For one of the biggest rock names in history, it’s sometimes surprising to see that their discography spans just two hand-fulls worth of work. The thing about the evolutionary history of Led Zeppelin is that you can watch their progression throughout each album and still identify where they stay true to what made them who they are.
If you’re looking to get the Led out, it’s best to start with the best. Here are Led Zeppelin’s top albums in order of greatness.
1. Led Zeppelin II (1969)
This album continues to get a Whole Lotta Love even 50 years after its debut. Though heavy, it’s the work that solidified their entry into rock stardom.
The album as a whole earned his accolades for rising from the ashes. It was poorly reviewed at first, chastised in Rolling Stone for having a heaviness that won’t let up. While it took some time for ears to tune to it, this album is considered to be the pioneer of heavy metal, and served as a blueprint for bands to come.
They sold 400,000 copies in the pre-order alone, and “Whole Lotta Love” went to number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. This song would go on to be one–if not the one true–of the band’s greatest hits of all time. This album also offered the iconic “Ramble On.”
By 2003, even Rolling Stone changed their tune, ranking it number 75 on the 500 greatest albums of all time.
2. Physical Graffiti (1975)
Between Led Zeppelin II and Physical Graffiti, it’s a close call. PG had so much to offer in terms of musical storytelling that Led Zeppelin II didn’t nail. This album also gave us “Kashmir,” an enduring hit that some consider to be “Led Zeppelin at their finest.”
Other notable songs on this album include “Trampled Underfoot”–a song that many fans defend fiercely–, “Bron-Yr-Aur,” and “Down by the Seaside.” The combination of it all makes this a very VERY close second to Led their sophomore album, almost too close to call.
If for no other reason, it gets the second spot because, at over two hours, it’s long. Considering their short discography it’s somewhat of a blessing in disguise to have so much jam-packed behind one cover. Still, the journey can become exhausting and have you pushing pause, perhaps for one of their more “pop-focused” works.
3. Led Zeppelin IV (1971)
When we talk about most iconic Led Zeppelin songs, nine times out of 10 “Stairway to Heaven” will make the cut. The song was never released as a single in the US, but became the most requested song on the radio in the 70s.
Not only is it great Led work, it’s also considered one of the world’s greatest rock songs, ever. Third, infact, according to VH1 and 31st for Rolling Stone.
While it could have been easy to have the whole work overshadowed by “STH,” it wasn’t the case. The album became the biggest selling album in the band’s history, with 23 million copies since its release.
Other enduring hits on the album include “Rock and Roll” and “When the Levee Breaks.”
4. Led Zeppelin I (1969)
This debut album has become a “landmark” achievement, not only for Led Zeppelin, but for rock ‘n’ roll. It all began with the song “Good Times Bad Times”–the first track on their first album.
While the song is the clear standout on Zeppelin’s first album, it’s rarely played in their live shows. The album itself was initially poorly reviewed, but has grown to be an enduring moment in the timeline of Led Zeppelin, widely considered pioneers in their genre.
5. Led Zeppelin III
Straight up–critics didn’t know what to make of this album. It shifted away from the heavy metal that started to define the band. While there were still some hard-hitting rock moments, much of the album returned to the folk grassroots.
For whatever the reasons it fell short at the time, it’s given us some of the best Led Zeppelin moments. Lest we forget: “The Immigrant Song” is on this album, and that’s enough to solidify it as “good enough.” We also have the lack of success of III to thank for their shift in focus on IV.
Comparison will kill anything. When you look at III objectively, it’s undoubtedly a hit. If you don’t believe me, look to the RIAA who certified it platinum 6 times.
6. Presence (1976)
By 1976, the pressure was on in a lot of ways. The work was rushed, unbalanced (having been written, predominantly, by only Page and Plant), and the band as a whole was still sore after canceling their tour following Robert Plant’s car accident.
Critics and fans alike often consider this their “filler album.” The Daily Telegraph called it “blunted.”
The fans in favor often are the first to tell you that it takes some time to grow into liking it. Warming up to something is a far cry from it being anywhere near the best work of a one of the world’s greatest rock bands.
7. Houses of the Holy (1973)
Strangely, in an album titled Houses of the Holy, Led Zeppelin invited unfamiliar forces into the Church of their music. This album was a mixed bag, moving away from heavy metal and introducing the sounds of reggae and swing.
Just as with religion, HofH has a conflicted history. The biggest single on this album was “D’yer Mak’er.” The song was brutally mocked by critics as a moment of try-hard reggae that wouldn’t stand a chance on the island of Jamaica. Axl Rose, on the other hand, told Classic Rock magazine that this song got him “into heavy rock.”
There’s a moment in the sun for everything. In terms of Led Zeppelin’s legacy, Houses of the Holy is best relegated to the shade.
8. In Through the Out Outdoor (1979)
1979 was a controversial moment for the band as their heavy metal artistry took a turn towards pop. This can partly be attributed to the fragmentation they experienced as Jimmy Page and John Bonham fell prey to substance. Robert Plant lost his son, and the band as a whole was barred from touring in their home country for a minimum of two years.
The culmination of this storm is In Through the Out Outdoor; 42 minutes of lacklustre compositions from an unbalanced band.
The most true-to-form song on this album is “In the Evening.” The rest is steeped in a pop that didn’t fare well for the band’s image, but is credited with reviving a struggling US record industry. The pop influence did one favour for them in return: they hit the top spot on Billboard.
