Led Zeppelin is one of the most influential rock and roll bands in history. Their iconic “Stairway to Heaven” has ruled the radio stations and Guitar Centers since its release in 1971.
Vocalists try to match the screaming high pitch of singer Robert Plant, guitarists spend years attempting to match the raw, electric power of Jimmy Page, drummers laud praise on the talent of John Bonham, and composers look to John Paul Jones for his incredible production skill and talent behind the scenes as a bassist and keyboardist.
Led Zeppelin is an English rock band formed in 1969 by ex-Yardbird guitarist Jimmy Page. Page added studio producer John Paul Jones as bassist and two unknowns from Midland England: singer Robert Plant and drummer John “Bonzo” Bonham.
Immediately molding together at their first rehearsals, Led Zeppelin got their name allegedly from drummer Keith Moon from the Who when he thought that a new band “would go over like a lead balloon” according to Rolling Stone. Removing the “a” to avoid mispronouncing it as /LEED/, Led Zeppelin would go on to create 9 studio albums in their run from 1969 to 1982 after the untimely passing of drummer John Bonham.
Since their breakup, Led Zeppelin has received multiple posthumous awards for their work from the Grammys and the British magazine “New Musical Express.” They were also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and reunited several times for Atlantic Records Anniversary and Live Aid shows in 1985, 1988, 1995 and 2007. All the surviving members of the band have also done solo work since the band broke up in 1981.
Since the band has stopped performing together, many fans have ranked Led Zeppelin albums over the years from Rolling Stone magazine to Reddit and other forums usually with the same or similar results: Led Zeppelin IV at the top because of the popularity behind a certain “Stairway to Heaven.” My assessment of the albums is based on the band’s cohesion, the quality of their songwriting, and how well it was received when it was released.
1. “Houses of the Holy” – 1973
“It contains most of my favorite Led Zeppelin songs as well as having my favorite Led Zeppelin song ‘The Ocean,'” said senior Georgia Hill on “Houses of the Holy.”
Unexpected, of course, but this album was the first to not include a cover of another artist’s work. It is the perfect blend of mysticism, folk, and classic rock combined with a summer theme. However they also attempted new genres such as reggae in “D’Yer Mak’er” and funk in “The Crunge.”
Each member contributed new ideas to this multi-genre album: Jimmy Page’s “Army of Guitars” method, John Paul Jones’ mellotron playing in “No Quarter,” John Bonham’s inventive drum fills, and Robert Plant’s new vocal tones in “D’Yer Mak’er” and “The Crunge.” It is a well-recorded album and brought the band together so much so that after they recorded “Dancing Days,” they played it back on the lawn of their recording studio and danced to it according to the website Songfacts.
2. “Untitled” (“Led Zeppelin IV”) – 1971
Technically untitled, the fourth Led Zeppelin album was released in 1971 where the runaway hit “Stairway to Heaven” brought Led Zeppelin even more fans. Another masterpiece, its only hindrance was that it lacked a theme, jumping from mysticism to the rock and roll life. The sound quality is superb with many inventive styles such as the drum echo in “When The Levee Breaks.” Reaching its 50th Anniversary last November, it is an overall well-done album with plenty of anthem songs included in it.

3. “Led Zeppelin II” – 1969

An improvement on their first album, “Led Zeppelin II” tapped into thedeepest depths of blues rock. However Led Zeppelin was still too reliant on covering other artists’ songs such asin “The Lemon Song” and “Bring It On Home.” However their original work began to shine from thehit single “Whole Lotta Love” and the “Lord of the Rings”-style “Ramble On”.Recorded while on their first tour in the United States in 1969, one would expect poor quality considering how much the band members moved across the country, but the album delivers a consistent punch of classic rock and roll with no editing hiccups.

4. “Led Zeppelin I” – 1969
“I’d have to say I’d go with ‘Led Zeppelin [I].’ It hooks you in with the opening to ‘Good Times Bad Times’ and never lets go. Like most great songs it’s overplayed, but ‘Dazed and Confused

is a classic,” remarked history teacher Matthew Porco on his favorite Led Zeppelin album.
An incredibly powerful album with highs and lows from the fast-paced “Communication Breakdown” to th

e slow blues progression in “How Many More Times,” it set Led Zeppelin apart from other r

ock bands in just their first album. While quite a few of the songs are covers or homages to the original blues artists like John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, and Robert Johnson, it still gives a new sound tothese borrowed tunes. The biggest feat of the album was that Led Zeppelin recorded and mixed all the tracks in just 36 hours according to Vintage King.

5. “Led Zeppelin III” – 1970
“I’m going to have to go with ‘Led Zeppelin III’. I love hearing them explore their folkier side, while also maintaining their rock and blues roots. In addition it has my favorite Led Zeppelin song on it, ‘Since I’ve Been Loving You,'” said senior Liam Braun.
“‘Immigrant Song’ is really good, and the Coverdale/Page cover of ‘Gallows Pole’ is also good,” said math teacher Adam Hosler. A lyrical masterpiece, when it was released, fans were surprised by the number of acoustic guitar songs on it according to the BBC. Despite the difference of this toned-down version of Led Zeppelin, fans still love the band’s early attempt at breaking past the blues rock genre. Despite the number of acoustic songs, “Led Zeppelin III” still contains several rock anthems such as “Immigrant Song” and “Celebration Day.” However the heavy focus on the acoustic guitar songs did turn off some fans, leading Led Zeppelin to focus on equally mixing the blues rock they were known for with their genre-breaking sounds to make perfectly blended albums of both from “Led Zeppelin IV” onward.