Led Zeppelin | Biography, News, Photos and Videos | Contactmusic.com News Pictures Video Press Comments Quotes RSS Biography Led Zeppelin (formed 1968) Led Zeppelin is an English rock band that rose to fame in the late 1960s and early 1970s with their heavy blues rock sound. They are considered by many to be one of the first ever heavy metal bands. Formation: Led Zeppelin's genesis goes back The Yardbirds. Jimmy Page joined The Yardbirds on bass guitar in 1966 but soon switched to play lead guitar alongside Jeff Beck. As the dregs of a largely disbanded Yardbirds fulfilled gig obligations in Scandinavia, singer Robert Plant and drummer John Bonham were drafted in to fill the gaps. John Paul Jones enquired about the vacant bass player role and completed the picture. They toured Scandinavia as The New Yardbirds, eventually changing it to Led Zeppelin. Led Zeppelin's debut gig was at the University of Surrey, in Guilford, in October 1968. Their debut album, Led Zeppelin was released in January 1969, whilst the band was touring the States.

Key Albums & Notable Moments: Led Zeppelin, the band's debut album, was released in 1969. It is reported that the album cost £1,750 to make and by 1975, had grossed $7,000,000. The album's follow-up, Led Zeppelin II (1969) was recorded largely on the road, whilst the band toured the first album. The album reached number one in both the US and the UK. Led Zeppelin III (1970) was recorded in Wales, in a cottage named Bron-Yr-Aur. A misspelled version of the name gave title to one of the tracks on the album, 'Bron-Y-Aur Stomp'. The band resisted the release of singles from the album. However, many tracks, such as 'Immigrant Song', were released against the band's wishes. Throughout the 1970s, Led Zeppelin's offstage antics became as legendary as their music. In one incident, drummer John Bonham rode a motorcycle through the Continental Hyatt House hotel in Los Angeles.

Led Zeppelin's fourth album was not attributed with any obvious title, nor did it show the band's name on the cover. Instead, the cover depicted four symbols, representing each member of the band. It is most commonly referred to as Led Zeppelin IV. In 1973, the band released Houses of the Holy. The song of the same name did not appear on the album but turned up on 1975's Physical Graffiti. The record was banned in some religious areas of the USA and in Spain, for the cover's depiction of naked children running up the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland. Led Zeppelin took a break from touring in 1974 and launched their own record label, Swan Song. Through the label, they released music by the likes of Bad Company, Sad Café and Pretty Things. Physical Graffiti (1975) was the band's first double album and was released on the Swan Song label. The success of the album was so great, that after its release, all of the band's previous albums re-entered the Top 200 album chart simultaneously.

In August 1975, Robert Plant and his wife Maureen were involved in a car crash whilst holidaying in Rhodes. Maureen was badly injured and the band was forced to take a hiatus from touring. They spent their time in California, writing material for the next album, Presence (1976). Presence became a platinum-selling album, though its critical response was lukewarm. The Song Remains the Same became the band's first official live recording and was released both as a film and accompanying soundtrack. In Through the Out Door was recorded in the final months of 1978 and released the next year and reached number one in the UK and the US. On 25th September 1980, John Bonham was found dead by John Paul Jones and the band's tour manager, Benji LeFevre. 'Asphyxiation from vomit' was given as the cause of his death. No drug other than alcohol was found in his body. In December 1980, the band announced that they would not be continuing without Bonham. Until then, various replacements had been rumoured, including Cozy Powell and Bev Bevan of ELO.

In 1982, the three surviving members of the band released Coda, a collection of outtakes from a number of different recording sessions Reunions: Page, Plant and Jones were reunited in July 1985, for the Live Aid concert in Philadelphia. They were joined by Phil Collins and Tony Thompson on drums, and Paul Martinez on bass. The three Led Zeppelin members were again reunited, with John Bonham's son, Jason Bonham, on drums, for the Atlantic Records 40th Birthday party. In 1995, Led Zeppelin was inducted into the rock and Roll Hall of Fame, by Aerosmith's Steve Tyler and Joe Perry. Bonham was represented by his son Jason and daughter Zoe. Led Zeppelin was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005, presented to the band by the King of Sweden. In December 2007, Led Zeppelin was once again reunited for a huge one-off concert in London in memory of Ahmet Ertegun, founder of Atlantic Records. Jason Bonham filled in on drums. The promoter Harvey Goldsmith arranged the concert to raise money for the Ahmet Ertegun Education Fund.

Biography by Contactmusic.com Led Zeppelin | Punknews.org Led Zeppelin Recent Stories 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 commented jokingly that it would "go down like a lead zeppelin". With a slightly different spelling, the group changed their name accordingly. Led Zeppelin 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". Greatest Bands of the 1970s - Top Ten List - TheTopTens® Greatest Bands of the 1970s The Top Ten 1 Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968.

The group consisted of Robert Plant (Vocal), Jimmy Page (Guitar), John Paul Jones (Bass, Keyboard) and John Bonham (Drums). The band's heavy, guitar-driven sound, rooted in blues and psychedelia on their early albums, has earned them recognition ... read more . I'll admit, the other people in the list are excellent bands; I like them all. But Led Zeppelin, with Jimmy Page's intense guitar skills, Robert Plant's screaming wails, John Paul Jones's deep rhythms, and of course John Bonham's powerful hands, and its musical diversity, they are the best of the 70s. First of the Firsts. This band stopped making music before I was born. Yet they still appeal to me more than any thing new of my generation. Led Zeppelin, has the most requested song EVER CALLED Stairway To Heaven. Besides that fact, Led created blues with rock. Please read Hammer Of The Gods, its autobiography of the band. With out a doubt, Led is #1, followed by the Stones, Beatles, Pink Floyd, Queen, The Jackson 5, The Doors. Led Zeppelun will be played for ever. Robert Plant & J.

Page created ROCK over many years and to say that Abba is #1, I have 2 ask if He/ she is " HIGH " when making that answer... The best band ever, they inspired so many other artists! V 41 Comments 2 Queen Queen are a British rock group formed in 1970. Members were Freddie Mercury (Vocals and Piano), Brian May (Guitar, Vocals), Roger Taylor (Drums, Vocals), and John Deacon (Bass Guitar, Vocals). Before forming into Queen, Brian May and Roger Taylor had played together in a band named Smile. Freddie Mercury ... read more . Seriously? Heart and ABBA above Queen? Led Zeppelin I can kind of understand, but seriously? Before you vote for any other band, go look up Bohemian Rhapsody on iTunes or YouTube or something. Now, Freddie wrote that in a SINGLE NIGHT. And you hear that amazing guitar solo? That was Brian May on his first try (also he built his own guitar from bits and bobs he found around England. Now go listen to Another One Bites the Dust. Hear that amazing bass and drumming? Well the drumer dit that WHILE HE WAS DRUNK.

