LZII is my favourite.
Physical Graffiti is way down the pecking order, for me. Mind you, I invariably prefer artists’ earlier stuff.
I haven’t heard it on the radio in years (then again I try to steer way clear of commercial radio when I can)-I think the length of the song may be a bit too much for modern playlists and program directors.
“Good Times, Bad Times” is one of the best first album, track one, side ones ever (and it’s my favorite Zeppelin track one.) What a perfect way to say “We are Led Zeppelin, and this is what we do.”
All of this. Although I’ve listened to 1 as much as 4 because it has that raw energy that is not often paired with maturity and is lacking in 4 relative to 1.
StH is a firmly middling song relative to the rest of the album, and the fact that is at best my 4th favorite is an indication of how great the other songs are. Even the worst track* is not a bad song in itself, merely redundant in the face of other songs on the album that covered the same ground much much better than it did. If it were released on another album it would have been, maybe not a standout track, but a good addition to fill out those other albums.
*Four Sticks. But you all knew that already.
Can you imagine being a program director at the time LZ I came out and saying to yourself, “Hey, what that hell is Led Zeppelin? Wonder what kind of music Page has come up with.”
You put the album on and hear “Good Times, Bad Times” and the rest of the album and all you can say is, “HOLY SHIT!”, where did this stuff come from?
I don’t find “Four Sticks” a clunker at all. I will agree, though, that it is the weakest track on the album. I actually do find the rhythms and main riff on that song pretty cool, and, on its own, it’s no worse than a 5 out of 10 track, but compared to the rest of the album, it does stick out. That said, I never feel compelled to skip over it, as opposed to tracks on other Zep albums. I think it’s a nice transition from Misty Mountain Hop to Going to California, and it works better in the album context than as a single.
[Zep-related hijack]
If you haven’t heard it already, there’s an interesting cover of The Immigrant Song used for the trailer of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.
[/hijack]
Fair enough. I agree with every word.
This is exactly how I feel as well. Very well said.
Same reason Sgt. Peppers is what your average person states as the best Beatles album - it became “the conventional wisdom” because it was a huge smash when the band was at their peak, has enduring songs, etc.
I love IV (can’t call it Zoso; sorry) but am a Physical Graffiti guy - Kashmir, Trampled, In My Time, etc. Heck just for Kashmir.
This is true. I also like the first album, track one, side one thing. Who can compete with them? Actually, I think there is surprisingly many of these that are strong and introductory.
Oasis, Raconteurs, The Doors, Air, King Crimson, Ramones, Black Sabbath, Elastica, Guns 'n Roses, Velvet Underground (Maybe not typical for the band, but what would be), Strokes.
Well, I prefer Houses of the Holy and Physical Graffiti, but IV is solid front to back. The closest to a dud song is probably “Four Sticks,” which is pretty damn good. Plus, if anyone has only one Zep album, it’ll be the one with “Stairway.”
Joe
I cannot agree. Four Sticks is effing brilliant! Misty Mountain Hop is an abomination.
But this all subjective. I also prefer Physical Graffitti, but we can all agree that IV was a great record.
Ha! I thought I was the only one who liked Presence! “Achilles’ Last Stand” is one of my favorites, as is “Tea For One.”
Joe
In Through the Out Door is an underrated album too.
My opinion probably doesn’t count because I’m essentially an acoustic girl, but I think II is just about as perfect as an album can be.
…and glad to see you back, Dio. 
I was one of the posters who deferred on picking a Zeppelin album in my Top Ten Albums, but if I had to pick one I think it would be III. “Immigrant Song” rocks and “Since I’ve Been Loving You” smokes.
I think their first was they best, since it was far more blues based (it can be argued that much of Led Zep’s output is just variations on “Communications Breakdown.”)
But IV is the second. “Stairway” is overplayed, but is a great rock song, while “When the Levee Breaks” is even better.
Later albums were more hit and miss, and nothing in them is up to the standards in LZ IV.
IV’s the best IMO b/c it has the best balance between blues and rock and it’s a tighter album than some of their later stuff (I’m looking at you Physical Graffiti) which is occasionally sloppy. Like mr. jp says, it’s the same problem The White Album has, although to a less significant degree.
–Cliffy