Formed in London in 1968, the group consisted of singer Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. The band pioneered the concept of album-oriented rock and often refused to release popular songs as singles.[7] Their debut album, Led Zeppelin (1969), released by Atlantic Records, charted at number six on the UK Albums Chart and at number ten on the United States Billboard 200. It received several sales certifications, including an eight-times multi-platinum from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and Diamond from the Music Canada. Led Zeppelin's second studio album, Led Zeppelin II, recorded when the band were on tour, was released a few months after the first. It reached number one in several countries, including the UK and the US, where it was certified 12 times multi-platinum. The album produced Led Zeppelin's highest-charting single, "Whole Lotta Love", which peaked at several music charts in the top 10. Led Zeppelin III (1970) was a softer, more folk-based effort compared to the hard rock of the band's previous releases.[8] It also peaked at number one in the UK and in the US.
Led Zeppelin's untitled fourth album, often called Led Zeppelin IV and released on 8 November 1971, is their most commercially successful album. It received a 24 times multi-platinum certification from RIAA, the fifth-highest of all albums, and fourth-highest exclusive of greatest hits compilations.[9] The band's fifth album, Houses of the Holy, was released in 1973. Again a transatlantic chart-topper, it has received an 11 times multi-platinum certification from RIAA. In 1974, the band set up their own vanity label, Swan Song Records, which would release the rest of Led Zeppelin's studio albums. The first was the 1975 double albumPhysical Graffiti, which has received a 16 times platinum certification from RIAA. Zeppelin's seventh album, Presence (1976), achieved a triple Platinum certification from RIAA. On 20 October 1976, Led Zeppelin released their first concert filmThe Song Remains the Same. The recording of the film took place during three nights of concerts at Madison Square Garden in New York City, during the band's 1973 concert tour of the United States.[10] The band's eighth studio album, In Through the Out Door, received a sextuple platinum certification. This was the last album released by the band before Bonham died of alcohol intoxication in 1980; Led Zeppelin disbanded less than three months later.[11]
In 1982, Led Zeppelin released their last studio album, Coda, which contained outtakes from the band's previous recordings. Since their break-up, the band have released numerous compilation and live albums from older concerts, including How the West Was Won, which peaked at number one on the Billboard charts, and the compilation album Mothership, which produced seven music downloads and was released on the same day Led Zeppelin's entire catalog became available in digital stores, including in the iTunes Store.[12] "Stairway to Heaven", which had never been released as an official single before, was one of these songs released in digital stores.[13]
Albums
Studio albums
List of studio albums, with selected chart positions and certifications
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released.
Download compilations
To celebrate their 50th anniversary, the band unveiled three new digital-only releases on 27 September 2018, available on Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, and Amazon.
^The fourth Led Zeppelin album was untitled and is generally known as Led Zeppelin IV. It is also referred to as Four Symbols,[35]Runes,[35]Untitled[36] and Zoso.[36]
^Celebration Day was released on CD, DVD and Blu-ray on 19 November 2012. The vinyl edition was released on 12 February 2013.
^"Whole Lotta Love" did not enter the main chart in the United Kingdom until 1997. Due to digital downloads, the single re-entered the chart in 2007, peaking at number 64.
^"Immigrant Song" did not enter the main chart in the United Kingdom until 2007 when it peaked at number 109 due to digital downloads.
^"Black Dog" did not enter the main chart in the United Kingdom until 2007 when it peaked at number 119 due to digital downloads.
^"Stairway to Heaven" did not enter the main chart in the United Kingdom until 2007 when it peaked at number 37 due to digital downloads.
^The Song Remains the Same was first released theatrically on 20 October 1976.[10] It was issued on VHS in 1984 and on DVD in 1999, and reissued on DVD and Blu-ray in 2007.[59]
Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992: 23 years of hit singles & albums from the top 100 charts. St Ives, N.S.W, Australia: Australian Chart Book. ISBN0-646-11917-6.
^ abPopoff, Martin (2018). "Coda". Led Zeppelin: All the Albums, All the Songs, Expanded Edition. Voyageur Press. pp. 224–25. ISBN978-0760363775. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
^"IFPI" (in Swedish). International Federation of the Phonographic Industry – Sweden. Archived from the original on 11 February 2009. Retrieved 6 June 2008.
