This year marks the 50th anniversary of the inception of Led Zeppelin, one of the greatest rock and roll bands of all time.
There are very few bands who have had the gargantuan influence on the face of rock and roll as Zeppelin has. They are still revered as rock and roll legends and godfathers of heavy metal. What else can be said about them that hasn’t already been said: modern day rock and roll is, to this day, the house that Zeppelin built.
I’ve been a disciple of Robert, Jimmy, John, and John for roughly 17 of those 50 years. When I was a sophomore in high school, I purchased an unauthorized double-disc greatest hits collection, and I was a believer from the first time I gave it a spin.
In order to celebrate their golden anniversary, I gave myself the impossible task of ranking every Led Zeppelin song from amazing to pretty good (because let’s face it there are no bad Led Zeppelin tracks). While it was certainly acceptable to include their live versions (which differed quite a bit from studio versions) or unreleased Yardbird or B-sides, I limited the scope to the major label releases—sorry, Coda, that means you’re not invited either.
Here’s what I came up with. Let me know how off I am.
(And let me save you some scrolling in case you were worried: “Stairway to Heaven” is NOT #1, though it is in the top half)
#73
“Hot Dog” from In Through the Out Door
I appreciate Led Zeppelin’s willingness to spread their horizons, and this foray into rockabilly sure bounces, but it is so un-Zeppelin it’s almost a parody.
#72
“Black Country Woman” from Physical Graffiti
A mellow western style folk track that, on a monumental album like Physical Graffiti, is unfortunately often forgotten.
#71
“Candy Store Rock” from Presence
With a guitarline as jittery as the title suggests, and Plant injected some Elvis-style influence to his vocals, it’s a party in candy aisle.
#70
“Sick Again” from Physical Graffiti
Page double stacking guitarlines stands out fervently and closes out Physical Graffiti with a punchy cut.
#69
“I’m Gonna Crawl” from In Through the Out Door
In Through the Out Door is widely regarded as Led Zeppelin’s “worst” album, likely because it’s driven more by John Paul Jones’ piano and keyboard than Jimmy’s guitar. This is a step back from the typical sound, slow and wavy, but Plant’s vocals save this song from obscurity.
#68
“D’yer Mak’er” from Houses of the Holy
Legend has it that Jimmy and Robert were so inspired by Bob Marley they wanted to write and produce their very own reggae album. They laid down and recorded this track, looked at each other, and simultaneously agreed “well… that’s enough of that”. I agree… great track and they nailed the sidetracking style, but a whole album would have been too much.
#67
“Bron-Yr-Aur” from Physical Graffiti
Jimmy Page, to this day, is still regarded for the heavy riffs and crunchy gages he played; he’s often regarded as the creator of riff-rock. But he is an incredible talent with acoustic folk music as well, as this resplendent acoustic instrumental track proved.
#66
“South Bound Saurez” from In Through the Out Door
This is one particular track from their final album that could have sounded better with Jimmy’s guitarline driving the song rather than frilling over an unusually flat piano line. Plant’s vocals pull it all together.
#65
“Hats off to (Roy) Harper” from Led Zeppelin III
Full disclosure, I hated this song at first. But it has slowly begun to grow on me. The bluegrass infusion was something I did not get at first, but learned to really enjoy over time. It was yet another subversion of style that they absorbed into their sound.
#64
“That’s the Way” from Led Zeppelin III
This is probably one of the only tracks Zeppelin produced that played closer to the flowery sound of the hippy generation than the burgeoning hard rock sound they were pioneering.
#63
“The Wanton Song” from Physical Graffiti
Physical Graffiti was their sixth studio album, and they had been playing around with so many different styles by now, straying from the very style they were helping revolutionize. This track was a friendly reminder they were still the kings of heavy metal
#62
“Hots on For Nowhere” from Presence
This time they infused jazz and a smidgen of swing into their sound to create their most toe-tapping and “danceable” tracks in their repertoire.
#61
“Black Mountain Side” from Led Zeppelin I
Most people were so blown away by the heavy riffage on tracks like “Good Times, Bad Times” and “Communication Breakdown” they discarded Jimmy Page’s ability to play folk style. This acoustic instrumental served as a beacon foreshadowing the band’s ability to morph sounds at will.
#60
“Your Time is Gonna Come” from Led Zeppelin I
Growing up, John Paul Jones was the organ player at his church. His days of hymnal expositing paid dividends on this track.
