Led Zeppelin

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, heavy metal, blues rock, folk rock
Years active	1968–80 (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 active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed as the New Yardbirds 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.

On hearing of the new group, The Who's drummer Keith Moon and bassist John Entwistle commented jokingly that it would "go down like a lead balloon". With a slightly different spelling and wording, the group changed their name to Led Zeppelin. Prior to releasing their first album, the band signed a favourable deal with Atlantic Records that allowed them considerable artistic freedom. They disliked releasing their songs as singles; they viewed their albums as indivisible and complete listening experiences. Due to the heavy, guitar-driven blues rock sound of their first two albums, Led Zeppelin are frequently recognised as the progenitors of heavy metal and hard rock. However, the band's individualistic style drew from a wide variety of influences, including folk music, which they incorporated into their next two albums. Their untitled fourth album, which features the track "Stairway to Heaven", is among the most popular and influential works in rock music, and it cemented the status of the group as "superstars." Subsequent albums saw greater experimentation and were accompanied by record-breaking tours, which earned them a reputation for excess. Although they remained commercially and critically successful, in the later 1970s, 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. In 2007, 27 years after the group disbanded, the surviving members of Led Zeppelin reunited (along with John Bonham's son, Jason) for the Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert at The O2 Arena in London. The band were honoured with the "Best Live Act" prize for their one-off reunion at MOJO Awards 2008, where they were described as the "greatest rock and roll band of all time".

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. Rolling Stone magazine described them 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 [the 1970s] as the Beatles were in the prior one".

History

Formation

The band's logotype, used since 1973

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 the Who's Keith Moon and John Entwistle 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-keyboardist 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 (he would later take the photograph that appeared on the back of Led Zeppelin's debut album), 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.

A 1937 photograph of the burning LZ 129 Hindenburg, similar to that used on the cover of the band's debut album and extensively on later merchandise

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 costs. After the album's completion, 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 the 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 $200,000 from Atlantic Records in November 1968, which was then one of biggest deals of its kind for a new band. Atlantic were 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)

A black and white photograph of Robert Plant performing with microphone stand and Jimmy Page with guitar

Plant, Bonham and Page performing at the Montreux Jazz Festival in March 1970

On 14 October 1968, the band announced the new name and played their first show at the University of Surrey (at its original Battersea Park location, not at Guildford) on 25 October; this was followed by a short British tour. Richard Cole organised their first North American tour at the end of the year, and would become a major figure in the touring life of the group. The first show was in Denver on 26 December 1968, followed by other West Coast dates before they travelled to California to play in Los Angeles and San Francisco. 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, said to be because of his being under contract to CBS Records. The album eventually peaked at number 10 on the Billboard chart 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 would be highly influential and frequently imitated. Steve Waksman has suggested that Led Zeppelin II was "the musical starting point for heavy metal".

Bron-Yr-Aur, the Welsh cottage to which Page and Plant retired in 1970 to write many of the tracks that appeared on the band's third and fourth albums

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. Some early Led Zeppelin concerts lasted more than four hours, with 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 alleged example of such extravagance was the shark episode, or red snapper incident, which is said to have taken place at the Edgewater Inn in Seattle on 28 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 would be the shortest of their first five albums. The album's opening track, "Immigrant Song", was released in November 1970 as a single in the US against the band's wishes, reaching the top twenty on the Billboard chart.

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

Plant and Page perform acoustically in Hamburg in March 1973, just before the release of Led Zeppelin's fifth album, Houses of the Holy

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 "[Led Zeppelin's] travels spawned many stories, but it was a myth that [they] 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. 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 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, and the most played album-orientated rock FM radio song.

The four symbols on the label and inside sleeve of Led Zeppelin IV, representing (from left to right) Page, Jones, Bonham, and Plant

Led Zeppelin's next album, Houses of the Holy, was released in 1973. 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.

The album topped the charts, and Led Zeppelin's subsequent concert tour of North America in 1973 broke records for attendance, as they consistently filled large auditoriums and stadiums. At Tampa Stadium, Florida, they played to 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.

