Top Ten Songs by Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin was formed in 1968 when guitarist Jimmy Page put together the “New Yardbirds” to finish out a contractual obligation, once the fulfilled the duties drummer John Bonham, singer Robert Plant and bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones set to work completing their first album which was released in 1969. As many British bands before them, Led Zeppelin would take the world by storm and change the music we listened to forever, this time by pioneering the genre of heavy metal.

I was born after John Bonham died, but I never really knew that growing up. As my father’s favorite band, Led Zeppelin poured their sound out through our home stereo and in the car almost inescapably. There was a point at which I had heard Led Zeppelin III & IV so many times in the car; I didn’t think I’d ever listen to Led Zeppelin by choice. The first tape of the set would go in, and it would play in a seemingly infinite loop until suddenly it would be time for tape two. There was other music of course, but for me Led Zeppelin existed practically as if they had never quit. Over a decade passed before I would appreciate and enjoy the unique contribution Led Zeppelin made to the music world. (But please don’t tell my father!)

Here are (in my opinion) the ten best songs by Led Zeppelin: 

10. “Dazed and Confused” from “Led Zeppelin (I)” –
    “Dazed and Confused” is a reworked cover song that was the biggest hit of the first self-titled Led Zeppelin album, features a very memorable and dark opening of descending chords and more notably one of the first appearances of bowed electric guitar. Bowed electric guitar is a technique for where the electric guitar is played with a bow in the same way one would play a cello or violin. Led Zeppelin’s guitarist Jimmy Page is very well known for using the technique, so you can’t miss it!