.
7. Wall 2010, p. 9.
8. ^ Buckley 2003, p. 1198.
9. Yorke 1993, p. 65.
10. Wall 2010, p. 11.
11. Wall 2010, p. 10.
12. Fyfe 2003, p. 45.
13. Wall 2010, p. 44.
14. Wall 2010, p. 45.
15. Lewis 1994, p. 3.
16. Welch & Nicholls 2001, p. 75.
17. ^ Wall 2010, p. 52. Cite error: The named reference "FOOTNOTEWall201052" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
18. Wall 2010, p. 47.
19. Wall 2010, pp. 72–73.
20. ^ Shadwick 2005, p. 36.
21. Davis 1995, p. 57.
22. Wall 2010, p. 81.
23. Wall 2010, p. 82.
24. Welch 1994, p. 31.
25. Wall 2010, pp. 82–83.
26. Wall 2010, pp. 73–74.
27. Wall 2010, p. 90; 94–95.
28. Wall 2010, p. 96.
29. Wall 2010, p. 92.
30. Erlewine 2011b.
31. Wall 2010, pp. 69–70.
32. Lewis 1994, p. 14.
33. For UK charts, see: Wall 2010, p. 130; for US charts, see: Wall 2010, p. 145
34. Wall 2010, p. 161.
35. Erlewine 2010.
36. Waksman 2001, p. 263.
37. Wall 2010, pp. 166–167.
38. Wall 2010, p. 157.
39. Welch 1994, p. 49.
40. ^ Erlewine 2011a.
41. ^ Wall 2008.
42. Wall 2010, pp. 165–166.
43. Lewis & Pallett 2005, pp. 73–74.
44. Wall 2010, pp. 180–181, 184.
45. Wall 2010, pp. 208–209.
46. Yorke 1993, p. 130.
47. Wall 2010, p. 202.
48. Waksman 2001, p. 238.
49. Wall 2010, pp. 296–297.
50. Wall 2010, pp. 297–298.
51. Wall 2010, p. 254.
52. Welch 1994, p. 47.
53. ^ Wall 2010, p. 256.
54. Wall 2010, pp. 257.
55. Davis 2005, p. 25.
56. Bukszpan 2003, p. 128.
57. Browne 2001, p. 480.
58. ^ RIAA 2013a.
59. BBC Home 2011.
60. ^ Wall 2010, p. 279.
61. Wall 2010, p. 276.
62. Wall 2010, pp. 290–291.
63. Lewis & Pallett 2005, p. 206.
64. ^ Wall 2010, p. 280.
65. ^ Lewis & Pallett 2005, p. 208.
66. Lewis & Pallett 2005, p. 226.
67. Yorke 1993, pp. 186–187.
68. Wall 2010, p. 294.
69. Lewis & Pallett 2005, p. 207.
70. Williamson 2007, p. 107.
71. Yorke 1993, p. 191.
72. Davis 1995, p. 312.
73. Miller 1975.
74. Davis 1995, pp. 225, 277.
75. Wall 2010, p. 359.
76. Yorke 1993, p. 197.
77. Wall 2010, p. 340.
78. Lewis & Pallett 2005, p. 259.
79. Lewis 2003, p. 35.
80. Wall 2010, p. 342.
81. Wall 2010, pp. 342–343.
82. Davis 1995, pp. 354–355.
83. Wall 2010, pp. 345–346.
84. ^ Wall 2010, p. 345.
85. Lewis 2003, p. 45.
86. Davis 1995, p. 173.
87. Wall 2010, p. 347; 349.
88. Wall 2010, p. 347.
89. Wall 2010, p. 334.
90. Wall 2010, p. 354.
91. ^ Wall 2010, p. 362.
92. Lewis & Pallett 2005, p. 312.
93. Wall 2010, p. 312.
94. Wall 2010, p. 364.
95. Shadwick 2005, p. 320.
96. ^ For UK charts, see: UK Charts 2012; for US charts, see: Allmusic 2012
97. ^ Wall 2010, p. 366.
98. Lewis & Pallett 2005, p. 287.
99. Lewis & Pallett 2005, p. 286.
100. Lewis 2003, p. 49.
101. Wall 2010, p. 372.
102. ^ Wall 2010, p. 373.
103. Lewis & Pallett 2005, pp. 291–292.
104. Wall 2010, p. 278.
105. Davis 1995, p. 277.
106. Yorke 1993, p. 210.
107. Wall 2010, p. 379.
108. Wall 2010, p. 382.
109. ^ Wall 2010, p. 383.
110. Welch 1994, p. 85.
111. Wall 2010, pp. 390–392.
112. ^ Wall 2010, p. 402.
113. Wall 2010, p. 401.
114. Lewis 2003, p. 80.
115. Wall 2010, p. 406.
116. Wall 2010, pp. 408–409.
117. ^ Wall 2010, p. 409.
118. Davis 1995, p. 300.
119. Wall 2010, p. 410.
120. ^ Wall 2010, p. 411.
121. ^ Welch 1994, p. 92.
122. Lewis & Pallett 2005, p. 330.
123. Wall 2010, p. 413.
124. Wall 2010, p. 415.
125. Wall 2010, p. 416.
126. Welch 1994, pp. 94–95.
127. Huey 2011.
128. Yorke 1993, p. 267.
129. ^ Wall 2010, p. 424.
130. ^ Lewis & Pallett 2005, p. 333.
131. List 2007.
132. Lewis & Pallett 2005, p. 334.