Led Zeppelin perform at Chicago Stadium in January 1975, a few weeks before the release of Physical Graffiti

In 1974, Led Zeppelin took a break from touring and launched their own record label, Swan Song, named after an 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.

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, at the time the largest arena in Britain.

Hiatus from touring and return (1975–77)

Plant and Page perform in Chicago in April 1977, during Led Zeppelin's last North American tour

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. Presence, released in March 1976, marked a change in the Led Zeppelin sound towards more straightforward, guitar-based jams, departing from the acoustic ballads and intricate arrangements featured on their previous albums. Though it was a platinum seller, reception of Presence was mixed among critics and fans, with some critics suggesting that the band's excesses may have caught up with them. Page had begun using heroin during the recording of Presence, which may have affected later live shows and studio recordings 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 completed 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. 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 Pontiac Silverdome, Michigan, where the band set a record for the largest solo indoor attraction in 1977 with an attendance of 76,229

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 their Pontiac Silverdome concert 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 3 June, a concert at Tampa Stadium was cut short because of a severe thunderstorm, despite tickets indicating "Rain or Shine". A riot broke out, resulting in arrests and injuries.

After 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 were arrested after a member of promoter Bill Graham's staff had been badly beaten during the band's performance. The following day's second Oakland concert was the band's final live appearance 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 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)

After the death of Bonham (pictured in 1975) on 25 September 1980, the remaining members of Led Zeppelin decided to disband the group

In November 1978 the group recorded 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. 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. 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 and was rushed to hospital. 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, and a verdict of accidental death was returned at an inquest held on 27 October. An autopsy found no other drugs in Bonham's body. Bonham was cremated on 10 October 1980, and his ashes buried at Rushock parish church in Droitwich, Worcestershire.

The planned North American tour was cancelled, and despite rumours that Cozy Powell, Carmine Appice, Barriemore Barlow, Simon Kirke 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

Jimmy Page performs at the Cow Palace in San Francisco, 1983

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 out-takes 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, 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 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 an "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, after Plant and Page had argued immediately prior to coming on stage about whether to play "Stairway to Heaven", and with the complete loss of Jones' keyboards on the live television feed. Page described the performance as "one big disappointment", and Plant said that "the gig was foul".

1990s

Jason Bonham, who filled his late father's chair for reunions in 1988, 1995 and 2007

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 members 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.

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, but after 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. That same year the band received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. In November 2005 it was announced that Led Zeppelin, and Russian conductor Valery Gergiev, were 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, in Stockholm in May 2006. In November 2006 Led Zeppelin were inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame.

Led Zeppelin performing at the Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert in December 2007

In July 2007 Atlantic/Rhino and Warner Home Video announced three new Led Zeppelin titles to be released that November. 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 of Alter Bridge, 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, with the film grossing $2 million in one night and the live album peaking at number 4 and 9 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

John Bonham, on stage in the US around 1975, whose aggressive drumming style was critical to the hard rock sound associated with the band

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 one, 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 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 would lead to later 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.

Page with the double-neck Gibson EDS-1275 used for playing "Stairway to Heaven" live

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". These elements mean that 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 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

Plant, on stage in New York in 1973, whose vocal style has been highly influential in rock music

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.

Jones performing with the band in Mannheim, Germany in 1980 on their last tour

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. 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

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Led Zeppelin

Jimmy Page at the 2008 MOJO Awards, where Led Zeppelin were voted the "best live act"

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.

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.

