# Best Led Zeppelin Album (POLL) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [October 29, 2022, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-led-zeppelin-album-poll/973964 "2022-10-29T13:31:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2022, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-led-zeppelin-album-poll/973964/1 "2022-10-29T13:31:09Z")
You define the criteria. Just pick the album from Led Zeppelin you think is best. I did this one slightly different, the catalogue is small for Zep so I went with the original 10 classic albums. _Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-led-zeppelin-album-poll/973964/1))_ If this remains popular, I’m going to do some other discographies. So I have 4 favorite groups. [Pink Floyd](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pink-floyd-studio-albums-poll/973932), [Yes 6](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-yes-studio-albums-poll/973897), Led Zep and The Beatles. I started with the most obscure one by far. [Yes](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-yes-studio-albums-poll/973897) [Pink Floyd](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pink-floyd-studio-albums-poll/973932) has almost twice the votes in 1 day vs 2 days for Yes. Pretty much what I expected. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2022, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-led-zeppelin-album-poll/973964/2 "2022-10-29T13:41:30Z")
Had to go with the most obvious choice, Zep IV on this one, But it really depends on what mood I’m in. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2022, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-led-zeppelin-album-poll/973964/3 "2022-10-29T13:49:06Z")
Same, for me it can really be any of the first 4 or [Physical Graffiti](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_Graffiti). But I voted Zoso. ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2022, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-led-zeppelin-album-poll/973964/4 "2022-10-29T14:03:12Z")
For me it’s Houses of the Holy. An album full of underrated songs, ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2022, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-led-zeppelin-album-poll/973964/5 "2022-10-29T14:09:22Z")
This one’s a bit harder, as I’m not that much of a Led Zeppelin fan, and there are only a few of their songs that I really like, and they are distributed across several albums. I’m divided between Led IV for “When the Levy Breaks” and Physical Graffiti for “Kashmir”. I guess “Stairway to Heaven” makes it break for PG, as I actually really dislike that song(and honestly that may just be because of how massively overplayed it is, not anything wrong with the song itself). ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2022, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-led-zeppelin-album-poll/973964/6 "2022-10-29T14:29:23Z")
I do think _Kashmir_ is their best song. But they have many great songs. None is bigger than _Stairway_, possibly the biggest Rock song of them all, but biggest doesn’t have to mean best. Hell, I still get excited every time I hear _Immigrant Song_. But _When the Levee Breaks_ is incredible. _The Rain Song_ is a top rock ballad. I do think hearing _[Battle Evermore](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_AfMHCVoxA)_ rolling right into _Stairway_ is a pairing on par with _We Will Rock You_ and _We are the Champions_. But that might play to my Middle-Earth fanaticism. _[Moby Dick](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOb8otk7Y0U)_ shows why Bonham was/is so respected as a drummer. _[Babe I’m Gonna Leave You](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZitPJMh60A)_ you be the greatest song most groups had. It is so awesome and from their first album. It starts soft and builds up to an incredible level but then back to soft for interludes. I mean the song might be the first Heavy Prog song, if that is even a thing. One of my favorites is [Gallows Pole](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmxaT37yeOs), I’ve heard older versions, but they made it their own. _Ramble On_, _Dazed and Confused_ and _Communication Breakdown_ are so great. But [Whole Lotta Love](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HibBnC6SVk8) might be the best song on Zep 1. _[Going to California](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrUIJY_Xu2s)_ is a great rock ballad. * * * * * * Among the first 30 CDs I bought were the 10 in this poll. Sadly these first transfers were inferior, but still sounded great thanks to the music. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2022, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-led-zeppelin-album-poll/973964/7 "2022-10-29T14:33:49Z")
I went with LZ II. That’s the one that i would get the most enjoyment listening to from start to finish. Plus The Lemon Song is just one of my favorite jams. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2022, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-led-zeppelin-album-poll/973964/8 "2022-10-29T14:34:27Z")
I had a similar dilemma because of those two songs, but ultimately chose LZ III because of “Since I’ve Been Loving You”. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2022, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-led-zeppelin-album-poll/973964/9 "2022-10-29T14:52:17Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > But _When the Levee Breaks_ is incredible. Have you seen this? [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/LH0-WXUFY2k/maxresdefault.jpg "When The Levee Breaks feat. John Paul Jones | Playing For Change | Song Around The World") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LH0-WXUFY2k) On my scale of 1-5 with 5 being orgasmic, this is a 7. The original was a _very_ strong 4. (Kashmir gets a 5) BTW, watch carefully Stephen Perkins at 1:07, hilarious. I love when PFC does some of my favorites. Too bad they’ve not tackled any Pink Floyd yet. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2022, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-led-zeppelin-album-poll/973964/10 "2022-10-29T15:06:19Z")
