Led Zeppelin

Ranked at No. 29 in Rolling Stone Magazine’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time, Led Zeppelin signifies a turning point in the development of modern hard rock music. For their eponymous debut, Led Zeppelin stylistically fused elements of rock, blues and folk music in a set of original songs and covers (the folk song “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You,” and blues cuts “You Shook Me,” and “I Can’t Quit You Baby”). Often considered as the album’s centrepiece, “Dazed and Confused” notably showcases Jimmy Page playing his guitar with a violin bow. This unorthodox technique was repeated on “How Many More Times”.

Despite initial scepticism upon its release, the legacy and influence of Led Zeppelin is now widely recognised. In his book, The Complete Guide to the Music of Led Zeppelin, Dave Lewis commented:

Time has done nothing to diminish the quality of one of the finest debut albums ever recorded. There’s an urgency and enthusiasm about their performance that retains timeless charm. The nine cuts offer a tour de force of powerful yet often subtle dynamics… And let’s not forget the fact that with this album, Page virtually invents the guitar riff as a key songwriting component.

Selected by Jimmy Page, the artwork illustrates the source of the Led Zeppelin band name, featuring the Hindenburg airship engulfed by flames. When Page, Jeff Beck, Keith Moon, and John Entwistle were allegedly discussing the idea of forming a band, Moon joked that “It would probably go over like a lead balloon.” To this, Entwistle replied, “…a lead zeppelin!”.