Discography

Main article: Led Zeppelin discography

Studio albums

• Led Zeppelin (1969)
• Led Zeppelin II (1969)
• Led Zeppelin III (1970)
• Led Zeppelin IV (1971)
• Houses of the Holy (1973)
• Physical Graffiti (1975)
• Presence (1976)
• In Through the Out Door (1979)
• Coda (1982)

References

Books

• Batchelor, Bob; Stoddart, Scott (2007). American Popular Culture Through History: the 1980s. Westport, CT: Greenwood. ISBN 978-0-313-33000-1.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Browne, Ray B.; Browne, Pat (2001). The Guide to United States Popular Culture. Minneapolis, MN: Popular Press. ISBN 978-0-87972-822-9.
• Buckley, Peter (2003). The Rough Guide to Rock. London: Penguin Books. ISBN 1-85828-457-0.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Budofsky, Adam (2006). The Drummer: 100 Years of Rhythmic Power and Invention. Milwaukee, MI: Hal Leonard. ISBN 978-1-4234-0567-2.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Bukszpan, Daniel (2003). The Encyclopedia of Heavy Metal. New York City, NY: Barnes & Noble. ISBN 978-0-7607-4218-1.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Clinton, Heylin (2004). Bootleg! The Rise & Fall of the Secret Recording Industry. London: Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-1-84449-151-3.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Cope, Andrew L. (2010). Black Sabbath and the Rise of Heavy Metal Music. Aldershot: Ashgate. ISBN 978-0-7546-6881-7.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Courtright, Kevin (1985). Back to schoolin': What Led Zeppelin Taught Me About Music. New York City, NY: Xulon Press. ISBN 978-1-61579-045-6.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Davis, Erik (2005). Led Zeppelin IV. New York City, NY: Continuum. ISBN 978-0-8264-1658-2.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Davis, Stephen (1995) [1985]. Hammer of the Gods: The Led Zeppelin Saga. London: Pan. ISBN 978-0-330-34287-2.
• Fast, Susan (2001). In the Houses of the Holy: Led Zeppelin and the Power of Rock Music. New York City, NY: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-511756-1.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Fyfe, Andy (2003). When the Levee Breaks: The Making of Led Zeppelin IV. Chicago, IL: Chicago Review Press. ISBN 978-1-55652-508-7.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Gaar, Gillian G. (2009). The Rough Guide to Nirvana. London: Dorling Kindersley. ISBN 978-1-85828-945-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Gulla, Bob (2001). Guitar Gods: The 25 Players Who Made Rock History. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-0-313-35807-4.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Haskins, Django (1995). Stand Alone Tracks '90s Rock: Handy Guide, Book & CD. Los Angeles, CA: Alfred Music. ISBN 978-0-88284-658-3.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Lewis, Dave (1994). The Complete Guide to the Music of Led Zeppelin. London: Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-7119-3528-0.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Lewis, Dave (2003). Led Zeppelin: Celebration II: The 'Tight But Loose' Files. London: Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-1-84449-056-1.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Lewis, Dave; Pallett, Simon (2005). Led Zeppelin: The Concert File. London: Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-1-84449-659-4.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Peddie, Ian (2006). "The bleak country: the Black Country and the rhetoric of escape". In Ian Peddie, ed (ed.). The Resisting Muse: Popular Music and Social Protest. Aldershot: Ashgate. ISBN 978-0-7546-5113-0. {{cite book}}: |editor= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Prown, Pete; Newquist, H. P.; Eiche, Jon F. (1997). Legends of Rock Guitar: The Essential Reference of Rock's Greatest Guitarists. Milwaukee, WI: H.Leonard. ISBN 978-0-7935-4042-6.
• Schinder, Scott; Schwartz, Andy (2008). Icons of Rock: An Encyclopedia of the Legends Who Changed Music Forever. Westport, CT: Greenwood. ISBN 978-0-313-33845-8.
• Shadwick, Keith (2005). Led Zeppelin: The Story of a Band and Their Music 1968–1980. San Francisco, CA: Backbeat Books. ISBN 0-87930-871-0.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Straw, Will (1990). "Characterizing rock music culture: the case of heavy metal". In Simon Frith and Andrew Goodwin, eds (ed.). On Record: Rock, Pop and the Written Word. London: Routledge. ISBN 978-0-415-05306-8. {{cite book}}: |editor= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Thompson, Dave (2004). Smoke on the Water: The Deep Purple Story. Toronto, Ontario: ECW Press. ISBN 978-1-55022-618-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Waksman, Steve (2001). Instruments of Desire: the Electric Guitar and the Shaping of Musical Experience. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-00065-0.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Waksman, Steve (2009). This Ain't the Summer of Love: Conflict and Crossover in Heavy Metal and Punk. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-25310-0.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Walser, Robert (1993). Running with the Devil: Power, Gender, and Madness in Heavy Metal Music. London: Wesleyan University Press. ISBN 978-0-8195-6260-9.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Wall, Mick (2009). When Giants Walked the Earth: A Biography of Led Zeppelin. London: Orion. ISBN 978-1-4091-0319-6.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Welch, Chris (1994). Led Zeppelin. London: Orion. ISBN 978-1-85797-930-5.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Welch, Chris; Nicholls, Geoff (2001). John Bonham: A Thunder of Drums. San Francisco, CA: Backbeat. ISBN 978-0-87930-658-8.
• Williamson, Nigel (2007). The Rough Guide to Led Zeppelin. London: Dorling Kindersley. ISBN 978-1-84353-841-7.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Witmer, Scott (2010). History of Rock Bands. Edina, MN: ABDO. ISBN 978-1-60453-692-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Yorke, Ritchie (1993). Led Zeppelin: The Definitive Biography. Novato, CA: Underwood–Miller. ISBN 978-0-88733-177-0.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)

