Led Zeppelin: rock gods or serial plagiarists? That’s always the question when it comes to the English rock group, but one thing is undisputed.
They are, without a doubt, the most influential hard rock group in history. It’s hard to imagine how the genre would have developed without their earth-shattering debut album in early 1969.
However, even back in 1969, guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist John Paul Jones and thr late drummer John Bonham were criticized for copying the blues and rock legends that they looked up to. When Led Zeppelin came out, there were plenty of critics attacking their work. And it’s still happening.
Earlier this week, a judge in Pennsylvania refused to dismiss a copyright infringement suit that targets their most famous song, “Stairway to Heaven.” The suit alleges that the equally famous guitar intro from Page was ripped off from a track by a little-known group called Spirit.
But let’s face it, all art is based on predecessors. Comedians are still doing jokes developed on the vaudeville stage, magicians are still copying Houdini and filmmakers are still copying their influences. It’s the same with music and, especially, with Led Zep.
So, let’s take a look at some essential songs from the group, other than “Stairway to Heaven.”