Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin formed in London in 1968 out of the Yardbirds, first trading as the New Yardbirds. The line-up was Robert Plant on vocals, Jimmy Page on guitar, John Paul Jones on bass and keyboards, and John Bonham on drums. They signed to Atlantic Records on terms that gave them artistic freedom, and built a heavy electric sound shot through with blues and folk. Page wrote most of the music, Plant most of the lyrics.

Start with the untitled fourth album, usually called Led Zeppelin IV (1971), which holds "Black Dog", "Rock and Roll" and "Stairway to Heaven". Led Zeppelin II brought "Whole Lotta Love" and gave them a first number one, while the self-titled debut has "Dazed and Confused". Physical Graffiti, a double album from 1975, includes "Kashmir". The band ended in 1980 after Bonham's death.