Articles

• Grossman, Perry (2002). "Alternative rock". St. James Encyclopedia of Pop Culture 2002. Gale Group. ISBN 1-55862-400-7.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Astbury, Ian (7 May 2010). "Ian Astbury interview". Sacredsoul. Archived from the original on 7 October 2011. Retrieved 4 December 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Beech, Mark (29 September 2008). "Led Zeppelin Singer Robert Plant rules out reunion record, tour". Bloomberg. Archived from the original on 7 October 2011. Retrieved 29 September 2008. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Bosso, Joe (7 January 2009). "'Led Zeppelin are over!' says Jimmy Page's manager". MusicRadar. Archived from the original on 7 October 2011. Retrieved 1 October 2011. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Brackett, John (2008). "Examining rhythmic and metric practices in Led Zeppelin's musical style". Popular Music. 27(1): 53–76.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Cochrane, Greg (23 January 2009). "Lady GaGa reveals her touring secrets". BBC News. Retrieved 13 March 2011.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Cohen, Jonathan (27 July 2007). "Led Zeppelin readies fall reissue bonanza". Billboard. Retrieved 1 October 2011.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Davies, Claire (29 September 2010). "Megadeth interview (Monster Riffs Week): Megadeth axeman Dave Mustaine walks Total Guitar through the fiery riff from 'Hangar 18'". Total Guitar. Archived from the original on 22 February 2012. Retrieved 22 February 2012. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Davis, Stephen (20 May 1976). "Album Review: Led Zeppelin: Presence". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 23 April 2009. Retrieved 29 July 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Dawtrey, Adam (26 October 2012). "'Zeppelin' film grosses $2 mil in one night". Variety. Penske Business Media. Archived from the original on 13 January 2013. Retrieved 12 January 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
• Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (2007). "The Cult — Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 15 January 2007.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (2010). "Led Zeppelin: Led Zeppelin II: review". AllMusic. Retrieved 5 September 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (2011a). "Led Zeppelin: biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 September 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (2011b). "Led Zeppelin: Led Zeppelin: review". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 September 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (2011c). "Led Zeppelin: Led Zeppelin Box Set: review". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 September 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (2011e). "Led Zeppelin: Led Zeppelin Box Set 2: review". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 September 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (2011f). "Led Zeppelin: BBC Sessions: review". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 September 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Fast, Susan (2011). "Led Zeppelin (British Rock Group)". Encyclopædia Britannica.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Fortnam, Ian (2008). "Classic Rock Magazine: Dazed and Confused: Classic Rock Presents Led Zeppelin". Future plc. ISBN 977-1-75394-0004 (EAN). {{cite news}}: Check |isbn= value: invalid character (help)CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Fricke, David (26 November 2012). "Jimmy Page Digs Up 'Substantial' Rarities for New Led Zeppelin Remasters". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 27 November 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Gans, Alan (12 September 2012). "Dustin Hoffman, David Letterman, Natalia Makarova, Buddy Guy, Led Zeppelin Are Kennedy Center Honorees". Playbill. Archived from the original on 13 January 2013. Retrieved 13 January 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Gardner, Alan (11 December 2007). "You review: Led Zeppelin". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 February 2012.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Gilmore, Mikal (28 July 2006). "The long shadow of Led Zeppelin". Rolling Stone (2006). Archived from the original on 12 December 2007. Retrieved 9 December 2007.