I kid you not, go look it up, ol' Roger Taylor always had two shots of "the strongest stuff I could get sent to me in 45 minutes" before each studio recording and live performance. And as for John Deacon (the bass guy), well, his awesome playing speaks for itself. Their Live Aid concert was the best in music history. I think enough has been said. I totally agree with you on how incredible Queen were, but some info is a little off. First of all, Freddie wrote Bohemian Rhapsody in a space of YEARS (Not that this fact takes anything away from it. In fact, that makes it sound even better). However, Freddie did indeed write a Queen song in one day in 1979 (Crazy Little Thing Called Love) for 1980's "The Game". Also, Brian built his guitar from bits and bobs lying around in his house (the body was made from his fireplace). Only the electronics were from an external source. - Rickygforce Simply put, Freddy Mercury is the greatest vocalist/performer of all time and the grace and command that his stage presence evoked was nothing short of magical hypnosis. I challenge anyone to name his equal!

As a band, their voices blended with such ease and perfection that you can't help but be mesmerized. Easily the greatest band ever, not just of the 70's. To be honest everyone I know likes and has heard of queen, ask someone about heart and they won't know, heart is not a very worldwide known band, whilst queen is, in my opinion. - AmINumberOneYet Queen in my heart forever! I watched "GREATEST BANDS OF THE 1980s". Queen is in second place above Duran Duran. I don't know if I agree but in this Top 10 I agree. Led Zeppelin is a great band. V 26 Comments 3 Pink Floyd Pink Floyd were an English rock band formed in London. They achieved international acclaim with their progressive and psychedelic music. The band consisted of 5 members - David Gilmour (Vocals and Guitar), Syd Barrett (Vocals and Guitarist), Nick Mason (Drums), Roger Waters (Vocals and Bass), and Richard ... read more . Pink Floyd put out their best work during the 1970s.

With "Dark side of the Moon" they made an album that not only sold millions but it gave the listener a story or sense of realism about the modern world. Other bands durning this time were writing about pop songs that were radio friendly but had no real meaning that stands the test of time nearly 40 years later. Led Zeppelin are not even close to Pink Floyd, I'm a fan of all music but Floyd sets the standards, every song they did has something for everyone and a meaning. I'm not sure I would say Pink Floyd is my FAVORITE band, as I tend to change my opinion at times, but I can without a doubt state that it has the strongest, most down to earth, brilliant and honest lyrics I have ever heard. Stuff that's so good, I felt the need to rethink about my life, and life in general. Songs like 'Welcome to the Machine' even made me sort of depressed at times. With a combination of brilliant lyrics, chill to badass beats, and just about the greatest songs, you can't go wrong with Pink Floyd! It definitely has my vote! -Anonymous. (I hope) It takes extremely good taste in music to listen to this awesome band.

They have the best albums The Dark Side Of The Moon, Wish You Were Here, Animals (if you are a big fan), and lest not forget The Wall, which is the most popular double album in history. VOTE FOR Pink Floyd There is absolutely nothing as brilliant as this recorded ever in history. V 29 Comments 4 ABBA ABBA were a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1972 by members Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. ABBA is without a doubt the best music group ever, with a sound that is completely unique. I have heard every song that they have played/sung in English, as well as a few in Swedish and Spanish. I have not yet come across a song by them that is not in its own way enjoyable. Their music has a strange quality, due to their Swedish accents and interesting style of choice. Their melodies are pleasant, extremely catchy and at first listen seem simple. However, trying to sing almost any one of their songs will bring to light how complicated they really are. The ranges that the singers have with their voices are incredible, and yet they make it sound so easy.

They also manage very well three different voices, usually at the same time, which gives the music a depth and complexity without the use of a lot of instruments. I was born in 1996, so I never did get to follow their career, or see them in concert, (which is my dream) I learned about them only when the movie Mamma Mia! Came out. It is ... more Amazing Songwriters, musicians, producers and two of the most fantastic female vocalists ever and timeless music from where English isn't even their first language. Lets not forget their Polar music studio as it was in Stockholm where many artists including Led Zeppelin used the facilities to record an album. Listen to their evolution from the Ring, Ring to The Visitors albums. No wonder they are even more popular today, whether it's songs recorded in Swedish, English, French, German or Spanish. One of the best ever. Hundreds of masterpiece songs, with a sound so far ahead of time that even few bands today can rival the quality. ABBA and Queen are by far the most creative and versatile groups of the 70s.

They made the 70s V 52 Comments 5 Black Sabbath Black Sabbath are a Heavy Metal band formed in Birmingham, England in 1968 by guitarist and songwriter Tony Iommi, Singer Ozzy Osbourne, Bassist and Main Lyricist Geezer Butler and Drummer Bill Ward . The band got into mainstream after improving after their debut album got negative feedback . In 1978, ... read more . One grate band to see at the age of 12! 3rd row Kansas city, ks 1971. Thy kicked ass. Black Sabbath is one of the bands that started metal. I love them! And they have such a unique style. They are definitely one of the greatest bands that ever lived! Black Sabbath is awesome they are one of my favourite bands despite my age I love this band Amazing band.. top 5 at LEAST come on now! V 7 Comments 6 Rush Rush is a Canadian progressive rock band that was formed in 1968.

Even though the only founding member still in the band is Alex Lifeson (Guitar), the band is most well-known for their current members Neil Peart (Drums) and Geddy Lee (Bass, Vocals). ... read more . Rush totally shreds, sends Mercury records an ultimatum after their first album, and says "it's our music, and we play it our way. Very prolific, very instrumental in their influence of modern day progressive music. Rush is amazing. Hard to believe that it is only three guys making all that racket. And on the 8th day God created Rush. - asphaltpilot Seriously. No bands should be above Rush. They are amazing with the best songs and albums ever. V 10 Comments 7 The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. The first settled line-up consisted of Brian Jones (guitar, harmonica), Ian Stewart (piano), Mick Jagger (lead vocals, harmonica), Keith Richards (guitar), Bill Wyman (bass) and Charlie Watts (drums). ... read more . The Rolling Stones had an awesome decade, one of their strongest in the 70's.

After the awesome Sticky Fingers and Exile On Main Street, they had a trio of REALLY underrated albums, Goats Head Soup, It's Only Rock And Roll and Black And Blue, before releasing the equally awesome "Some Girls". So why are they this low down. Don't know really. It is the nature of these lists to have some terrible band (my opinion, if you like them that's fine with me, your's is as good as mine)and in this case the jackson 5, in the top 5 and have a few awesome bands lower down like the Stones. The Who, Deep Purple and Fleetwood Mac should not be where they are either. THE best rock band that ever existed and probably every will. The Beatles are THE best band of all time (and their music can be viewed as rock, classical, blues, folk, country, experimental, pop, etc) but The Stones were dark, evil, gritty, driving, sexually charged (in all ways), straight ahead rock and roll... Beggar's Banquet and Let it Bleed are two of the must own albums for any serious fan of the genre. Dig. I was just scrolling through thinking, when do the Stones bloody show up?