#59
“The Crunge” from Houses of the Holy
The colorful sounds of soul were dominating airwaves, and Led Zeppelin wanted to prove they could play as well. The result was this crunchy, groovin’ appropriately titled crunge piece.
#58
“Night Flight” from Physical Graffiti
Soaring instrumentation create a perfect illusion the title dictates. Possibly the most underrated Plant vocal take in Zeppelin’s catalogue.
#57
“Tangerine” from Led Zeppelin III
Without question, Robert Plant’s best lyrics.
#56
“Down By the Seaside” from Physical Graffiti
Slow and sweeping like calm waves slapping the beach at sunset, this succinctly conjures up a relaxing day at the beach.
#55
“Dancing Days” from Houses of the Holy
Easily one of Zeppelin’s most recognizable “hits” and one of Page’s most unique riffs, sounding almost Arabian as it glides over a standard rock rhythm.
#54
“Nobody’s Fault But Mine” from Presence
People seem to look down on Presence as an album, and they’ll point to this track as a step down from their work on Physical Graffiti. But this track jives with a jaunty melody. Perhaps it’s the stop and go rhythm that turns some people off, but it works exceedingly well in the electric style.
#53
“In the Light” from Physical Graffiti
“In the Light” follows in the same recipe other prismatic key driven mid-tempo crooners like “Your Time is Gonna Come” and “All My Love” follows, only this one gets a heftier Bonham drumline to boost it above the others.
#52
“The Rain Song” from Houses of the Holy
The track was a nice little ballad as it was, but the addition of the strings—throwing in additional instrumentation not played by the four members was not something they practiced much—really adds depth to the track.
#51
“Out on the Tiles” from Led Zeppelin III
Page’s guitar and Jones’ bass lines never synched up in many of their tracks, but double stacking the guitar and bass playing the same line adds height to the sound and propels it to anthemic levels.
#50
“The Rover” from Physical Graffiti
Chunky and grooving rhythms and some power production create this smashing and oft-overlooked cruise rock jam.
#49
“Livin’ Lovin’ Maid (She’s Just a Woman)” from Led Zeppelin II
As churning and grooving as this track is, it gets a huge boost coming off “Heartbreaker”, so much so that classic rock radio stations often play the two together. Separately, it still stands up, drops 2 and a half minutes of maid-lovin’ rock.
#48
“Celebration Day” from Led Zeppelin III
Often times when Jimmy Page does something unorthodox or drops an unusual riff, it’s John Bonham supplying a straight forward drumline that maintains the rock and roll structure, and that’s the case here.
#47
“Four Sticks” from Led Zeppelin IV
Fun fact: this song is named because John Bonham plays the tribal-influenced drumline with four sticks—two in each hand.
#46
“I Can’t Quit You, Baby” from Led Zeppelin I
Led Zeppelin had to establish a sound in a hurry, as they were born in the wake of the Yardbirds’ demise, and they leaned heavily on blues to turn the cogs of their hard rock, Blind Willie Dixon in particular. This Dixon cover is a perfect example of the marriage of blues and rock and roll.
#45
“Bron-Y-Aur Stomp” from Led Zeppelin III
After the success of their first two albums, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant sequestered themselves in a secluded area in a cottage with no electricity to write a new batch of songs, which explains the predominantly folk direction of their third album. This twangy boot stomping front porch jam is the ripest fruit of that sabbatical.
#44
“Bring it On Home” from Led Zeppelin II
Blues with distortion.
#43
“How Many More Times” from Led Zeppelin I
Rumor has it that Jeff Beck helped Jimmy Page write this track when it was destined to be a Yardbirds song before Beck left the band. Somewhere in the annals of 60’s rock studio reels is a rendition with Beck and Page playing this song.
#42
“Moby Dick” from Led Zeppelin II
The legend of John Bonham began here. Not to be outdone, Page drops a tasty lick in the first minute before Bonham powers out a 3 minute drum solo.
#41
“Friends” from Led Zeppelin III
The unsung hero of III, “Friends” is a lyrical and vocal triumph for Robert Plant.
#40
“Custard Pie” from Physical Graffiti
Led Zeppelin never performed “Custard Pie” live as a band*, and that—next to the untimely death of John Bonham—may be one of the biggest travesties the band ever faced.
