Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Page, and Robert Plant: Top 100 Songs/Studio Albums Ranked

Led Zeppelin et al Top 100 Songs Robert Plant (l) and Jimmy Page (r), image from elespanol.com

British heavy-metal rock supergroup formed in 1968 by Jimmy Page (guitar), Robert Plant (vocals), John Paul Jones (bass/keyboards), and John “Bonzo” Bonham (drums). Page had previously been in the Yardbirds while Plant and Bonham worked together in Band of Joy. The band broke up in 1980 after Bonham died of asphyxiation at age 33 on 9/25/1980. Click here to see other best-of lists from performers and here to see other best-of lists from songwriters and/or producers. Spotify Podcast: Check out Dave’s Music Database podcast: The 50th Anniversary of Led Zeppelin IV and Dave’s Music Database podcast: The Best of Robert Plant, both of which draw from this list. They premiere November 9, 2021 and November 16, 2021 respectively at 7pm CST. Tune in every Tuesday at 7pm for a new episode based on the lists at Dave’s Music Database.

Awards:

Top 100 Songs Dave’s Music Database lists are determined by song’s appearances on best-of lists as well as chart success, sales, radio airplay, streaming, and awards. Songs are by Led Zeppelin unless noted otherwise. The Firm featured Jimmy Page on guitar and the Honeydrippers featured Robert Plant and Jimmy Page. Songs which hit #1 on various charts are noted. (Click for codes to singles charts.) DMDB Top 1%: 1. Stairway to Heaven (1971) #1 CL 2. Whole Lotta Love (1969) #1 CL, AU 3. Kashmir (1975) #1 CL DMDB Top 2%: 4. Rock and Roll (1971) #1 CL 5. Black Dog (1971) #1 CL 6. Immigrant Song (1970) #1 CL DMDB Top 5%: 7. Over the Hills and Far Away (1973) #1 CL 8. Dazed and Confused (1969) #1 CL 9. Ramble On (1969) #1 CL 10. D’Yer Mak’er (1973) #1 CL DMDB Top 10%: 11. Heartbreaker (1969) #1 CL 12. Going to California (1971) #1 CL 13. Trampled Under Foot (1975) 14. Good Times, Bad Times (1969) 15. Fool in the Rain (1979) 16. All My Love (1979) #1 CL 17. Living Loving Maid (She’s Just a Woman) (1969) #1 CL 18. Thank You (1969) 19. When the Levee Breaks (1971) 20. What Is and What Should Never Be (1969) 21. In the Mood (Robert Plant, 1983) 22. Sea of Love (Honeydrippers, 1984) #1 AC, CN 23. Rockin’ at Midnight (Honeydrippers, 1984) 24. The Ocean (1973) 25. Communication Breakdown (1969) 26. Misty Mountain Hop (1971) 27. Big Log (Robert Plant, 1983) DMDB Top 20%: 28. Hurting Kind (I’ve Got My Eyes on You) (Robert Plant, 1990) #1 AR 29. Tall Cool One (Robert Plant, 1988) #1 AR 30. Heaven Knows (Robert Plant, 1988) #1 AR 31. Gallows Pole (1970) 32. Little by Little (Robert Plant, 1985) #1 AR 33. If I Were a Carpenter (Robert Plant, 1993) 34. Since I’ve Been Loving You (1970) 35. Radioactive (The Firm, 1985) #1 AR 36. Hey Hey What Can I Do (1970) 37. Babe, I’m Gonna Leave You (1969) 38. 29 Palms (Robert Plant, 1993) 39. Ship of Fools (Robert Plant, 1988) 40. Burning Down One Side (Robert Plant, 1982) 41. I Believe (Robert Plant, 1993) 42. Achilles Last Stand (1976) 43. The Battle of Evermore (1971) Beyond the DMDB Top 20%: 44. The Song Remains the Same (1973) 45. Nobody’s Fault But Mine (1976) 46. No Quarter (1973) 47. Please Read the Letter (Robert Plant with Alison Krauss, 2007) 48. The Rain Song (1973) 49. Other Arms (Robert Plant, 1983) #1 AR 50. You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ (The Firm, 1985) 51. Shine It All Around (Robert Plant, 2005) 52. In My Time of Dying (1975) 53. Little