How big were/are Led Zeppelin?

[KidLed]

Hey Docron, I have to disagree about the radio. I live on the East coast of the US and there is not one rock station that doesnt have a daily Led Zep block! True the regular play list only plays a few of the so called hits, but the Zep block is always deep and different. Also I was 12 when Zep ended yet everyone I grew up with in the eighties loved Zep and hated all that 80's pop stuff. As a matter of fact in the my high schools yr books favorite band of class of 86,87,88,89....guess who? LED ZEPPELIN!!! and they werent even a band anymore!!!!! Maybe its different out your way, but thats not my experience, but I am old compared to you (39).

[SIBLY]

One is 6' 1" another is 5' 11" another is 5' 8" another was 5' 10 1/2"

With apologies to Bob Dylan.

[Dharmabum]

Coming of age in the mid to late 80s, Led Zep were legendary in my neck of the woods. Of course, I was their primary champion in my high school, lol, but just about everyone listened to them. Actually, most people's favorite band was either the Grateful Dead or Metallica, both of whom were touring at the time. Led Zep provided the bridge that everyone could appreciate. Classic rock radio, of course, played a huge role in keeping the band relevant.

When I went to London for a couple of weeks in the fall of '92 (on my way to India), I was expecting to find Led Zep influence all over the place but alas, virtually nothing. The people I met looked at me funny when the band was mentioned. Even at a Black Sabbath concert, with Ronnie James Dio, Zep were given little to no respect by the concertgoers I met while drinking prior to the show. I just couldn't figure it out.

[Firebird]

Yeah it is. I simply can't believe that Zep sold so few albums in their own country. Baffling.

Zeppelin's total record sales in America = 98.5 million

I realize the U.S. is much bigger than the U.K. though, so I'm not surprised by this number.

I'm not surprised by that either. I was reading about the history of the band somewhere online and it said that Jimmy's initial vision for Zep was to "go to America and play heavy music," or something to that effect. He knew there was a HUGE market for that in the States. They were the perfect band at the perfect time for that market.

Edited June 13, 2008 by Firebird

[SIBLY]

I was expecting to find Led Zep influence all over the place but alas, virtually nothing. The people I met looked at me funny when the band was mentioned.

They've got a higher profile again now but I think they were always bigger in The States.

I had the oposite experience 2 years ago on my first visit to the USA (Washington State). I knew they were huge over there so I decided to see how long it took for me to see a LZ tee shirt. I actually landed in Vancouver and I saw one before I was out of the airport. I think I saw 10 on the first day.

[THUNDERZEP]

The reason Zep grew so big and so beloved in the United States is because they toured relentlesly early on. The word spread quickly about this English band that was bombastic over the top hard hitting, and heavy riffed. The musicianship speaks for itself. The audience was blown away by Zeppelins live shows and concerts that grew to 3 hours plus. Of course by 73 the guys had become more showman like than ever and Jimmy had become an absolute rock-god. The boys were great and they knew it, their fans knew it and it was a beautiful give and take relationship. I don't know why Zep never grew to mythical proportions elsewhere in the world, but one thing is for sure. I am so glad to have had Led Zeppelin to love growing up and well into my adult life, that as an American I am more than happy to call Led Zeppelin Americas most beloved band.

[SunChild]

This is the 'UK Top Selling Album Artists' list (to end of 2006)

30.Led Zeppelin - 8.510m

Led Zeppelin & ABBA hold the record for consecutive no.1 albums in the UK with 8.

30??

It's what Jimmy said long ago in that interview you can see on the DVD: what got pumped through the media in the UK was what got popular - such as The Beatles. The blues based guys were digging up obscure records listening to Armed Forces radio, not listening to the dreaded Main Stream Media...

Regarding this list I posted, I think people need to look at the bigger picture.

Many of the artists above Zep have had longer careers, released more albums, released singles and/or had a lot more radio and TV exposure.

With that in mind, I think Led Zeppelin's UK album sales are outstanding.

Agreed.

Even more outstanding is they didn't release many singles or have very much TV or (positive) magazine exposure in the States, either. They just perfectly filled the available niche, in person, in real time. This is why they are so beloved, I'd bet. And they keep on that way... how did those tens of millions of folks hear about the ticket sign up for O2 show? Not MSM

One is 6' 1" another is 5' 11" another is 5' 8" another was 5' 10 1/2"

With apologies to Bob Dylan.

[euro]

With respect to Australia and New Zealand, my sense is that Zeppelin are very popular there,though not anymore than Queen,AC/DC or Pink Floyd. Perhaps some of our friends from those countries shed some light on this topic.

[Suz]

One is 6' 1" another is 5' 11" another is 5' 8" another was 5' 10 1/2"

With apologies to Bob Dylan.

I had to read this 3 times until I got it.