(*Jimmy Page and Robert Plant did a live reunion album where they performed a rendition, but it was not nearly the same without JPJ bumpin’ on the bass)
#39
“Boogie With Stu” from Physical Graffiti
Led Zeppelin has a series of western infused tracks, and this one takes the cake. JPJ jambling an ol’ west tavern piano line gives color and boogie to this jam.
#38
“All My Love” from In Through the Out Door
At first, it sounds like a standard, if not more subdued, love song from Robert Plant. But it takes on extra depth when you realize the lyrics are about his departed son, killed at the age of 5 by a virus. Really makes the tone of the lyrics even more melancholy.
#37
“Ramble On” from Led Zeppelin II
Robert Plant incorporating Lord of the Rings into this mega hit is everything.
#36
“Ten Years Gone” from Physical Graffiti
Brilliant as it plays on its theme of passing time and remembrance. Page’s lonely guitarline really brings Plant’s despondent lyrics to life. One can’t help but reminisce on their own time ten years (or more) behind them.
#35
“In the Evening” from In Through the Out Door
When you’re used to the hard and heavy sound Led Zeppelin revolutionized, this is about as far a step to the side as they could have taken. Synth blasts from JPJ drive the tempo, and Plant—fresh off a vocal surgery—tries a different, deeper approach. It almost sounds like a different band, but still maintains the heavy punch Zeppelin was known for.
#34
“Thank You” from Led Zeppelin II
Led Zeppelin deflected the standard definition of a ballad in turn for their own rendition. This is the closest they got to a traditional ballad.
#33
“Going to California” from Led Zeppelin IV
As beautiful an andante folk track as they produced. This was Page’s best acoustic guitar line, and Plant’s most personal lyrics he ever wrote.
#32
“Royal Orleans” from Presence
Zeppelin added a lot of bounce and jazz formats to Presence, and no more does it show face than on this rollicking tribute to New Orleans.
#31
“What is and What Should Never Be” from Led Zeppelin II
The quiet verse-crashing chorus creates a subversive atmosphere, and allows Robert Plant to spin two vocal styles that mesh together seamlessly.
#30
“Fool in the Rain” from In Through the Out Door
Jimmy Page said on multiple occasions they never wrote music with the intention of releasing singles; they believed the entire album was important. This song is the closest they came to a bona fide single. The drumline during the accelerated bridge is some of Bonham’s best work.
#29
“Babe, I’m Gonna Leave You” from Led Zeppelin I
Jimmy Page’s obsession with Joan Baez made them do this rendition, and became one of the most talented and important tracks of their early career.
#28
“The Ocean” from Houses of the Holy
Arguably Jimmy Page’s most infectious riff… and that’s saying something as the guy knows a thing or two about infectious riffs.
#27
“Over the Hills and Far Away” from Houses of the Holy
Zeppelin was known for their both their heavy riff rock and their folk influenced acoustic tracks. This song succinctly marries both of the styles together.
#26
“You Shook Me” from Led Zeppelin I
Possibly the greatest example of all four members of the band dropping brilliant takes. The bridge is unequivocally the best case of instrumentation in the band’s repertoire featuring an organ solo by JPJ, a harmonica solo by Plant, and a blistering guitar solo by Jimmy. Not to be outdone, the call-and-response outro from Page’s guitar and Plant’s wailing vocal scorched record players everywhere.
#25
“Gallows Pole” from Led Zeppelin III
Possibly the greatest, least celebrated song in their catalogue. It transforms over its 5 minute run time from folk acoustic into southern rock stomp.
#24
“For Your Life” from Presence
The relaxed tempo with the beefy guitar and basslines creates a slow burn jam that sears and cuts with each elongated measure. Zeppelin were often at their best when they just jammed like a garage band, and that is on full display here. Shout out to Jimmy Page’s whammy bar here.
#23
“Houses of the Holy” from Physical Graffiti
Interesting how “Houses of the Holy” was not featured on the Houses of Holy album. “Let the music be your master/Will you heed the master’s call?”
#22
“The Lemon Song” from Led Zeppelin II
If you ever want to hear John Paul Jones’ legacy as a bassist in one song, just play this song, and listen real close on the bridge. Best JPJ bassline in Zeppelin’s history.
#21
“The Battle of Evermore” from Led Zeppelin IV
Robert Plant’s love of fantasy novels and mythology created this amazing celtic acoustic jam that paired him with Sandy Denny describing a vicious battle between knights, dragons, sorcerers, and fantastical elements befitting of Middle Earth. Also, single handedly the reason I want a mandolin.