I haven't checked (yet), but I bet The Stones have performed in front of the most People, ever. Lets face it, they still tour (after nearly 6 decades! ), and still draw many Fans to sold out (still amazingly energetic) shows. I'm huge Acca Dacca fan as well but If you wanna talk longevity, have a look at the originals, who would eat Beatles for brekky, ;-). Time really is on their side;-) Why are the Stones 8? They should be 3 behind Queen and Zeppelin, Aerosmith and Heart are great bands, but come nowhere close to the Stones. - therootbeer V 9 Comments 8 Aerosmith Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "the Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". This isn't serious, AC/DC supported Aerosmith in 3 tours in the 70's, they weren't even close to Aerosmith. Allman Brothers? Seriously? Top 5 Aerosmith is a legend that was born in the early 70's and still are roaming at the top as we speak, greatest band of the 70's without a doubt!

Clicked on this link from Google looking for some ideas on music and all I found was a joke of a list. ABBA beats Aerosmith? They are another favorite of mine. Aerosmith is a legend and for a good reason. They have so many great hits. I love them! AEROSMITH ROCKS! V 12 Comments 9 Heart Heart is an American rock band that first found success in Canada and later in the United States and worldwide. Nancy and Roger were Magic on stage. Add the singing from the best voice in Rock, Ann Wilson, and you have HEART. You are def not the only HEART fan left . Just seen them in concert, sold out , standing room only and they rock the house. I love HEART and there are a lot more people who argee, Heart is one of the greatest groups to ever put their foot on a stage.Heart Rules. Three great guitar players.One of the best drummers ever and Steve Fossen on bass. Oh yea, before I forget. Ann Wilson, Ann Wilson, Ann Wilson. Need I say anymore. Ann Wilson!!!!! This band was so good live it was sick.

I never even heard of these guys and they're top 10...? V 25 Comments 10 The Who The Who is an English hard rock band formed in London, England in 1964 . The members are Roger Daltrey (lead singer), Pete Townshend (guitarist), John Entwistle (bassist), and Keith Moon (drums). The genres they were associated with happened to be rock, soft rock, hard rock, and soul rock. They are ... read more . The who should be #1. the 70's was they're best decade. releasing songs like baba o'riley, bargain, behind blue eyes, won't get fooled again, the real me, the punk and the godfather, 5:15, sea and sand, love reign o'er me, the seeker, long like rock, slip kid, dreaming from the wasit, squeeze box, who are you, bell boy, doctor jimmy, and the albums Who's Next, and Quadrophenia, makes them the greatest band ever. - Nickname My band started playing their songs when they had two albums out in the US. Once I saw them live, it was all over.

Each of them were so ' awesome in their own unique, individual ways, when they rocked so hard together, there was nothing left to ask for. Musicians all but it was hard to see Keith Moon and be satisfied with another drummer - the composition and musicality of this band are hard to equal I am surprised they are not at least top 3! Anyone agree? The Contenders 11 The Allman Brothers Band The Allman Brothers Band was an American rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida in 1969 by brothers Duane Allman and Gregg Allman, as well as Dickey Betts, Berry Oakley, Butch Trucks, and Jai Johanny "Jaimoe" Johanson. I think they could be a little higher up on that totem pole sir. Best live band at the time, I think. Could not leave a concert feeling bad. So good, they didn't really even need words. Best instrumental band of all time. Just my opinion. I can't be alone on that though. The most versatile and talented guitar band of ALL TIME (rock, blues, country, jazz, they could do it all).

Nothing will ever compare to the dual lead guitar work of Duane Allman and Dickey Betts at the Fillmore East, as well as Betts' compositions like "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed", "Les Brers in A Minor" and "Jessica" which are some of the best rock instrumentals ever written. I grew up listening to these guys. Best southern rock band ever in my opinion. Personal favorite songs are Ramblin' Man, Midnight Rider, Dreams and Whipping Post Best guitar playing hands down V 4 Comments 12 The Eagles The Eagles are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1971 by Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Bernie Leadon, and Randy Meisner. 1. Hotel California V 27 Comments 13 Jackson 5 The Jacksons where the greatest band to ever grace the stage with perfection of dance, vocal, style and fashion. Jermaine, Jackie, Tito, Marlon, and Michael became icons before they became adults. The first group to have all four of their releases to hit number 1 their debute year, and became a global success.

Tepid rubbish that you don't have to think about, which is not always such a bad thing. They should be in the top ten, at least! V 2 Comments 14 Kiss Kiss is an American hard rock band formed in New York City in January 1973 by Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons and the band's original manager, Lew Linet. Disagree. KISS are number 1. People like bands that only put out a couple of albums & then call it quits. KISS pissed a lot of people off because they were louder & more successful & have outlasted everyone they pissed off. Every one in the business has had line up changes but somehow people act like they killed Santa Claus cause they got rid of a drunk & a junkie & replaced them with skilled musicians who appreciate all they have. Kiss deserves better than 13. I'm not a diehard fan like millions are, but they were a COMPLETELY better band then Journey, who I can't stand. Actually, I used to like them a lot, but Glee ruined it for me. CURSE THE DIRECTOR FOR RUINING A REALLY GOOD BAND! But still, Kiss owns. 13?! Seriously!

I mean, think of the albums they made. Alive, Destroyer, Rock and Roll Over, Love Gun, come on! Watch Detroit Rock City the movie! Watch it beginning to end. Then let's see if this band belongs in the top 10, and maybe top 5, but slight chance no. 1. - kissrules!!! Kiss were always a peoples band and produced much better music than bands higher on the list. They should be in the top 5 at least along with the Eagles. V 14 Comments 15 AC/DC AC/DC are a Australian hard rock band, formed in November 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young, who continued as members until Malcolm's illness and departure in 2014. They were fronted by Bon Scott until his untimely death due to alcohol poisoning in 1980, after which they hired Brian Johnson to ... read more . because ACDC is the best rock band and has ever since they are 50-70 yrs old still rocking so ROCK ONNNN ACDC! ACDC is the very best my mom likes it dad brother frends like it ACDC IS THE VERY BEST ROCK ON!

Though there are none on this list that hates AC/DC I hovered so many comments on how they suck, and to them I say, GET OFF THE CRACK! AC/DC should be higher than Kiss V 9 Comments 16 Deep Purple Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. They are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although their musical approach changed over the years. Originally formed as a progressive rock band, the band shifted to a heavier sound in 1970. Deep Purple, ... read more . Deep Purple was one of the Greatest Rock Bands in the 1970s and although they didn't last long together than Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath their Music was and always will be Memorable. Everyone knows Smoke on the waters Guitar rif and my god Highway star is one of the most Best car songs of all time! Deep purple is in my top ten great listening groups, they have some of the great songs of today... CHILD IN TIME A CLASSIC... MY WOMAN FROM Tokyo... And many more. But they are one of the BEST METAL BANDS AROUND.