Sister (Rockpile with Robert Plant, 1981) 54. All the King’s Horses (The Firm, 1986) #1 AR 55. Satisfaction Guaranteed (The Firm, 1985) 56. Dancing Days (1973) 57. Most High (Robert Plant & Jimmy Page, 1998) #1 AR 58. Calling to You (Robert Plant, 1993) 59. In the Evening (1979) 60. Your Ma Said You Cried in Your Sleep Last Night (Robert Plant, 1990) 61. Houses of the Holy (1975) 62. Gone, Gone, Gone (Done Moved On) (Robert Plant with Alison Krauss, 2007) 63. Baby Come on Home (1968) 64. Bron-Y-Aur Stomp (1970) 65. Bring It on Home (1969) 66. Take Me for a Little While (Coverdale-Page, 1993) 67. Tie Dye on the Highway (Robert Plant, 1990) 68. That’s the Way (1970) 69. Crazy Little Thing Called Love (Queen live with Robert Plant, 1992) 70. Tangerine (1970) 71. Down by the Seaside (1975) 72. Travelling Riverside Blues (1969) 73. Celebration Day (1970) 74. In the Light (1975) 75. The Lemon Song (1969) 76. Darlene (1978) 77. How Many More Times (1969) 78. Pride and Joy (Coverdale-Page, 1993) #1 AR 79. Four Sticks (1971) 80. Moby Dick (1969) 81. Down by the Seaside (Tori Amos with Robert Plant, 1995) 82. Shake My Tree (Coverdale-Page, 1993) 83. Your Time Is Gonna Come (1969) 84. Boogie with Stu (1975) 85. I’m Gonna Crawl (1979) 86. You Shook Me (1969) 87. Friends (1970) 88. One More Cup of Coffee (Robert Plant, 2002) 89. The Crunge (1973) 90. Ten Years Gone (1975) 91. Ozone Baby (1978) 92. The Only One (Jimmy Page & Robert Plant, 1988) 93. I Can’t Quit You Baby (1969) 94. The Girl I Love She Got Long Black Wavy Hair (live, 1969) 95. Out on the Tiles (1970) 96. The Rover (1975) 97. For Your Life (1976) 98. Pledge Pin (Robert Plant, 1982) 99. Anniversary (Robert Plant, 1990) 100. Angel Dance (Robert Plant, 2010) Led Zeppelin et al: Studio Albums Ranked Dave’s Music Database lists are determined by album’s appearances on best-of lists as well as chart success, sales, critics’ ratings, and awards. Also factored in are the status of each album’s songs in Dave’s Music Database for songs. 1. Led Zeppelin IV (1971) 2. Led Zeppelin II (1969) 3. Physical Graffiti (1975) 4. Led Zeppelin I (1969) 5. Houses of the Holy (1973) 6. Led Zeppelin III (1970) 7. Raising Sand (Robert Plant with Alison Krauss, 2007) 8. In Through the Out Door (1979) 9. Now and Zen (Robert Plant, 1988) 10. Presence (1976) 11. Mighty Rearranger (Robert Plant, 2005) 12. Band of Joy (Robert Plant, 2010) 13. The Principle of Moments (Robert Plant, 1983) 14. Fate of Nations (Robert Plant, 1993) 15. Pictures at Eleven (Robert Plant, 1982) 16. Manic Nirvana (Robert Plant, 1990) 17. Walking into Clarksdale (Robert Plant with Jimmy Page, 1998) 18. Carry Fire (Robert Plant, 2017) 19. Coverdale-Page (Jimmy Page with David Coverdale, 1993) 20. Coda (archives: 1969-78, released 1982) 21. Volume One (The Honeydrippers, 1984) 22. The Firm (The Firm, 1985) 23. Dreamland (Robert Plant, 2002) 24. Shaken ‘N’ Stirred (Robert Plant, 1985) 25. Lullaby and…the Ceaseless Roar (Robert Plant, 2014) 26. Mean Business (The Firm, 1986) 27. Outrider (Jimmy Page, 1988) 28. Death Wish II soundtrack (Jimmy Page, 1982) Resources and Related Links: DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Led Zeppelin DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Jimmy Page DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Robert Plant Dave’s Music Database: “Best-of Lists for Performers” Dave’s Music Database: “Best-of Lists for Songwriters and/or Producers First posted 8/20/2012; last updated 11/16/2021.

