It’s no easy task to rank the top Led Zeppelin songs of all time. With an extensive catalog of music, Led Zeppelin is credited as significantly impacting the music industry, particularly in the development of stadium rock.
Originally named the New Yardbirds, Led Zeppelin has released nine studio albums. They remain one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with an estimated 300 million records sold worldwide.
We ranked this list from a combination of fan favorites and commercially successful songs. Here is our list for the top Led Zeppelin songs ever.
10. “Since I’ve Been Loving You” – Led Zeppelin III
From Zeppelin III, this bluesy song features an incredible solo by Jimmy Page, along with John Paul Jones on the hammon organ. It was reportedly the hardest song on the album to record; however, it remains one of the band’s most played songs in concert.
9. “Over the Hills and Far Away” – Houses of the Holy
Of of Houses of the Holy, this song combines folk rock with hard rock. It features Page playing both acoustic and electric guitar alongside Plant’s powerful vocals. Yet, what makes this song standout most is how well John Paul Jones’ bass playing compliments Bonham’s drums.
8. “Dazed and Confused” – Led Zeppelin I
This song was written by American singer songwriter Jake Holmes in 1967 and is featured on his Above the Ground Sound album. The Led Zeppelin version has become iconic. Recorded in just two takes, it has become one of their most performed songs.
7. “Immigrant Song” – Led Zeppelin III
This Led Zeppelin III song is an ode to the Nordic gods of war. It has been repurposed many times in pop culture, including the move School of Rock and in the trailer for the film The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
6. “Ramble On” – Led Zeppelin II
This song is inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, which was very popular among adolescents and college students at the time. It’s also another great example of the chemistry between Jones and Bonham.
5. “Black Dog” – Led Zeppelin IV
“Black Dog” is one of Led Zeppelin’s most well-known songs. Released off of Led Zeppelin IV, John Paul Jones came up with the main riff after listening to Muddy Waters’ 1968 psychedelic blues rock album Electric Mud. Alternating between acapella vocals and instrumental sections, the top 20 song was a hit at live shows.
4. “Kashmir” – Physical Graffiti
Despite being over 8 minutes long, this track still received massive radio airplay. Inspired by eastern music, Plant combined hard rock with symphonic rock to create one of their most successful songs. With its famous chord progression and guest instrumentals, Kashmir has always been a concert favorite.
3. “When the Levee Breaks” – Led Zeppelin IV
This song is actually written by Kansas Joe McCoy & Memphis Minnie in 1929; however, what Led Zeppelin did with it was legendary. Led Zeppelin gave it a harder sound with Page’s guitar playing and Bonham’s drums. They also added in the iconic harmonica sound.
2. “Stairway to Heaven” – Led Zeppelin IV
Undoubtedly the band’s most famous song, “Stairway to Heaven” is also one of rock music’s best songs. Featuring an epic guitar solo from Page, it’s that one song that every guitar player strives to master. This song wasn’t even released as a single, but it’s haunting lyrics and multiple musical sections have left a huge impact on later artists.
1. “Whole Lotta Love” – Led Zeppelin II
This song was highly suggestive for the time, and the gestures made by the band during live performances embodied the rock revolution of the 1960s. The song became their first American Top 5 hit and one of the band’s most successful songs ever.