[Suz]

Now that I think of it. I read something, somewhere, a long long time ago......that talked about how big they were.

[zepyep]

Hi all,

I know this sounds sort of provoking. Especially to American fans. But let me tell you that Led Zeppelin have had a much smaller fan base in continental Europe than in the US.

Mr Grant,who at the time,would know,told the band,paraphase: 'if you wot to big,go to the the states.' They did on Christmas day,1968,Denver.

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Many of my American friends were surprised that Led Zeppelin is not a general memory of the 70ies but (has become) some sort of "music for specialists" in Europe. People here maybe know STH but "Dust in the Wind" or "Paranoid" or "Alright Now" are much more popular. On the other hand from what I´ve heard Deep Purple were nothing compared to the fame and glory of the Zep in the US.

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Of course everybody knew LZ in Europe the 70ies. Immigrant Song, WLL and of course STH were (sort of) hits, but bands like Deep Purple or even Uriah Heep were more popular because of their more simple and radio-friendly-approach.

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A friend of mine (b. 1957) told me that LZ were only for the people who were also into Yes or Zappa.

Hurmp!From 'Blazing Saddles."

Well I was born 1957,20.Gee,how about Elvis,Buddy Holly,Chuck(livin' large and lovin' life) Berry?

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Another reason might be that continental Europe (to this day) never had important (Classic-) Rock stations or AOR stations like in the US. So LZ have been "gone" for quite a while. It was the music of Soundgarden and Pearl Jam who got younger people into Zep.

So the BBC,was behind the times?Strange that,...

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What do you think?

What was/is your perception?

How was/is the situation in the UK?

And how big are LZ in Eastern Europe (always special)?

It well documented that Led Zeppelin went across the 'pond' to find fame and fortune.I am not from the UK,but they were a gift to us,......where did all those 'metal' bands come from in the 80's?

Eastern Europe?The USSR,let me wager,........Led Zeppelin.

KB

[Jiri]

I had the most funny conversation today with one of my coworkers. He told me that you were considered a bit nerdy when you were into LZ. Or arrogant and "different". Can you dig that?

The Who or the Stones or 10 Years After were the "normal" bands.

And what's also surprising for people from the US: everybody here knows and loves CCR (they get airplay every 10 minutes here) but nobody knows Grateful Dead. Nobody! Well, maybe the name but that's it. Same with Allmann Brothers.

I also think the European prototype of a famous Classic Rock band everybody knows (and has at home) is Queen.

Edited June 14, 2008 by Jiri

[Plainbrownwrapper]

We americans made them. And we will make them a ton more money if they tour again. That is why I'm a bit disappointed that they did the reunion in London. But maybe they figured they couldn't please all americans as picking a city would have been tough. If they pick NY, they piss off everyone on the west coast. If they pick LA the same. The geographics of the United States must have played a role. But I know they do appreciate this country and spend much time here. If they play again, Im certain it will be on this side of the pond first.

I agree. I think Jimmy and the band does too. No mystery why the 2003 live CD was named "How the West was Won".

Just like everything else popular here in the states LZ is now part of the US culture and the band knows it. Now why they picked London for the last concert? Perhaps due to the fact that the other major reunions (including the live aid mess with PC on drums) were all played stateside.

[SunChild]

Now that I think of it. I read something, somewhere, a long long time ago......that talked about how big they were.

I think I read that same thing... not to mention, the photographic evidence.

[Fritz96]

It has to be remembered that even though their album sales weren't the highest here, they were always a huge live band. From 5 nights at Earl's Court to half a million people seeing them in Knebworth I don't remember anyone drawing larger crowds. Whoever wrote they were scared to play any UK dates in 1980 doesn't know what he's talking about. Chances are they ignored us because the previous year they played to such huge crowds at Knebworth.

[Suz]

I think I read that same thing... not to mention, the photographic evidence.

Dammit, this info will distract me from my tasks. There's only one I know of, but I don't want to see it up close because it's too gross for me.

This is a lot more interesting than the whole europe/usa thing.

I need to get away from the computer.

[MadScreamingGallery]

I can't speak for the fan base in Europe or the rest of the world but I do remember that, in the U.S., it seemed that,each year, the fan base grew exponentially. I first heard of LZ via word of mouth when their first album was released here. I remember the older siblings of my friends talking about the band in almost referential terms and coming back from the Fillmore concerts completely awestruck. It seemed that everyone I knew had the first two Zep albums. By the time the band returned to our city the next year, they filled MSG for two shows - and it just kept growing. It seemed that with each passing year, the band acquired more fans. There was always a frenzy, not only for tickets, but also when each new album was released and also when the band was in town. Especially in the early days, LZ did not get a lot of radio play or press coverage (that came later) but word of them spread from one fan to another.

