The True Timeline Of Led Zeppelin’s Career

Led Zeppelin was a major influence on the 1970s rock scene. With its psychedelic, hard-rock, and prototype metal sound, the British band topped the charts and played to sold-out audiences all over the world. Sadly, they decided to call it quits at some point like many great bands do. Below, is the true timeline of the band, in decades.

The 1960s: Led Zeppelin’s original name was The New Yardbirds, a nod to Jimmy Page’s days with the legendary group The Yardbirds. Page on guitar, Robert Plant on lead vocals, John Paul Jones on bass and keyboards, and John Bonham on drums established the band in 1968.  The Yardbirds sent the band a cease-and-desist letter not long after they formed, demanding that they alter their name. They came out with “Led Zeppelin” and quickly began performing and recording under it.

The 1970s: At the start of the 70s decade, Led Zeppelin had already established themselves as a global phenomenon. Led Zeppelin IV, the band’s fourth studio album, was released in 1971 and has since sold over 37 million copies, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time. Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven,” widely considered one of the best rock songs of all time, can be found on this album as well. Through the rest of the 1970s, the band continued to enjoy worldwide success, with songs like “Whole Lotta Love,” “Immigrant Song,” and “The Song Remains the Same” topping the charts and resulting in sold-out concerts throughout the globe.

1980: Led Zeppelin chose to disband in 1980 despite having achieved unprecedented success. The decision surprised many people because Led Zeppelin had been planning another massive tour. So why is that? Bonham, the drummer, passed away abruptly in 1980. Bonham went to bed after a day of drinking heavily and choked to death on his own vomit while he was sleeping. His passing was declared an accident, as traces of illegal substances were discovered during the autopsy.

Although Led Zeppelin called off their tour, there was speculation that they would replace drummer John Bonham. In a subsequent statement, however, the band members announced that they would be disbanding since Bonham’s death “led us to decide that we could not continue as we were.”

In 1985, as a trio (Plant, Page, Jones), the band performed at Live Aid, one of the largest charity events ever. However, they never again reached the heights of vitality they achieved in the 1970s.