Thank you Deep Purple's Burn Album is one of the best albums they ever made. Every song on that album Rocks! They were one of THE three hard Rock bands of the early 70s along with The Who & Zeppelin V 3 Comments 17 Fleetwood Mac Fleetwood Mac are a British-American rock band formed in July 1967, in London. The band have sold more than 100 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling bands of all time. Fleetwood Mac was the 70s. Their sound so wonderfully captured the feel and soul of the 70s it's a shame they are ranked as low as they are. By far one of the more underrated bands in classic rock. Such a lush, melodic, layered sound backed with probably the best three part vocal harmony in rock music and some of the deepest, most introspective lyrics ever put to music. Long live the Mac! Fleetwood Mac should be higher on this list. They were highly original, had immense talent and a diverse sound. Stevie Nick's unique voice and her talent as a writer was amazing. They dominated the air waves, and had much respect in that era.

In my opinion, they belong as one of the top 25 best bands ever, not just the 70s. - sharzi as much as I appreciate AC/DC, Fleetwood Mac ruled the 70's, and it all started when rumours came out - pauler94 The absolute best especially live. V 10 Comments 18 The Doors The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger and drummer John Densmore. Morrison Hotel and LA Woman. Although The Doors really are mainly a 60s band, these two albums (from 1970 and 1971, respectively) are the greatest with blues rock and jazz rock influence. For that alone, and their lasting influence in rock history, the Doors deserve higher positioning. The DOORS ANOTHER GREAT BAND, MORRISON HARD TO DIE VERY YOUNG DRANK HIMSELF TO DEATH. Now I still listen to their songs,L. A WOMAN, this is the end, RIDERS ON THE STROM, and more.

I KNOW THAT THEY ARE NOT TOGETHER ANYMORE WISH THEY WOULD PUT OUT A "TRIBUTE" ALBUM TO The memory of the LATE BAND MEMBER "JIM MORRISON". Do you think. Love the music then and still love more, this was the year I needed to hear fantastic meaningful, rebellious, fun, music and a great time to be a teenager, yeh! Will the music world play a tribute to Jim Morrison? Best American rock band of all time! V 3 Comments 19 The Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The members consisted of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They were soon known as the foremost and most influential act of rock era. Rooted in skiffle, beat, and 1950s rock and roll, the Beatles later experimented ... read more . They barely existed in the 1970s but they did give us the brilliant - and underrated Let It Be album so they deserve to be on this list. One sub-standard album by them is still better than most other bands could even dream of.

They only existed in the 70's for a few months before breaking up, and of course most of their work was in the 60's, but they are without a doubt the GOAT- Greatest Of All Time. Without this band it's probable that hardly any of the other bands on this list would not have achieved what they achieved. Just saw Paul McCarthy at the meadow lands.Utterly fantastic...next in line was Fleetwood Mack...brings back my younger years. K.Roberts...Long Island New York... 20 The Monkees The monkees deserve 20 oh my my was a good song in 1970 THE MONKEES STARTED AS A SHOW, BUT TURN INTO A FOLLOWING. I LIKE LISTENING TO a lot OF THEIR SONGS ESPECIALLY ONE BY M. DOLENZ IN TITLE "GOING DOWN" GREAT SONG. The MONKEES are not a great group by they are a PHENOMENAL GROUP...

Thank you Led Zeppelin | New Music And Songs | Led Zeppelin About Led Zeppelin What the Beatles were to the '60s, Led Zeppelin were to the '70s: a band so successful and innovative they wound up creating the prism through which their entire epoch was seen. Zeppelin ushered in the era of album rock -- they refused to release singles off their albums, even when they were garnering massive radio play -- and of arena rock, playing ever-larger stadiums as their ticket sales skyrocketed. Other bands played on a similar field but Led Zeppelin carried a unique mystique cultivated by cryptic album art, distance from the press, and, of course, their music. Drawing upon postwar electric blues, early rock & roll, and psychedelia, Zeppelin created a titanic roar in their earliest days but even then they weren't merely heavy. Underneath the wattage, there was a strong undercurrent of folk-rock and the quartet would soon thread in world music, funk, country, and synthesizers, creating an adventurous body of work that had a long, lasting influence on hard rock, heavy metal, and alternative rock.

Quite a feat for a band whose origins lie in the ashes of the pioneering British rock band the Yardbirds. Jimmy Page, a guitarist who made his reputation as a session man in the '60s, joined the band in 1966, functioning as the replacement for bassist Paul Samwell-Smith, but he soon split lead guitar duties with Jeff Beck and took over that position entirely once Beck departed. Page contributed heavily to the band's final album, 1967's Little Games, which also saw contributions from John Paul Jones, a bassist and string arranger who also ran in the same studio circles as Page; the two played on Beck's 1966 single "Beck's Bolero," which also featured Keith Moon. Under the direction of their new manager Peter Grant, the Yardbirds supported the album with a tour of the United States, but the group was in its final days. Just before the band's dissolution, Page filled the time with session work, including a spring 1968 session where he played on Jones' arrangement of Donovan's "Hurdy Gurdy Man." During the sessions, Jones requested to be part of any future project of Page's. This future project materialized quickly.

In the summer of 1968, the Yardbirds' Keith Relf and James McCarty left the band, leaving Page and bassist Chris Dreja with the rights to the name, along with the obligation of fulfilling an upcoming fall tour. Page set out to find a replacement vocalist and drummer. Initially, he wanted to enlist singer Terry Reid and Procol Harum's drummer B.J. Wilson, but neither musician was able to join the group. Reid suggested that Page contact Robert Plant, who was singing with a band called Hobbstweedle. After hearing him sing, Page asked Plant to join the band in August of 1968, the same month Chris Dreja dropped out of the new project. Following Dreja's departure, John Paul Jones joined the group as its bassist. Plant recommended that Page hire John Bonham, the drummer for Plant's old band, the Band of Joy. Bonham had to be persuaded to join the group, as he was being courted by other artists who offered the drummer considerably more money. By September, Bonham agreed to join the band.

Performing under the name the New Yardbirds, the band fulfilled the Yardbirds' previously booked Scandinavian engagements in late September 1968. The following month, they recorded their debut album in just under 30 hours. Also in October, Dreja informed Page he had the rights to the New Yardbirds name for the live dates only, so the group switched its name to Led Zeppelin. Grant helped the band sign a record-setting contract with Atlantic Records in the United States before the end of the year; they were paid a reported $200,000 advance, at that date the largest sum for any new band. Early in 1969, Led Zeppelin set out on their first American tour, which helped set the stage for the January release of their eponymous debut album. Two months after its release, Led Zeppelin had climbed into the U.S. Top Ten. Throughout 1969, the band toured relentlessly, playing dates in America and England. While they were on the road, they recorded their second album, Led Zeppelin II, and that speed gave the record's loud, riff-heavy blues a palpable urgency.