Led Zeppelin released Led Zeppelin III

Led Zeppelin III Led Zeppelin

Released: October 5, 1970 Peak: 14 US, 14 UK, 14 CN, 14 AU, 13 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): 6.0 US, 0.3 UK, 12.2 world (includes US and UK), 21.39 EAS Genre: classic rock/metal

Tracks: Click on a song titled for more details. Immigrant Song [2:25] Friends [3:54] Celebration Day [3:29] Since I’ve Been Loving You [7:23] Out on the Tiles [4:06] Gallows Pole [4:56] Tangerine [3:10] That’s the Way [5:37] Bron-Y-Aur Stomp [4:16] Hats off to (Roy) Harper [3:42] Total Running Time: 42:42 Also from This Era: Hey Hey What Can I Do [3:55] The Players: Robert Plant (vocals) Jimmy Page (guitar) John Paul Jones (bass, keyboards) John Bonham (drums)

Rating: 4.318 out of 5.00 (average of 26 ratings) Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Album “Robert Plant has described the third Zeppelin album as their single most important statement.” TC On their previous two albums, the band “unleashed a relentless barrage of heavy blues and rockabilly riffs” AM which “revolutionized rock music and given new meaning to the word ‘heavy.’” TC “Led Zeppelin III provided the band with the necessary room to grow musically” AM making a “progression from straightforward rock towards folk and acoustic music.” WK Plant said, “The idea of using acoustic guitars and developing much more of a textural thing came about because if we weren’t careful we were going to end up part of a whole Grand Funk Railroad, James Gang thing that was sort of two-dimensional…It was definitely time to veer over to the left and see how far we could take it in another direction.” TC Jimmy “Page had long admired the British folk tradition – Bet Jansch and John Renbourn of Pentangle, Roy Harper, John Martyn, Davey Graham, and Fairport Convention. Plant shared his enthusiasm and also loved the weirdly fey Incredible String Band.” TC Plant said, “We went to Wales and lived on the side of a hill and wrote those song and walked and talked and thought and went off to the Abbey where they hid the Grail…It gave us so much energy…It was absolutely wonderful and my heart was so light and happy.” TC “The album was cut relatively quickly at another rural estate, Hedley Grange.” TC “The album was finished in America where it was mastered by Terry Manning, who had the wizard Alister Crowley’s mottos: ‘Do What Thou Wilt’ on side one and on side two, ‘So Mote It Be.’” TC Reissue A 2014 reissue added a second disc with alternate versions of songs from the album as well as a recording of “Key to the Highway” / “Trouble in Mind.” The Songs Here’s a breakdown of each of the individual songs.

Immigrant Song Led Zeppelin

Writer(s): Jimmy Page, Robert Plant Released: single (11/5/1970), Led Zeppelin III (1970), Remasters (compilation, 1992), Early Days (compilation, 1999), Mothership (compilation, 2007) B-side: “Hey Hey What Can I Do” Peak: 16 BB, 1 CL, 4 CN, 16 AU, 3 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 901.35 streaming

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Song: “Led Zeppelin was a blues band at its core – the most audacious of the generation of British rockers who devoured 40-year-old American music, cranked it up high and hard, welded titanium riffs onto it and brought it back home.” TM Led Zeppelin III offered a more diverse sound than its predecessors. “There are still a handful of metallic rockers” AM but they “aren’t as straightforward as before.” AM “Zep were famous for their extended, trippy jams and solos, but what’s miraculous about ‘Immigrant Song’ is its concision and groove. Guitar god Jimmy Page restricts himself to a handful of airtight riffs and tone bursts, and drummer John Bonham wields his sticks like they’re hammers of gods.” TM “The galloping Immigrant Song is powered by Robert Plant’s banshee wail.” AM It was written about the Viking invasions of England after Led Zeppelin did a tour of Iceland in June 1970. WK This is a “case of history softening what was once a brutal reality but who can fail to be stirred by the vision of Norsemen sweeping down from the land of ice and snow?” DT “This is ultimately a song about the way culture gets from one place to another — sometimes by mutual attraction, sometimes by force.” TM Led Zeppelin “single-handedly made Viking mythology sexier than it had been in a few hundred years.” TM

Friends Led Zeppelin

Writer(s): Jimmy Page, Robert Plant Released: Led Zeppelin III (1970) Peak: 16 CL, 22 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 26.86 streaming About the Song: Led Zeppelin III showed the band reaching out with their sound. They even add a string section, arranged by Jones, on “Friends.” Page “wanted to achieve an Indian style of sound.” WK