133. Wall 2010, p. 428.
134. Lewis & Pallett 2005, p. 335.
135. ^ Lewis & Pallett 2005, p. 336.
136. ^ Wall 2010, p. 433.
137. ^ Lewis & Pallett 2005, p. 337.
138. Allmusic 2012.
139. Discogs 2011.
140. ^ Wall 2010, p. 434.
141. Murray 2004, p. 75.
142. ^ Lewis & Pallett 2005, p. 347.
143. ^ Lewis 2003, p. 163.
144. Wall 2010, p. 435.
145. Lewis 2003, p. 166.
146. Lewis & Pallett 2005, p. 42.
147. Wall 2010, p. 436.
148. Wall 2010, pp. 460–461.
149. Wall 2010, p. 437.
150. Lewis & Pallett 2005, p. 354.
151. ^ BBC Home 2005.
152. ^ BBC Home 2006a.
153. ^ BBC Home 2006b.
154. Cohen 2007.
155. Reuters 2007.
156. ^ Thorpe 2007.
157. TVNZ 2009.
158. Gardner 2007.
159. Wall 2010, p. 451–452.
160. BBC Mobile 2008.
161. Wall 2010, p. 457.
162. Wall 2010, pp. 459–460.
163. Wall 2010, p. 463.
164. Greene 2012.
165. Variety 2012.
166. Classic Rock 2012.
167. Fricke 2012.
168. ^ Gulla 2009, pp. 153–159.
169. Fast 2001, p. 8.
170. Wall 2010, p. 56.
171. Gulla 2009, p. 152.
172. ^ Wall 2010, pp. 56–59.
173. ^ Fast 2001, p. 26.
174. Wall 2010, pp. 294–296 and 364–366.
175. Yorke 1993, pp. 236–237.
176. Wall 2010, pp. 412–413.
177. Fast 2001, p. 25.
178. ^ Cope 2010, p. 81.
179. Fast 2001, p. 59.
180. Wall 2010, pp. 278–279.
181. Fast 2001, pp. 9–10.
182. Wall 2010, pp. 364–365.
183. ^ Walser 1993, p. 10.
184. Fast 2011, p. 5.
185. Rolling Stone.
186. Bukszpan 2003, p. 124.
187. Fast 2001, pp. 113–117.
188. Fast 2001, p. 96.
189. ^ Schinder & Schwartz 2008, p. 390.
190. Fast 2001, p. 87.
191. Fast 2001, p. 45.
192. Courtright 1985, p. 163.
193. Fast 2001, p. 13.
194. Fast 2001, p. 79.
195. Schinder & Schwartz 2008, pp. 380–391.
196. Brackett 2008, pp. 53–76.
197. Buckley 2003, p. 585.
198. Peddie 2006, p. 136.
199. Schinder & Schwartz 2008, p. 380.
200. Gilmore 2007.
201. Thompson 2004, p. 61.
202. MTV 2006.
203. Prown, Newquist & Eiche 1997, p. 167.
204. Prown, Newquist & Eiche 1997, p. 106.
205. Davies 2010.
206. Pareles 1997.
207. Sparks 2010.
208. Jones 2003.
209. Erlewine 2007.
210. Astbury 2010.
211. Witmer 2010, pp. 16, 18–19.
212. Grossman 2002.
213. Haskins 1995, p. xv.
214. Turner 2010.
215. Gaar 2009, p. 36.
216. Schinder & Schwartz 2008, p. 405.
217. Budofsky 2006, p. 147.
218. CNN 1999.
219. Márquez 2002.
220. Cochrane 2009.
221. Independent 2007.
222. Bukszpan 2003, p. 121.
223. Waksman 2009, pp. 21–31.
224. Pond 1988, pp. 68–69.
225. Hughes 2010.
226. Sorel-Cameron 2007.
227. RIAA 2013b. sfn error: no target: CITEREFRIAA2013b (help)
228. Rich List 2012.
229. Clinton 2004, p. 8.
230. Straw 1990, p. 84.
231. Waksman 2001, pp. 238–239.
232. Fast 2001, pp. 162–163.
233. ^ Long 2007.
234. Batchelor & Stoddart 2007, p. 121.
235. Grammy 2011.
236. BPI 2011.
237. For artists, see: RS Artists; for guitarists, see: RS Guitarists; for singers, see: RS Singers
238. Rolling Stone 2006.
239. Rolling Stone 2011. sfn error: no target: CITEREFRolling_Stone2011 (help)
240. Rolling Stone 2009. sfn error: no target: CITEREFRolling_Stone2009 (help)
241. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2010.
242. Leonard 2008.
243. VH1 2010.
244. Classic Rock 2008, pp. 34–45.
245. Billboard 1977.
246. Hunter 1997.
247. Rogers 2008.
248. Mojo 2008.
249. KCH 2012.
250. Echo 2013.

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External links

Template:Misplaced Pages books

• Official website
• Led Zeppelin at MySpace
• Led Zeppelin at Atlantic Records
• Video on YouTube (Official)
• Template:Dmoz