Led Zeppelin was created from the ashes of the Yardbirds; when the band broke up in 1968 lead guitarist Jimmy Page was left with a handful of touring obligations. Page, one of the most active and successful studio musicians in England in the 1960s (he can be heard on a number of English singles of the era, including "I Can't Explain" by the Who and Donovan's "Sunshine Superman"), put together a new group consisting of fellow studio musician and bass player John Paul Jones, drummer John Bonham, and vocalist Robert Plant. Though nearly every popular singer in England was considered for the lead vocalist position (including Rod Stewart!), the relatively unknown Plant was chosen after Page found himself haunted by the singer's "primeval wail." The name Led Zeppelin was suggested by the Who's drummer, Keith Moon, who thought the new group would go over like a lead balloon! Nonetheless, the band succeeded brilliantly, forging electric blues and acid rock into a brand-new rock sound that spawned both hard rock and heavy metal. However, Led Zeppelin was also greatly influenced by Celtic, Indian, and Arabic music; Jimmy Page described the Zeppelin sound as a combination of both light and shade. This sonic ideal is reflected in much hard rock of the 1970s.
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Chicago blues, especially the work of Howlin' Wolf and Willie Dixon; Cream, the Yardbirds, and other British psychedelic rock bands; Celtic folk music; Arabic music; and Indian (Karnatic) music.
Must Haves:
 "Stairway to Heaven"
"Kashmir"
"Dazed and Confused"
"Heartbreaker"
"Fool in the Rain"
Virtually every hard rock and heavy metal band has been influenced by Led Zeppelin to some degree. However, Aerosmith, the Black Crows, Heart, Slash (of Guns 'n' Roses and Velvet Revolver), and Tori Amos claim particularly direct lineage.
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