Celebration Day Led Zeppelin

Writer(s): Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones Released: Led Zeppelin III (1970), Remasters (compilation, 1992) Peak: 21 CL, 22 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 18.59 streaming About the Song: “Celebration Day turns blues-rock inside out with a warped slide guitar riff.” AM

Since I’ve Been Loving You Led Zeppelin

Writer(s): Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones Released: Led Zeppelin III (1970), Remasters (compilation, 1992), Early Days (compilation, 1999), Mothership (compilation, 2007) Peak: 9 CL, 6 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 129.85 streaming

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Song: As proof that “the band hasn’t left the blues behind” AM one of the first songs recorded for the album was “the epic Since I've Been Loving You.” AM The “bluesy classic…was originally intended for Led Zeppelin’s second album but was dropped in favor of ‘Whole Lotta Love.’” DT

Out on the Tiles Led Zeppelin

Writer(s): Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Bonham Released: Led Zeppelin III (1970) Peak: 21 CL, 21 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 27.17 streaming About the Song: “’Out on the Tiles’ lumbers along with a tricky, multi-part riff.” AM

Gallows Pole Led Zeppelin

Writer(s): traditional Released: Led Zeppelin III (1970) Peak: 8 CL, 2 A, 35 UK, 46 AU, 13 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 33.34 streaming

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Song: Much of Led Zeppelin III “is built on a folky, acoustic foundation that gives the music extra depth” AM and shows the band as “capable of playing different styles successfully.” WK “Gallows Pole” “is a reworking of a Leadbelly song that blends the British folk traditions with American blues in an entirely new way.” TC Led Zeppelin offers “a menacing flair” AM on the traditional folk song “The Maid Freed from the Gallows” as inspired by a version recorded by Fred Gerlach. WK

Tangerine Led Zeppelin

Writer(s): Jimmy Page Released: Led Zeppelin III (1970) Peak: 12 CL, 17 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 116.81 streaming About the Song: Jimmy Page wrote Tangerine in 1968 while still with the Yardbirds. WK

That’s the Way Led Zeppelin

Writer(s): Jimmy Page, Robert Plant Released: Led Zeppelin III (1970) Peak: 11 CL, 17 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 45.03 streaming About the Song: That’s the Way, originally called “The Boy Next Door,” was written “about the problems two people faced in a relationship and the clashes with their families.” WK Page “thought highly of Plant’s lyrics and considered it a breakthrough in their development as a songwriting team.” WK Rolling Stone critic Lester Bangs called it “beautiful and genuinely moving.” WK It is one of several “shimmering songs with graceful country flourishes.” AM

Bron-Y-Aur Stomp Led Zeppelin

Writer(s): Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones Released: Led Zeppelin III (1970) Peak: 13 CL, 24 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 41.67 streaming About the Song: Bron-Y-Aur Stomp was originally known as “Jennings Farm Blues,” WK It was originally recorded in 1969 as an electric arrangement but reworked as “an infectious acoustic romp.” AM

Hats Off to (Roy) Harper Led Zeppelin

Writer(s): Jimmy Page, Robert Plant Released: Led Zeppelin III (1970) Peak: 26 CL Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 8.91 streaming About the Song: The album offers “the twisted bottleneck blues of Hats off to (Roy) Harper,” AM a reworking of the Bukka White song “Shake ‘Em on Down.” WK

Hey Hey What Can I Do Led Zeppelin

Writer(s): Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, John Bonham Released: B-side of “Immigrant Song”11/5/1970) Peak: 4 CL, 8 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 117.44 streaming

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Song: While it wasn’t a hit on its own (it was the B-side of “Immigrant Song”) and never appeared on a Led Zeppelin studio album, “Hey Hey What Can I Do” became a radio favorite.

Resources/References: AM AllMusic.com review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine TC Toby Creswell (2005). 1001 Songs: The Great Songs of All Time. Thunder’s Mouth Press: New York, NY. Page 853. DT Dave Thompson (2011). 1000 Songs That Rock Your World. Krause Publications: Iola, WI. Pages 138 and 297. TM Time magazine (10/24/2011). “All Time 100 Songs” WK Wikipedia Related DMDB Pages: First posted 3/21/2008; last updated 9/11/2025.