Best Album for a Zeppelin Newcomer?

[SteveAJones]

The poll doesn't suggest Kingdom Come.

[TheLedZeppelinAlbums]

I started with buying Led Zeppelin IV and then I bought the others chronologically.

I think that Led Zeppelin IV is a good start, 'cause it's a classic and it contains only classic songs from Led Zeppelin. I think that everyone should start with IV or I, so they know what are they going listen, if you understand. I mean, you can't start with In Through The Out Door! (Don't misunderstand, I love that album!)

[grmagne]

I voted for Led Zeppelin IV, although I would pick an earlier album for a blues fan.

My boss is learning to play the guitar, but he's not familiar with Jimmy Page, so I lent him my Blu-Ray copy of Song Remains the Same for inspiration. He loved the music (and bought the SRTS audio CD the next day) but he said the conert was hard to watch because...Robert Plant's jeans were too tight!

[Fernando Gongora]

LZI worked like a charm for me.

[Sue Dounim]

It was a tough choice between IV and HotH, but ultimately I had to give it to IV because Stairway's always got the best chance of reeling 'em in.

[janejoe]

I would have thought it was obvious, their first album, it's how a lot of us had to do it in the early days, we had to wait for the next album to come out. Given the choice people have today I would still recommend starting at the beginning and working your way through, then you can judge how you think they have progressed (or not)

[Amstel]

This is a really good question.

I immediately thought Physical Graffiti, but then I thought for a moment, and decided that Led Zeppelin II would be the best choice. I came up with Led Zeppelin II because this was the first album I bought. The music on Led Zeppelin II punched me square in the face, and I've been obsessed with Led Zeppelin ever since.

I remember hearing Whole Lotta Love on the FM station my dad had on while driving in the car - probably to one of his 16" softball games in 77'. I was only 6 then. Hearing that song stayed with me until I was old enough to purchase my first record - Led Zeppelin II - during the summer of 1982. I was 11 years young.

Why Led Zeppelin II? For one, the album starts off with a bang - Whole Lotta Love. To me, then, this song represented Led Zeppelin perfectly. You also have Led Zeppelin's take on the blues with - The Lemon Song & Bring It On Home. A great guitar tune in - Heartbreaker. Surround these tracks with What Is And What Should Never Be, Ramble On and Thank You, and I believe this is the perfect place to start.

From Led Zeppelin II one can go back to Led Zeppelin, or move forward into Led Zeppelin III, etc., etc.

On a side note - the second Led Zeppelin album I purchased was Houses Of The Holy and The Song Remains The Same - on the same day. I burned through my allowance money - LOL

[Amstel]

It was a tough choice between IV and HotH, but ultimately I had to give it to IV because Stairway's always got the best chance of reeling 'em in.

Why?

Kashmir, Whole Lotta Love and Achilles Last Stand -vyou have a better chance reeling in the bigger fish!

[BestBandStill]

Which(studio)album would you give someone new to Zeppelin to listen to? Please feel free to vote and then comment. I would love to know why people chose the album they chose.

Definately 1

[Sue Dounim]

Why?

Kashmir, Whole Lotta Love and Achilles Last Stand -vyou have a better chance reeling in the bigger fish!

Yeah, but stairway has more mass appeal.

[Amstel]

Yeah, but stairway has more mass appeal.

Maybe to all the people that don't know music - ie;the ones that listen to FM radio.

[Grits 'n' Gravy]

Eh, I voted PG for the same reasons as others have given. With the exception of Four Sticks, IV has had the hell played out of it on radio. Why give someone something that they might already have heard? II is in the same boat by and large. PG has a lot of variety so a newbie can hear what the band's capable of, and most of it hasn't been played out on FM radio (at least not in the market I grew up in).

[in_the_evening]

I got started on IV. With Black Dog, Rock and Roll, Going to Cal, STH, and Levee, it's just chock full of goodness!

I would give a newbie IV. LZ1 might be my next choice, HMMT sounds like it could have been performed yesterday, it has barely aged.

[Charles J. White]

How can anyone honestly answer this question? It would depend on who the newbie is, and what types of music or styles they are attracted to. Led Zeppelin was a constantly changing canvas where the Painter painted what he felt like painting on any given day.

[sonshine]

^ I have to agree. And beautifully said.