• Greene, Andy (28 February 2011). "This week in rock history: Bob Dylan wins his first Grammy and Led Zeppelin become the Nobs". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 12 January 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2011. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Greene, Andy (13 September 2012). "Led Zeppelin's 2007 Reunion Concert to Hit Theaters in October". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 12 January 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2012. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Huey, Steve (2011). "The Honeydrippers Biography". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 13 January 2013. Retrieved 19 September 2011. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Hughes, Rob (2010). "The Real Jimmy Page". Uncut. Retrieved 31 May 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Hunter, Nigel (21 June 1997). "Anniversaries abound at the Novello Awards". Billboard. Retrieved 18 December 2011.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Jones, Robert (2 April 2003). "Conservative Punk's interview with Johnny Ramone". Retrieved 2 December 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Kielty, Martin (28 November 2012). "Led Zep talks will delay remasters". Classic Rock. Future plc. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
• Leonard, Michael (31 December 2008). "Robert Plant awarded CBE in UK Honours list". MusicRadar. Archived from the original on 18 December 2011. Retrieved 18 December 2011. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Long, Carola (7 December 2007). "Led Zeppelin: the enduring influence of flares and flowing locks". The Independent. Retrieved 27 September 2011.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Márquez, Gabriel García (8 June 2002). "The poet and the princess". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 19 January 2013. Retrieved 20 February 2012. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Miller, Jim (27 March 1975). "Album review: Physical Graffiti". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 13 January 2013. Retrieved 29 July 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Murray, Charles Shaar (August 2004). "The Guv'nors". Mojo. Bauer Media Group.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Rogers, Georgie (16 June 2008). "MOJO award winners". BBC. Retrieved 8 December 2008.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Pareles, Jon (14 July 1997). "Lollapalooza's recycled hormones: rebellion by the numbers". The New York Times. Retrieved 4 December 2010.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Pond, Steven (24 March 1988). "Led Zeppelin: The Song Remains the Same". Rolling Stone. Vol. 522.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Prato, Greg (2008). "Jimmy Page: biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 11 November 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Sorel-Cameron, Peter (9 December 2007). "Can Led Zeppelin still rock?". CNN.com Entertainment. Retrieved 17 February 2011.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Sparks, Ryan (2010). "Carpe Diem: an exclusive interview with Mike Portnoy from Dream Theater". classicrockrevisited.com. Archived from the original on 3 January 2010. Retrieved 29 July 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Talmadge, Eric (28 January 2008). "Led Zeppelin guitarist wants World tour". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 25 November 2008.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Thorpe, Vanessa (29 July 2007). "Led Zeppelin join the net generation". The Observer. Retrieved 23 July 2011.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Turner, Gustavo (26 August 2010). "The L.A. weekly interview: Billy Corgan". LA Weekly.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Wale, Michael (11 July 1973). "Led Zeppelin". The Times.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Wall, Mick (1 November 2008). "The truth behind the Led Zeppelin legend". The Times. Retrieved 29 July 2011.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Williamson, Nigel (May 2005). "Forget the myths". Uncut.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• "Led Zeppelin – Charting History". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 12 January 2013. Retrieved 12 January 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
• "Led Zeppelin Billboard Albums". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 12 January 2013. Retrieved 12 January 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
• "Zeppelin celebrate Grammy honour". BBC Home. 13 February 2005. Archived from the original on 7 October 2011. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