Like its predecessor, Led Zeppelin II was an immediate hit upon its October 1969 release, topping the American charts two months after its release and spending seven weeks at number one. The album helped establish Led Zeppelin as an international concert attraction, and for the next year, the group continued to tour relentlessly. Led Zeppelin started to broaden their horizons with Led Zeppelin III. Recorded in a cottage in Wales and released in October of 1970, the album saw them weaving British folk into their heavy rock, a hybrid that deepened the band's sound. Led Zeppelin III reached number one in both the U.K. and U.S. but, comparatively, sales were softer for this record than the two previous blockbusters; it never earned a platinum certification in the U.K. but, over the years, it went platinum six times in the U.S., a sign of its reputation as one of band's most distinctive records. Despite Zeppelin's stated aversion to singles, they did support III with the release of "Immigrant Song" as a 7" in the States, backed with the non-LP "Hey, Hey What Can I Do," their only B-side to not appear on an album.

Led Zeppelin didn't tour as heavily behind Led Zeppelin III as they did Led Zeppelin II, but they were well on their way to consolidating their status as one of the most popular attractions in rock. Their next record, an untitled record commonly referred to as Led Zeppelin IV, cemented that reputation. Released in November 1971, Led Zeppelin IV merged the heavy blues of II with the folk mysticism of III and at the crossroads of those two extremes lay "Stairway to Heaven," an eight-minute epic that encapsulated much of Zep's majesty. "Stairway to Heaven" was an immediate radio hit, eventually becoming the most played song in the history of album-oriented radio; the song was never released as a single. Despite the fact that the album never reached number one in America, Led Zeppelin IV was their biggest album ever, selling well over 37 million copies over the next four decades. Led Zeppelin supported Led Zeppelin IV with their biggest tour to date -- biggest according to size, not dates. All around the world they made the leap into stadiums and sports arenas, pioneering a circuit that became commonplace later in the decade, leaving legends of excess along the way.

After completing their 1972 tour, they retreated from the spotlight and recorded their fifth album, Houses of the Holy. Appearing in March 1973, Houses of the Holy found them weaving in touches of funk and reggae amidst their crunching rock and seven-minute epics. Once again, Zeppelin had another smash album on their hands and its success led to an American tour that broke box-office records -- most of which were previously held by the Beatles. The band's tour culminated in a three-night stand at New York's Madison Square Garden in July 1973, a stint that was filmed and released as the concert film The Song Remains the Same in 1976. Following this record-breaking tour, Led Zeppelin spent a quiet year during 1974, releasing no new material and performing no concerts. They did, however, establish their own record label, Swan Song, which released all of Led Zeppelin's subsequent albums, as well as records by Dave Edmunds, Bad Company, the Pretty Things, and several other acts. Physical Graffiti, a double album released in February of 1975, was the band's first release on Swan Song.

The album was an immediate success, topping the charts in both America and England. Led Zeppelin launched an international tour with a five-night stint at London's Earls Court but on the eve of the American leg that fall, Robert Plant and his wife suffered a serious car crash while vacationing in Greece. The tour was canceled and Plant spent the rest of the year recuperating from the accident. As Plant recovered, the band headed to Malibu to record a new album. The resulting Presence appeared in the spring of 1976 and while it debuted at number one in both the U.S. and U.K., sales lagged slightly, possibly due to the band's decision not to tour in support of the album. Instead, they released the film The Song Remains the Same, which appeared in the fall of 1976; its soundtrack peaked at number one in the U.K. and number two in the U.S. Zeppelin finally returned to the stage in the spring of 1977 with a tour of the United States (the U.K. was off limits, as the band decided to take a tax exile).

The concerts raked in money but nearly three months into the tour, Plant's six-year-old son Karac died of a stomach infection. Led Zeppelin immediately canceled the tour and offered no word whether or not it would be rescheduled, causing widespread speculation about the band's future. For a while, it did appear that Led Zeppelin were finished. Robert Plant spent the latter half of 1977 and the better part of 1978 in seclusion. The group didn't begin work on a new album until late 1978, when they began recording at ABBA's Polar Studios in Sweden. A year later, the band played a short European tour, performing in Switzerland, Germany, Holland, Belgium, and Austria. In August of 1979, Led Zeppelin played two large concerts at Knebworth; the shows were their first English performances in four years and would be their last English concerts. In Through the Out Door, the band's much-delayed eighth studio album, was finally released in September of 1979. The album entered the charts at number one in both America and England. In May of 1980, Led Zeppelin embarked on their final European tour.

In September, they began rehearsing at Jimmy Page's house in preparation for an American tour. On September 25, John Bonham was found dead in his bed -- following an all-day drinking binge, he had passed out and choked on his own vomit. In December of 1980, Led Zeppelin announced they were disbanding, since they could not continue without Bonham. Following the breakup, the remaining members all began solo careers. John Paul Jones returned to producing and arranging; for years, he remained in a behind-the-scenes capacity, waiting until 1999 to release his solo debut, Zooma. After recording the soundtrack for Death Wish II, Jimmy Page compiled the Zeppelin outtakes collection Coda, which was released at the end of 1982. That same year, Robert Plant began a solo career with Pictures at Eleven. In 1984, Plant and Page briefly reunited in the all-star oldies band the Honeydrippers. After recording one EP with the Honeydrippers, Plant returned to his solo career and Page formed the Firm with former Bad Company singer Paul Rodgers.

In 1985, Led Zeppelin reunited to play Live Aid, supported by drummers Phil Collins and Tony Thompson, sparking off a flurry of reunion rumors; the reunion never materialized. In 1988, the band re-formed to play Atlantic's 25th anniversary concert, this time playing with John Bonham's son, Jason. During 1989, Page remastered the band's catalog for release on the 1990 box set Led Zeppelin. At the time, the four-disc set became the biggest-selling multi-disc box set of all time, which was followed up three years later by another box set, the mammoth ten-disc set The Complete Studio Recordings. In 1994, Page and Plant reunited to record a segment for MTV Unplugged, which was released as No Quarter in the fall of 1994. Although the album went platinum, the sales were disappointing considering the anticipation of a Zeppelin reunion. The following year, Page and Plant embarked on a successful international tour, which eventually led to an all-new studio recording in 1998, the Steve Albini-produced Walking into Clarksdale.

Although it received some positive reviews, the album wasn't a massive hit -- it went gold only in America -- and Page and Plant ended their union shortly thereafter; Page went on to tour with the Black Crowes, while Plant resumed his solo career. Further Zeppelin archival releases saw the light of day in the late '90s, including 1997's stellar double-disc BBC Sessions, plus Zep's first official hits compilations -- 1999's Early Days: The Best Of, Vol. 1 and 2000's Latter Days: The Best Of, Vol. 2 -- and an acclaimed 2003 double-DVD set of live performances from 1969-1979. A full reunion of the surviving members of the band, with Jason Bonham filling in for his father on drums, took place in 2007 when the group played a historic concert at London's 02 in memory of Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun. The set was filmed and recorded, and finally appeared as a commercial release under the title Celebration Day in the fall of 2012.

