Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin, popular British rock band, which pioneered the development of heavy-metal rock music. The group was started in 1968 by guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. Its first album, Led Zeppelin (1969), introduced a blues-based guitar style much like that of other 1960s rock music, but louder and wilder than any of its predecessors. Led Zeppelin's later albums include Led Zeppelin II (1969), Led Zeppelin III (1970), an untitled release (1971, often called Led Zeppelin IV, or Zoso, after the cryptic characters on its cover), Houses of the Holy (1973), and Physical Graffiti (1975). On these albums, the band's style developed and softened, revealing unexpected finesse as well as a moody mysticism influenced by British folk music and the occult.

Led Zeppelin disbanded in 1980 after Bonham died from the effects of an extreme drinking binge. Plant subsequently established a solo career. Page released a solo album in 1988 and another album as a member of the hard-rock duo Coverdale Page in 1993. In 1988 the surviving members of Led Zeppelin reunited for a concert, with Bonham's son, Jason, playing drums, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of its record company, Atlantic Records. By then, Led Zeppelin was acclaimed as one of the most important groups in rock-music history. The group is now recognized as having exerted a significant influence on music ranging from heavy metal to grunge, a guitar-based rock style that emerged during the early 1990s. The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995.