Led Zeppelin

UK rock group 1968-80, founders of the heavy metal genre. Their overblown style, with long instrumental solos, was based on rhythm and blues. Many of their songs, such as ‘Stairway to Heaven’, ‘Rock and Roll’, ‘Black Dog’ (all 1971) and ‘Kashmir’ (1975), have become classics. Among their most celebrated records were the group's untitled fourth album, popularly known as Led Zeppelin IV (1971) and their 1975 album Physical Graffiti.

Although the group disbanded in 1980, following the death of drummer John Bonham (1948-1980), vocalist Robert Plant (1948- ) and guitarist Jimmy Page (1944- ) reunited in the mid-1990s to form Page & Plant, performing a selection of old Zeppelin classics as well as new material. Bass player John Paul Jones (1946- ) also returned to the public arena in the 1990s with the singer Diamanda Galas. Led Zeppelin was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995.