From their almost unbelievable guitar licks to their groovy blues background, Led Zeppelin forged their own path through the rock and roll world of the 1970s. Here are some of the most interesting highlights from the iconic band’s explosive history.
- Guitarist Jimmy Page achieved success with his first band, The Yardbirds, throughout the 1960s. When the band broke up in 1968, they still had a number of tour dates to complete, so Page enlisted John Paul Jones, Robert Plant, and John Bonham to fill in for the estranged members. They completed the tour obligations under the name the New Yardbirds before switching to the name Led Zeppelin in 1969.
- Led Zeppelin recorded their first album in under 30 hours. It entered the Billboard Top 10 in just two months.
- Throughout the band’s history, every one of their albums of new material has gone platinum.
- When Led Zeppelin released their fourth album, they refused to give it a title or even print any words at all on the sleeve. The band members were angry at the media for continually referring to their music as a hype, so they wanted to create confusion and disorder.
- Led Zeppelin might have never become as popular as they did if it wasn’t for English pop singer Dusty Springfield. Page and Jones played on some of her albums, and she recommended the band to their first record label, Atlantic Records.
- In 1975, Led Zeppelin became the first band ever to have six albums on the Billboard charts at the same time.
Are you a Zeppelin fan? Which of the band's songs is your favorite?
Led Zeppelin [Rolling Stone]
The 10 Wildest Led Zeppelin Legends [Rolling Stone]
Led Zeppelin [Artist Facts]
Equal Housing Opportunity