Led Zeppelin’s classic and popular songs
Led Zeppelin, the band that replaced The Beatles as the most influential and successful group of the 1970s.
Credited with establishing the genre of hard rock—including their unruly lifestyle—they’re such a quintessential band that it almost feels embarrassing to ask about them now.
Yet their music, which defies simple explanation and embraces a wide range of genres, is also highly acclaimed.
If you’ve never listened to them before, why not use this opportunity to give them a try?
A classic song by Led Zeppelin
Black Dog | Led Zeppelin
youtube.
com/watch?v=6tlSx0jkuLM
It’s a hard rock masterpiece that brilliantly distills influences from blues—like John Lee Hooker, where vocals and instrumentation alternate—and from James Brown’s funk.
Jimmy Page’s guitar is striking, but I’ve heard this riff was actually written by bassist John Paul Jones.
At this time, Robert had already damaged his throat and didn’t hit many high notes, but he still sang solidly.
Communication Breakdown | Led Zeppelin
youtube.
com/watch?v=n5PvAi8PTsI
This punkish number from their debut album was the only song in their history that continued to be performed from that first album and remained a fan favorite.
This song, released while the Beatles were still active, feels as though it foresaw the future of rock over the following decade.
Rock and Roll | Led Zeppelin
youtube.
com/watch?v=y3bcAKErY1U
As the title suggests, it’s one of their more straightforward tunes, but this take—featuring Robert Plant’s beautiful, soaring shouts—is absolutely stunning.
Footage from the period when Robert’s vocals were in good shape is scarce, which makes it valuable in that sense as well.
What Is And What Should Never Be (The Strong Love of Two) | Led Zeppelin
youtube.
com/watch?v=00eN1t4iKCo
It’s breathtaking how it flows from a jazz-style chord progression into intense rock, weaving in a slide guitar solo along the way and unfolding into a melancholic expanse.
John Paul Jones’s groove-filled bass playing is also a model example for bassists.
Trampled Under Foot | Led Zeppelin
youtube.
com/watch?v=HGFITl5mFvs
Featuring John Paul Jones—not only on bass but also on mandolin and keyboards—laying down a funky Clavinet and Robert delivering vocals in a gravelly tone, this track comes off like it was influenced by Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition,” and later, Japan’s B’z released a song with a strikingly similar melody.
Going To California (California) | Led Zeppelin
youtube.
com/watch?v=BAQeZNjmJDA
Jimmy Page was so adept at folk sounds that some even said he was superior, technically speaking, when he had an acoustic guitar in hand, and John Paul Jones delivered a perfectly synchronized ensemble on the mandolin.
Their strength lies in their deep understanding of these non-hardware aspects as well.
Since I’ve Been Loving You (I’ve Continued Loving You) | Led Zeppelin
youtube.
com/watch?v=_ZiN_NqT-Us
A blues-rock classic that showcases Jimmy Page’s razor-sharp sense.
John Paul Jones is playing a Fender Rhodes piano.
The guitar solo in the middle section has earned the respect of many guitarists.
Stairway to Heaven | Led Zeppelin
It may sound like a simple repeating melody, but there are many clever touches in how it builds, and before you know it, you’ve reached the song’s peak—an epic piece of about eight minutes.
In this footage from a frenzied live performance, Jimmy Page adroitly switches between the necks of his double-neck electric guitar (12 strings on top, 6 on the bottom), and his roughly two-minute guitar solo is infused with soul.
Achilles Last Stand | Led Zeppelin
youtube.
com/watch?v=YWOuzYvksRw
A grand, large-scale epic where John Bonham’s relentless, heavy-tank-like drumming clashes with Jimmy Page’s guitar.
It’s a song so famous in the history of rock guitar, yet even within the heavy metal genre, there are few tracks that carry this much weight.
Kashmir | Led Zeppelin
youtube.
com/watch?v=hW_WLxseq0o
From the intro alone, you can tell this isn’t ordinary rock. Even without flashy embellishments, the sheer presence of the members’ sound conveys an overwhelming sense of originality.
It’s a commanding performance that seems to radiate their confidence at the height of the punk rock era, but a year later drummer John Bonham died unexpectedly and the band disbanded.
Immigrant Song – Live 1971 | Led Zeppelin
youtube.
com/watch?v=D42Ylk2yyu4
Finally, let me introduce a live recording from the peak of their career.
When they first visited Japan in 1971, the song they played as the opening number on the first day at Tokyo’s Budokan was “Immigrant Song.”
The driving energy and groove that blow the studio version away, with fierce shouts and a scorching guitar solo.
This is a recording that offers a glimpse of the excitement of the time.