[ally]

I can't speak for the fan base in Europe or the rest of the world but I do remember that, in the U.S., it seemed that,each year, the fan base grew exponentially. I first heard of LZ via word of mouth when their first album was released here. I remember the older siblings of my friends talking about the band in almost referential terms and coming back from the Fillmore concerts completely awestruck. It seemed that everyone I knew had the first two Zep albums. By the time the band returned to our city the next year, they filled MSG for two shows - and it just kept growing. It seemed that with each passing year, the band acquired more fans. There was always a frenzy, not only for tickets, but also when each new album was released and also when the band was in town. Especially in the early days, LZ did not get a lot of radio play or press coverage (that came later) but word of them spread from one fan to another.

We must have grown up in the same neighbourhood Mad When I look back , I can't honestly remember any press coverage of Zeppelin other than local concert reviews. Even the local FM stations didn't play a ton of Zeppelin, like they do today. Word of mouth was everything. We were not part of the media circus that is today's music and I honestly think that Zeppelin would not have been the band they were had they started up in this era. They worked for they're audience and they're legacy is here today because they did.

[MadScreamingGallery]

We must have grown up in the same neighbourhood Mad When I look back , I can't honestly remember any press coverage of Zeppelin other than local concert reviews. Even the local FM stations didn't play a ton of Zeppelin, like they do today. Word of mouth was everything. We were not part of the media circus that is today's music and I honestly think that Zeppelin would not have been the band they were had they started up in this era. They worked for they're audience and they're legacy is here today because they did.

Maybe not in the same neighborhood but definitely in the same tribe. My friends and I were "city kids" but when we attended Zep concerts we found that we had much more in common with the other Zep fans who attended those concerts along with us (and it didn't matter where they were from: small towns, rural towns, etc.) than we did with kids from our school who weren't Zep fans. Back then, it seemed that all Zep fans "spoke the same language". You could mention a certain Zep song and the feeling it evoked and we'd all know how it felt. I think that Zep proved that, back then, a great band didn't need a media circus to make them a legend.

[Tom_Owens]

Throughout history, it all boils down to what you're used to. Most bands from England had to go elsewhere to REALLY become big. The same can be said for the legends of U.S. rock and most other nations.

To wit:

Zeppelin never really hit it big until they came to the U.S. Neither did bands like: The Who, The Rolling Stones, and I dare say the Beatles.

On the other hand, Jimmi Hendrix had to spend what would turn out to be 80% of his career in England before he was ever recognized in the U.S.

It's funny that way. I guess in the end we all seek something different. Something like we've never heard before that totally moves us and that's what we roll with. Sometimes, as in Zeppelin and Hendrix's case, it comes full circle to where they're world renouned. Sometimes it doesn't.

The best test of how popular someone is is simply this: Do people who were not alive when they were big even know who they are?

The litmus test:

Ask someone that's 15 or 20 if they have any idea who Led Zeppelin is. I'm willing to bet that about 70% will know who they are. They may not be a fan, but they'll have heard something from them.

Ask those same young folks who Bush or the Stone Temple Pilots is. I'm willing to bet less than 15% have ever even heard of them.

It's like my old saying: 1000 years from now, they'll STILL be listening to Beethoven, Motzart, Zeppelin and the Stones. 10 years from now, they'll never remember the band that had a great album and was king of the hill for a year...such as most music these days is.

Regards,

Tom

[longdistancewinner]

You know, I find it somewhat hard to swallow the whole 'US made Led Zeppelin' thing, however truthful it may be. I've always liked to think that the UK fanbase had, at the very least, some sort of impact on the band, and to say that America 'made' Zeppelin kind of treads on the UK fans who supported them from the very get go. I've always felt, and this is only me, that the UK and Europe were always put on the backburner compared to the US. We only had a fraction the concerts that the US had, even in the first full year alone, and it seemed that it was going be that way until 1980. Zeppelin didn't even tour the UK or Europe in '77.

However, I've been to the US several times and I constantly hear Zeppelin on their radios. I don't remember ever hearing them on our's. I applaud the US for that because they've always seen the longevity in Zeppelin, whereas, I've always felt, Britain kind of flitters in and out of phases with them. Maybe it's because the UK was never really given the exposure that the US had? I'm 22, I couldn't possibly say.

I'm British, I'll always be biased, so in that respect, I didn't have a problem with them playing at the O2 in December. Maybe this time around they felt a stronger alligience to Britain, they all live here, their roots are here and I think it would've been a real kick in the teeth to the UK and European fans had they performed the concert in America, considering many of the other acts were British as well. The US fanbase may have been pissed that they missed out on a one off concert, but I don't think anyone in the US can really argue that WE missed out on so much more and for so much longer.

Eurgh, I'm done now. I'll go back to watching the Germany/Austria game on telly.