In 2014, Led Zeppelin launched a massive catalog campaign supervised by Jimmy Page, containing newly remastered versions of all their albums, available on CD, high-resolution downloads, and vinyl. Additionally, there were deluxe editions containing previously unreleased material from the vaults. The first round of reissues contained the band's first three albums and appeared in June 2014; the last round appeared in July 2015. The group also released The Complete BBC Sessions in 2016, an updated and expanded edition of their 1997 collection BBC Sessions. The compilation included eight previously unreleased recordings, among them a long-lost radio session featuring the tracks "You Shook Me," "Sunshine Woman," and "I Can’t Quit You Baby." ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi Led Zeppelin | British rock group | Britannica.com British rock group list of prime ministers of Great Britain and the United Kingdom Led Zeppelin, British rock band that was extremely popular in the 1970s. Although their musical style was diverse , they came to be well known for their influence on the development of heavy metal . The members were Jimmy Page (b.

January 9, 1944, Heston, Middlesex, England), Robert Plant (b. August 20, 1948, West Bromwich, West Midlands), John Paul Jones (original name John Baldwin; b. January 3, 1946, Sidcup, Kent), and John Bonham (b. May 31, 1948, Redditch, Hereford and Worcester—d. September 25, 1980, Windsor, Berkshire). Led Zeppelin. © Neal Preston/Retna Ltd. Initially called the New Yardbirds, Led Zeppelin was formed in 1968 by Jimmy Page, the final lead guitarist for the legendary British blues band the Yardbirds . Bassist and keyboard player Jones, like Page, was a veteran studio musician; vocalist Plant and drummer Bonham came from little-known provincial bands. The group was influenced by various kinds of music , including early rock and roll , psychedelic rock , blues , folk , Celtic, Indian, and Arabic music.

Although acoustic and folk-based music was part of the band’s repertoire from its inception, it was the bottom-heavy, loud, raw, and powerful electric style that gained them their following and notoriety early on; their first two albums included many of the songs that prompted Led Zeppelin’s categorization as a precursor of heavy metal. The heaviness of songs such as “ Dazed and Confused ” and “ Whole Lotta Love ” was created by Bonham’s enormous drum sound and through Page’s production techniques, in which he emphasized drums and bass, resulting in a sonic spaciousness that has kept the records sounding fresh years after they were made. Page and Jones also wrote most of the band’s music, while Plant contributed lyrics and some musical ideas. Although Page was responsible for the majority of their signature riffs (the short, repeated musical ideas that often structure a song), Jones wrote the riff for the celebrated “ Black Dog ” and several other songs. Jones also contributed much to the arrangement of songs.

Page’s guitar solos were based primarily on melodic ideas derived from the blues scale (“ Heartbreaker ” is a good example), and he is especially known for creating multiple, simultaneous guitar parts—a kind of guitar orchestra—in such songs as “ Achilles Last Stand ” and “ The Song Remains the Same. ” Page is considered one of rock’s guitar heroes, but, because he was more interested in creating a distinctive mood and sound on a recording than in displaying his virtuosity, he frequently chose not to include a guitar solo in Zeppelin songs. Similar Topics the Eagles Plant’s voice rounded out Led Zeppelin’s sound. Exaggerating the vocal style and expressive palette of blues singers such as Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters , Plant created the sound that has defined much hard rock and heavy metal singing: a high range, an abundance of distortion, loud volume, and emotional excess (“ Whole Lotta Love ” is a classic example).

Plant was, however, capable of a broader stylistic range, including tender ballads (“ The Rain Song ”) and songs showing the influence of Indian and Arabic vocal styles (“ Kashmir Led Zeppelin’s best-known song is “ Stairway to Heaven ”; its gentle acoustic beginning eventually builds to an exhilarating climax featuring a lengthy electric guitar solo. This combination of acoustic and electric sections was typical for Page, who from the band’s beginning was interested in juxtaposing what he called “light and shade.” The song appeared on the band’s fourth and most famous album, released untitled, which showed only four runic symbols (intended to represent the band members) on the cover and had the mystical, mythological lyrics to “ Stairway ” printed on the inner sleeve. The sense of mystery and ritual that this created became an important part of the band’s image. They kept their distance from the press and were uninterested in catering to the singles market. Moreover, “ Stairway ” and several other songs were of epic length by rock standards, and concert improvisations stretched some songs to triple the length of their studio versions.

Britannica Stories Scientists Ponder Menopause in Killer Whales Thanks in part to their manager, Peter Grant, the band enjoyed phenomenal commercial success throughout the 1970s. While Led Zeppelin never received the kind of critical acclaim or mainstream acceptance accorded the Beatles or the Rolling Stones , their influence on rock music has been prodigious. They are regularly cited as the progenitors of both hard rock and heavy metal. Their sound has been imitated by bands from Black Sabbath to Nirvana . They also inspired hard rock bands to include acoustic elements in their music and were among the first to experiment with Indian and North African music. Page’s style—both his solos and riffs—has served as an important model for most rock guitarists, and Bonham is often cited as the model for metal or hard rock drumming. Grammy Awards Led Zeppelin disbanded in 1980 after Bonham’s accidental death. The group re-formed for short, one-off performances in 1985 (the Live Aid benefit), 1988 ( Atlantic Records ’ 40th anniversary concert), and 1995 (the band’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ).

Much more momentous was the group’s full-blown concert in London in December 2007 to honour Atlantic’s cofounder Ahmet Ertegun , at which Bonham’s son, Jason, played the drums. Although the Recording Academy had honoured Led Zeppelin with a lifetime achievement award in 2005, the group received its first Grammy Award in 2014 for Celebration Day (2012), a live album derived from the 2007 reunion show. In 2012 Led Zeppelin was named a Kennedy Center honoree. How Led Zeppelin Got Banned In Boston | WGBH News How Led Zeppelin Got Banned In Boston January 9, 2015 Edgar B. Herwick III On their record-breaking tours in the 1970s, rock band Led Zeppelin earned a reputation for excess and debauchery. One story even has their drummer riding a motorcycle through a hotel corridor. But it wasn't the band — it was their fans — that got them into hot water here in Boston.

"It was just this awesome blend of epic emotionality and really hard rock," said author Stephen Davis, who covered Led Zeppelin on their 1975 world tour and wrote two books on the subject. "They were just a kick-ass band with an incredible guitar player, a screaming singer, and one of the greatest drummers that has ever played in rock and roll … By 1975 Led Zeppelin was really the biggest rock band in the world." A mantle they’d earned with six top-ten albums, instant anthems like "Stairway to Heaven," and six years of relentless touring, playing legendary shows that sometimes stretched on for four hours. "Boston was a very important town for Led Zepplin," Davis said. "They broke out from England in their early days in early 1969 at the Boston Tea Party [club] where they played a series of tumultuous shows. And then in 1969, 1970, 1971 they came back around nine times and they played kind of everywhere." Tickets from the 1975 Led Zeppelin concert at the Boston Garden. Caption Photo Credit: Courtesy LedZeppelin.com So on Jan.