#20
“Carouselambra” from In Through the Out Door
This is the John Paul Jones’ special, dropping both a carousel spinning key melody and a hopping bassline. The devolution into the quieter valley of the song adds layers to it making more than a one-note circus.
#19
“Trampled Underfoot” from Physical Graffiti
During the 2007 reunion show, Robert Plant prefaced this song by saying “In 1935, Robert Johnson recorded a song called ‘Terraplane Blues’. This is kind of Led Zeppelin playing ‘Terraplane Blues’.” Apparently that means a blues garage stomp featuring car-mechanic references for making love.
#18
“Misty Mountain Hop” from Led Zeppelin IV
Robert Plant owns this song and evolves his vocals from one end of the spectrum to the other. The rhythm is one of the band’s most infectious.
#17
“Achilles Last Stand” from Presence
If they were going for dire and towering monolithic rocker, I’d say they nailed it. In a time when songs over five minutes were considered radio suicide, Zeppelin bucked the trend by dropping this 10-minute epic.
#16
“Good Times, Bad Times” from Led Zeppelin I
The breech into heavy metal can be traced back to this electric jam, the leadoff track to Zeppelin’s historic debut album.
#15
“Communication Breakdown” from Led Zeppelin I
Page never admitted it, but one of the studio workers stated that this was a filler track that had Page creating the heavy riff off the top of his head in one take. If true, greatest “filler” track ever.
#14
“Stairway to Heaven” from Led Zeppelin IV
No comment. It speaks for itself.
#13
“Dazed and Confused” from Led Zeppelin I
Jimmy Page plays part of the guitarline with a violin bow. Your argument is invalid.
#12
“When the Levee Breaks” from Led Zeppelin IV
The echo on the drumline was achieved by setting up Bonham’s drumset at the top of the stairs in his home and placing the microphone at the bottom of the stairs. Jimmy Page produced most of Zeppelin’s songs, and he was considered remarkably innovative at the time. It’s one reason why Zeppelin thrilled fans and terrified other musicians and producers at the time.
#11
“Whole Lotta Love” from Led Zeppelin II
The song that launched Zeppelin into the stratosphere, and arguably their most recognizable song.
#10
“Kashmir” from Physical Graffiti
Production and arrangement was one of the main reasons Zeppelin stood out in the crowd, and this song is the pinnacle of production and arrangement.
#9
“Heartbreaker” from Led Zeppelin II
Jimmy Page is god, and you can’t convince me otherwise.
#8
“Tea For One” from Presence
Led Zeppelin borrowed and covered blues artists to help mold their sound early on. But it was when they took on their own blend of blues and rock that they achieved their maximum potential. “Tea For One” is a dreary, blues jaunt with a sordid bass line, lonesome guitar, and lovelorn vocals.
#7
“The Song Remains the Same” from Houses of the Holy
I once attempted to play this song on bass guitar. During the rollicking instrumental intro, there’s a point where it’s require to pop, bend, and slide at the same time. I ended up breaking the bass string… do you know how hard it is to break a bass string?
#6
“Since I’ve Been Loving You” from Led Zeppelin III
Greatest blues-rock song of all time. Change my mind.
#5
“Black Dog” from Led Zeppelin IV
John Paul Jones famously stated he wanted to write a song no one could dance too, so he wrote the song in 7/4 time. John Bonham couldn’t write a manageable drumline to keep up, so he actually plays in 4/4. The frequent vocal breaks in the verse somehow make the two different time signatures make sense.
#4
“No Quarter” from Houses of the Holy
Unlike anything they had done, loosely viewed as a foray into progressive rock. A haunting melody that was way ahead of its time.
#3
“Immigrant Song” from Led Zeppelin III
“Ahh AH Ahhhhhhh AH!
Ahh AH Ahhhhhhh AH!”
#2
“Rock and Roll” from Led Zeppelin IV
The very nature of rock and roll and the pinnacle of their heavy metal influence is on display here.
#1
“In My Time of Dying” from Physical Graffiti
This is Led Zeppelin in one song. Equal parts heavy metal, folk, quick paced, slow burning, and monolithic.
Led Zeppelin continues to influence musicians to this day. Their music stands the test of time, and will be just as celebrated come their 100th anniversary.
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