[docron]

Someone said I didn't do research... This is a pretty default claim. In fact, if YOU did research, you would have known that I didn't have to do any research on what is already common knowledge among Zeppelin fans.

I was just telling you what I see in the mid-west United States. I'm 23, so I'm only talking about things that happened from 1985 till present day.

I bet you a huge bulk of the hundred million albums that were sold in the U.S. were sold prior to that timeframe, and probably werent sold in the midwest.

If you ask me, I still stand by my claim that they are not as popular as people think (in the mid-west at least).

None of my friends, nor any of my enemies are into Led Zeppelin. In my lifetime, the people I've met who are worth calling themselves Zeppelin fans (i.e. know more than just Stairway) in the midwest can be counted on two hands.

The primary music tastes here in Michigan are country and southern rock, both of which I hate, and both of which aren't Zeppelin.

Its a real drag, but thats just what I see.

I don't want to start any fights, and I'm not saying that it isn't different elsewhere.

[Suz]

You know, I find it somewhat hard to swallow the whole 'US made Led Zeppelin' thing, however truthful it may be. I've always liked to think that the UK fanbase had, at the very least, some sort of impact on the band, and to say that America 'made' Zeppelin kind of treads on the UK fans who supported them from the very get go. I've always felt, and this is only me, that the UK and Europe were always put on the backburner compared to the US. We only had a fraction the concerts that the US had, even in the first full year alone, and it seemed that it was going be that way until 1980. Zeppelin didn't even tour the UK or Europe in '77.

However, I've been to the US several times and I constantly hear Zeppelin on their radios. I don't remember ever hearing them on our's. I applaud the US for that because they've always seen the longevity in Zeppelin, whereas, I've always felt, Britain kind of flitters in and out of phases with them. Maybe it's because the UK was never really given the exposure that the US had? I'm 22, I couldn't possibly say.

I'm British, I'll always be biased, so in that respect, I didn't have a problem with them playing at the O2 in December. Maybe this time around they felt a stronger alligience to Britain, they all live here, their roots are here and I think it would've been a real kick in the teeth to the UK and European fans had they performed the concert in America, considering many of the other acts were British as well. The US fanbase may have been pissed that they missed out on a one off concert, but I don't think anyone in the US can really argue that WE missed out on so much more and for so much longer.

Eurgh, I'm done now. I'll go back to watching the Germany/Austria game on telly.

Hey, good post. I am thinking about the things you said.

[beatbo]

I bet you a huge bulk of the hundred million albums that were sold in the U.S. were sold prior to that timeframe, and probably werent sold in the midwest.

If you ask me, I still stand by my claim that they are not as popular as people think (in the mid-west at least).

I don't want to start any fights, and I'm not saying that it isn't different elsewhere.

doc, you seem pretty cool. you are only posting what you know. that's awesome-thanks for that.

now let me tell you this, and you will not only know what you know, but you will know what i know, as well.

that will make you twice as smart.

i grew up in southern illinois/st.louis. lived in chicago for over a decade. spent some childhood in western kentucky, and have pretty much travelled the entire US. i graduated high school in 1980. i was a freshman in 1976. in 8th grade, i stood in line at a record bar (mall music store) waiting all night so that i could buy one of the first copies of physical grafitti. i first was turned on to zep in the 5th grade by a stoner/highschool aged neighbor who gave me 2 8-tracks: zep 4 and zep 2 (thanks, wayne!).

take my word for it-when the 70's hit and people on the east and west coast were snorting coke to disco music, we were smoking weed to led zeppelin. disco came and went, but we didn't know it. the multitude of those millions that you quoted were sold thoughout that decade-everytime a new zep album came out, evrybody bought all the others as well. but to say that it was only the midwest would be wrong-listen to the boots. some of the greatest shows and the most rabid fanbase were on both coasts (the south, too-royal orleans, remember?). but fads were slow or non-existent in the midwest, to that i can attest. once something of quality caught on, people that live in rural areas held on to it for DECADES.

number one band in southern illinois in 1975? led zeppelin.

number one band in 1985? led zeppelin

trust me....

your friend,

beat

Edited June 16, 2008 by beatbo

[Suz]

take my word for it-when people on the east and west coast were snorting coke to disco music, we were smoking weed to led zeppelin. disco came and went, but we didn't know it. the multitude of those millions that you quoted were sold thoughout that decade-everytime a new zep album came out, evrybody bought all the others as well. but fads were slow or non-existent in the midwest, to that i can attest. once something of quality caught on, people that live in rural areas held on to it for DECADES.

number one band in 1985? led zeppelin

trust me....

I hope you don't mind that I edited this. You hit the nail on the head! I grew up in a small town, smoking weed and listening to Zeppelin- in 1985!

Edited June 17, 2008 by Suz