6, 1975, when it was announced that tickets would go on sale the next morning for Zeppelin’s upcoming show at the Boston Garden, there was, well, a little bit of interest. "By about 5 p.m., kids began to lineup on Causeway Street outside the old Boston Garden," Davis said. Three thousand of them. "They were all dressed in blue denim jeans and jean jackets and things like that and they were freezing," Davis said. As the evening wore on, and temperatures dropped into the single digits, the Garden doors were opened, and fans were told they could wait inside until the box office opened the next morning — provided they behaved. Take a guess what happened. "Pretty soon they were passing bottles of Boons Farm apple wine and Ripple — another kind of wine they had back then — and smoking joints and generally getting rowdy," Davis said. During a security shift change, things went from rowdy to riot. "The kids broke into the beer concessions and started feeding themselves," Davis said. "And when the next shift came on, they turned the fire hoses on them.

Then they turned the fire hoses on Boston Garden, then they started to torch the seats." It took the Boston police riot squad until 5:30 a.m. to end the mayhem and clear the Garden, which sustained some $30,000 of damage. A few hours later, armed with his press pass, Davis dashed to the Garden to see for himself. "The place was a smoking ruin," he said. "It was completely flooded. It was just like the place had been bombed." Also stopping by the Garden that next morning? Then-Boston Mayor Kevin White. "He saw the burned seats and the flooded hockey rink and the trashed concession stands and he said, 'Led Zeppelin will never play in Boston again,'" Davis said. And they never did. White refused them a permit for their 1975 concert. They skipped Boston on their colossal 1977 American tour. And as they were rehearsing for the their 1980 American tour, drummer John Bonham died — and Led Zeppelin called it a career. "There’s just a mythopoeic quality about Led Zeppelin back then that is almost indescribable," Davis said.

"You kind of had to be there, but if you listen to "Physical Graffiti" on really good speakers, on vinyl, you can hear a little bit of what I’m talking about." Led Zeppelin — considered by many to be the great rock band of the 1970s — banned in Boston after their fans wreaked havoc on the old Boston Garden, 40 years ago this week. If you have a forgotten tale from Massachusetts history, or if there is something you're just plain curious about, email Edgar at curiositydesk@wgbh.org . Led Zeppelin | Biography & History | AllMusic google+ Artist Biography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine What the Beatles were to the '60s, Led Zeppelin were to the '70s: a band so successful and innovative they wound up creating the prism through which their entire epoch was seen. Zeppelin ushered in the era of album rock -- they refused to release singles off their albums, even when they were garnering massive radio play -- and of arena rock, playing ever-larger stadiums as their ticket sales skyrocketed.

Other bands played on a similar field but Led Zeppelin carried a unique mystique cultivated by cryptic album art, distance from the press, and, of course, their music. Drawing upon postwar electric blues, early rock & roll, and psychedelia, Zeppelin created a titanic roar in their earliest days but even then they weren't merely heavy. Underneath the wattage, there was a strong undercurrent of folk-rock and the quartet would soon thread in world music, funk, country, and synthesizers, creating an adventurous body of work that had a long, lasting influence on hard rock, heavy metal, and alternative rock. Quite a feat for a band whose origins lie in the ashes of the pioneering British rock band the Yardbirds . Jimmy Page , a guitarist who made his reputation as a session man in the '60s, joined the band in 1966, functioning as the replacement for bassist Paul Samwell-Smith , but he soon split lead guitar duties with Jeff Beck and took over that position entirely once Beck departed.

Page contributed heavily to the band's final album, 1967's Little Games , which also saw contributions from John Paul Jones , a bassist and string arranger who also ran in the same studio circles as Page ; the two played on Beck 's 1966 single "Beck's Bolero," which also featured Keith Moon . Under the direction of their new manager Peter Grant , the Yardbirds supported the album with a tour of the United States, but the group was in its final days. Just before the band's dissolution, Page filled the time with session work, including a spring 1968 session where he played on Jones ' arrangement of Donovan 's "Hurdy Gurdy Man." During the sessions, Jones requested to be part of any future project of Page 's. This future project materialized quickly. In the summer of 1968, the Yardbirds ' Keith Relf and James McCarty left the band, leaving Page and bassist Chris Dreja with the rights to the name, along with the obligation of fulfilling an upcoming fall tour. Page set out to find a replacement vocalist and drummer. Initially, he wanted to enlist singer Terry Reid and Procol Harum 's drummer B.J.

Wilson , but neither musician was able to join the group. Reid suggested that Page contact Robert Plant , who was singing with a band called Hobbstweedle. After hearing him sing, Page asked Plant to join the band in August of 1968, the same month Chris Dreja dropped out of the new project. Following Dreja 's departure, John Paul Jones joined the group as its bassist. Plant recommended that Page hire John Bonham , the drummer for Plant 's old band, the Band of Joy . Bonham had to be persuaded to join the group, as he was being courted by other artists who offered the drummer considerably more money. By September, Bonham agreed to join the band. Performing under the name the New Yardbirds , the band fulfilled the Yardbirds ' previously booked Scandinavian engagements in late September 1968. The following month, they recorded their debut album in just under 30 hours. Also in October, Dreja informed Page he had the rights to the New Yardbirds name for the live dates only, so the group switched its name to Led Zeppelin .

Grant helped the band sign a record-setting contract with Atlantic Records in the United States before the end of the year; they were paid a reported $200,000 advance, at that date the largest sum for any new band. Early in 1969, Led Zeppelin set out on their first American tour, which helped set the stage for the January release of their eponymous debut album. Two months after its release, Led Zeppelin had climbed into the U.S. Top Ten. Throughout 1969, the band toured relentlessly, playing dates in America and England. While they were on the road, they recorded their second album, Led Zeppelin II , and that speed gave the record's loud, riff-heavy blues a palpable urgency. Like its predecessor, Led Zeppelin II was an immediate hit upon its October 1969 release, topping the American charts two months after its release and spending seven weeks at number one. The album helped establish Led Zeppelin as an international concert attraction, and for the next year, the group continued to tour relentlessly. Led Zeppelin started to broaden their horizons with Led Zeppelin III .

Recorded in a cottage in Wales and released in October of 1970, the album saw them weaving British folk into their heavy rock, a hybrid that deepened the band's sound. Led Zeppelin III reached number one in both the U.K. and U.S. but, comparatively, sales were softer for this record than the two previous blockbusters; it never earned a platinum certification in the U.K. but, over the years, it went platinum six times in the U.S., a sign of its reputation as one of band's most distinctive records. Despite Zeppelin 's stated aversion to singles, they did support III with the release of "Immigrant Song" as a 7" in the States, backed with the non-LP "Hey, Hey What Can I Do," their only B-side to not appear on an album. Led Zeppelin didn't tour as heavily behind Led Zeppelin III as they did Led Zeppelin II , but they were well on their way to consolidating their status as one of the most popular attractions in rock. Their next record, an untitled record commonly referred to as Led Zeppelin IV , cemented that reputation.