That was pretty incredible. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2022, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-led-zeppelin-album-poll/973964/11 "2022-10-29T15:13:38Z")
Zeppelin was my favorite band when I was a kid. I chose LZ I, narrowly beating LZ II. ---
**Author:** ![Moonrise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moonrise/32/14764_2.png) [@Moonrise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonrise)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2022, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-led-zeppelin-album-poll/973964/12 "2022-10-29T15:19:35Z")
Unsurprisingly, _Led Zeppelin IV_ for me. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2022, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-led-zeppelin-album-poll/973964/13 "2022-10-29T15:20:06Z")
As a whole, it has to be IV. I know it’s the boring, obvious choice, and I probably don’t need to ever listen to that album again as it’s engrained in my brain, but it clearly IV for me. (And I don’t even like “Stairway to Heaven” – I skip over it most of the time these days if I happen to be listening to this album.) After that I would probably go with the under-appreciated III. ---
**Author:** ![Moonrise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moonrise/32/14764_2.png) [@Moonrise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonrise)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2022, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-led-zeppelin-album-poll/973964/14 "2022-10-29T15:35:02Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > After that I would probably go with the under-appreciated III. If you compiled… 1. _Babe I’m Gonna Leave You_ 2. _Dazed and Confused_ 3. _Communication Breakdown_ (from Led Zeppelin I) 1. _Whole Lotta Love_ 2. _Ramble On_ (from Led Zeppelin II) 1. _Immigrant Song_ 2. _Since I’ve Been Loving You_ 3. _Gallows Pole_ (from Led Zeppelin III) … you’d get an album that would rival Led Zeppelin IV. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2022, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-led-zeppelin-album-poll/973964/15 "2022-10-29T15:38:47Z")
_Battle of Evermore_ wins it for IV. Sandy Denny would win it for anybody. Otherwise I like **Moonrise** ’s idea. But I’d add _Living Loving Maid_ to the mix as well. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2022, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-led-zeppelin-album-poll/973964/16 "2022-10-29T16:47:39Z")
Second album I ever bought was IV, and I still think it’s the best of them. This reminds me of when someone ran a poll on the Dope that asked “Who is your favorite character on The Wire besides Omar?” Sometimes there is an obvious favorite, even if it won’t be unanimous. If the question had been what is your _second favorite_ Led Zeppelin album, I would have been torn between Led Zeppelin II and Houses of the Holy. Probably the former. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2022, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-led-zeppelin-album-poll/973964/17 "2022-10-29T17:41:46Z")
The first six Led Zep albums are all almost flawless, the only other band that had such a run with their first six albums are the Byrds. So it’s hard for me to make a choice, but my dearest of the bunch is III. Every song on it has its own mystique, and I like the contrast between the electric hard rock side A and the folksy side B. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2022, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-led-zeppelin-album-poll/973964/18 "2022-10-29T18:29:55Z")
Um. Not to be pedantic, but _Whole Lotta Love_ was introduced on Led Zeppelin II, not Led Zeppelin I. > **[Whole Lotta Love](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whole_Lotta_Love)** > > "Whole Lotta Love" is a song by English rock band Led Zeppelin. It is the opening track on the band's second album, Led Zeppelin II, and was released as a single in 1969 in several countries; as with other Led Zeppelin songs, no single was released in the United Kingdom. In the United States, it became their first hit and was certified gold. Parts of the song's lyrics were adapted from Willie Dixon's "You Need Love", recorded by Muddy Waters in 1962; originally uncredited to Dixon, a lawsuit ... It is the opening track. And my vote is for II, even though I also love IV for _Battle of Evermore_ and _When the Levy Breaks_. Hell, I love most of them. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2022, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-led-zeppelin-album-poll/973964/19 "2022-10-29T18:40:38Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > it can really be any of the first 4 or [Physical Graffiti](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_Graffiti). But I voted Zoso. - nods \* I went with Physical Graffiti but would have gone LZ IV as second choice and on a different day might have voted the other way around. I don’t like side 2 of LZ IV as much as side one. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2022, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-led-zeppelin-album-poll/973964/20 "2022-10-29T18:55:52Z")
I didn’t vote. I got lots of Zep music, but its all from compilations/hits albums. I can’t honestly say I know what albums have what on them. I guess you could say I’m just barely a fan. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-led-zeppelin-album-poll/973964.md?page=2)