• "Award for 'pioneers' Led Zeppelin". BBC Home. 23 May 2006a. Archived from the original on 7 October 2011. Retrieved 16 September 2011. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link)
• "Led Zeppelin make UK Hall of Fame". BBC Home. 12 September 2006b. Archived from the original on 7 October 2011. Retrieved 16 September 2011.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
• "Sold on song: Stairway to Heaven". BBC Home. 2011. Archived from the original on 7 October 2011. Retrieved 22 September 2011. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
• "Led Zeppelin at Bron-Yr-Aur". BBC Wales Music. 2011. Archived from the original on 7 October 2011. Retrieved 16 September 2011. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
• "PRS/Novello Awards shared by intl artists". Billboard. 28 May 1977. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
• "Certified Awards Search—Led Zeppelin". British Phonographic Industry. 2011. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
• "50 Best Live Acts of All Time". Classic Rock. May 2008. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
• "Interview Madonna reviews life on Larry King Live". CNN. 19 January 1999. Retrieved 5 September 2010.
• "Led Zeppelin – Immigrant Song / Hey Hey What Can I Do". Discogs. 2011. Retrieved 9 October 2011.
• "Jimmy Page says last Led Zeppelin reunion was a disaster". The List. 20 November 2007. Retrieved 29 July 2011.
• "Led Zeppelin: Katie Melua on rock'n'roll riffs that rake the psyche". The Independent. 7 December 2007. Archived from the original on 19 January 2013. Retrieved 5 March 2010. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
• "Mojo Awards 'Best Live Act' 2008 – Acceptance Speech". 2008. Archived from the original (video) on 19 January 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
• "MTV – Black Sabbath: the greatest metal bands of all time". MTV. 9 March 2006. Archived from the original on 19 January 2013. Retrieved 5 September 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
• "Led Zeppelin to sell music online". Reuters. 15 October 2007. Retrieved 23 September 2010.
• "Gold & Platinum database search: 'Led Zeppelin'". Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). 200. Retrieved 26 March 2009.
• "Top-Selling Artists". Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). 2011. Retrieved 8 January 2011.
• "Led Zeppelin Biography". Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. 2010. Archived from the original on 19 January 2013. Retrieved 5 September 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
• "Robert Plant – official statement". robertplant.com. 29 September 2008. Retrieved 29 September 2008.
• "Led Zeppelin: the heaviest band of all time". Rolling Stone. Vol. 1006. 10 August 2006. Retrieved 29 July 2011.
• "Led Zeppelin". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 13 January 2013. Retrieved 13 January 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
• "Led Zeppelin trio back in studio". BBC Mobile. 26 August 2008. Archived from the original on 7 October 2011. Retrieved 25 November 2008. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
• "Guinness 2010 entertainment winners". TVNZ. 17 December 2009. Archived from the original on 13 January 2013. Retrieved 23 September 2009. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
• "Greatest Artists of Hard Rock". VH1. 2010. Archived from the original on 13 January 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
• "100 Greatest Artists: 14) Led Zeppelin". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 12 January 2013. Retrieved 12 January 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
• "100 Greatest Guitarists: 3) Jimmy Page". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 12 January 2013. Retrieved 12 January 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
• "100 Greatest Singers: 15) Robert Plant". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 12 January 2013. Retrieved 12 January 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
• "June 3, 1977". LedZeppelin.com. Archived from the original on 19 January 2013. Retrieved 5 September 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
• "Grammy Hall of Fame". Grammy. 2011. Archived from the original on 18 December 2011. Retrieved 18 December 2011. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

External links

• Official website
• Led Zeppelin at MySpace
• Led Zeppelin at Atlantic Records
• Video on YouTube (Official)
• Led Zeppelin at Curlie