Released in November 1971, Led Zeppelin IV merged the heavy blues of II with the folk mysticism of III and at the crossroads of those two extremes lay "Stairway to Heaven," an eight-minute epic that encapsulated much of Zep 's majesty. "Stairway to Heaven" was an immediate radio hit, eventually becoming the most played song in the history of album-oriented radio; the song was never released as a single. Despite the fact that the album never reached number one in America, Led Zeppelin IV was their biggest album ever, selling well over 37 million copies over the next four decades. Led Zeppelin supported Led Zeppelin IV with their biggest tour to date -- biggest according to size, not dates. All around the world they made the leap into stadiums and sports arenas, pioneering a circuit that became commonplace later in the decade, leaving legends of excess along the way. After completing their 1972 tour, they retreated from the spotlight and recorded their fifth album, Houses of the Holy . Appearing in March 1973, Houses of the Holy found them weaving in touches of funk and reggae amidst their crunching rock and seven-minute epics.

Once again, Zeppelin had another smash album on their hands and its success led to an American tour that broke box-office records -- most of which were previously held by the Beatles . The band's tour culminated in a three-night stand at New York's Madison Square Garden in July 1973, a stint that was filmed and released as the concert film The Song Remains the Same in 1976. Following this record-breaking tour, Led Zeppelin spent a quiet year during 1974, releasing no new material and performing no concerts. They did, however, establish their own record label, Swan Song, which released all of Led Zeppelin 's subsequent albums, as well as records by Dave Edmunds , Bad Company , the Pretty Things , and several other acts. Physical Graffiti , a double album released in February of 1975, was the band's first release on Swan Song. The album was an immediate success, topping the charts in both America and England. Led Zeppelin launched an international tour with a five-night stint at London's Earls Court but on the eve of the American leg that fall, Robert Plant and his wife suffered a serious car crash while vacationing in Greece.

The tour was canceled and Plant spent the rest of the year recuperating from the accident. As Plant recovered, the band headed to Malibu to record a new album. The resulting Presence appeared in the spring of 1976 and while it debuted at number one in both the U.S. and U.K., sales lagged slightly, possibly due to the band's decision not to tour in support of the album. Instead, they released the film The Song Remains the Same , which appeared in the fall of 1976; its soundtrack peaked at number one in the U.K. and number two in the U.S. Zeppelin finally returned to the stage in the spring of 1977 with a tour of the United States (the U.K. was off limits, as the band decided to take a tax exile). The concerts raked in money but nearly three months into the tour, Plant 's six-year-old son Karac died of a stomach infection. Led Zeppelin immediately canceled the tour and offered no word whether or not it would be rescheduled, causing widespread speculation about the band's future. For a while, it did appear that Led Zeppelin were finished.

Robert Plant spent the latter half of 1977 and the better part of 1978 in seclusion. The group didn't begin work on a new album until late 1978, when they began recording at ABBA 's Polar Studios in Sweden. A year later, the band played a short European tour, performing in Switzerland, Germany, Holland, Belgium, and Austria. In August of 1979, Led Zeppelin played two large concerts at Knebworth; the shows were their first English performances in four years and would be their last English concerts. In Through the Out Door , the band's much-delayed eighth studio album, was finally released in September of 1979. The album entered the charts at number one in both America and England. In May of 1980, Led Zeppelin embarked on their final European tour. In September, they began rehearsing at Jimmy Page 's house in preparation for an American tour. On September 25, John Bonham was found dead in his bed -- following an all-day drinking binge, he had passed out and choked on his own vomit.

In December of 1980, Led Zeppelin announced they were disbanding, since they could not continue without Bonham . Following the breakup, the remaining members all began solo careers. John Paul Jones returned to producing and arranging; for years, he remained in a behind-the-scenes capacity, waiting until 1999 to release his solo debut, Zooma . After recording the soundtrack for Death Wish II, Jimmy Page compiled the Zeppelin outtakes collection Coda , which was released at the end of 1982. That same year, Robert Plant began a solo career with Pictures at Eleven . In 1984, Plant and Page briefly reunited in the all-star oldies band the Honeydrippers . After recording one EP with the Honeydrippers , Plant returned to his solo career and Page formed the Firm with former Bad Company singer Paul Rodgers . In 1985, Led Zeppelin reunited to play Live Aid, supported by drummers Phil Collins and Tony Thompson , sparking off a flurry of reunion rumors; the reunion never materialized. In 1988, the band re-formed to play Atlantic's 25th anniversary concert, this time playing with John Bonham 's son, Jason .

During 1989, Page remastered the band's catalog for release on the 1990 box set Led Zeppelin . At the time, the four-disc set became the biggest-selling multi-disc box set of all time, which was followed up three years later by another box set, the mammoth ten-disc set The Complete Studio Recordings . In 1994, Page and Plant reunited to record a segment for MTV Unplugged, which was released as No Quarter in the fall of 1994. Although the album went platinum, the sales were disappointing considering the anticipation of a Zeppelin reunion. The following year, Page and Plant embarked on a successful international tour, which eventually led to an all-new studio recording in 1998, the Steve Albini -produced Walking into Clarksdale . Although it received some positive reviews, the album wasn't a massive hit -- it went gold only in America -- and Page and Plant ended their union shortly thereafter; Page went on to tour with the Black Crowes , while Plant resumed his solo career.

Further Zeppelin archival releases saw the light of day in the late '90s, including 1997's stellar double-disc BBC Sessions , plus Zep 's first official hits compilations -- 1999's Early Days: The Best Of, Vol. 1 and 2000's Latter Days: The Best Of, Vol. 2 -- and an acclaimed 2003 double-DVD set of live performances from 1969-1979. A full reunion of the surviving members of the band, with Jason Bonham filling in for his father on drums, took place in 2007 when the group played a historic concert at London's 02 in memory of Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun . The set was filmed and recorded, and finally appeared as a commercial release under the title Celebration Day in the fall of 2012. In 2014, Led Zeppelin launched a massive catalog campaign supervised by Jimmy Page , containing newly remastered versions of all their albums, available on CD, high-resolution downloads, and vinyl. Additionally, there were deluxe editions containing previously unreleased material from the vaults.

The first round of reissues contained the band's first three albums and appeared in June 2014; the last round appeared in July 2015. The group also released The Complete BBC Sessions in 2016, an updated and expanded edition of their 1997 collection BBC Sessions . The compilation included eight previously unreleased recordings, among them a long-lost radio session featuring the tracks "You Shook Me," "Sunshine Woman," and "I Can’t Quit You Baby."

Question: Who was the drummer with the 1970's rock band 'Led Zepplin'?
Answer: JOHN BONHAM