What Do You Think of Zeppelin's Commercialization?

[ZoSo88]

As we all know, 2007 has seen Led Zeppelin change a great deal. For years they had always been that band that had mystery, and was more something spread by word of mouth then from media exposure. Even with that, they sold the most albums, had the largest concerts, sold countless merchandise, and we as well known as any over-exposed Act. This was accomplished simply off pure power and presence. But now for the first time ever, they have leaned towards much larger commercialization. Examples..

*Commercials

*Digital Catalog

*Ringtones

*The Reunion

*Magazine Covers (Rolling Stone, Guitar World, etc.)

*New Albums..at the front of every music store

*Posters everywhere

So what is to be made of this? Is this good bad or inbetween? Personally...I support it 100% and here is why. The music industry is weak now. But population and global spending power help it thrive. There are enough people to have even weak acts sell alot of records, or get on TV, etc. (although no where near what Zep has done or is doing!). So people might not notice how weak this era is. Think about it. In the 50's they had elvis. In the 60's the beatles, stones, who, hendrix, The 70's Zeppelin, Floyd, Sabbath, Deep Purple, the 80's Michael Jackson, Prince, Queen, Gunz and Roses...etc. Just the past had many big musical acts of higher quality comparitivly speaking. Who was the artist or band of the 90's? Hard to say..how about the 00's?

So with a band like Led Zeppelin heaidng towards commercialization..they have went from being the biggest rock band ever...to a popularity and level never before seen. Yes in many ways it sucks to see 16 year olds with zeppelin 77 tour t-shirts, only downloading stairway to their ipod, and acting like they know it all. But i say thats better then the next generation indulging in weaker music. Hopefully this will do more good then bad. I loved zeppelin my whole life...and now, for better or worse...the people in the world who didnt take notice before, are left with no choice now.

[Jahfin]

Zeppelin entered into the "commercial" realm the moment they signed a contract with Atlantic Records. Their presence may seem more high profile now but this is a vastly different world media-wise than the one they existed during the 60s and 70s. Believe it or not their records were well stocked back then and highly visible in record stores. This is also not the first time they've appeared on a plethora of music magazines. Yes, they never issued official singles or gave into every interview requested of them but they didn't reach the status they did by remaining entirely invisible and totally inaccessible.

[euro]

Zeppelin entered into the "commercial" realm the moment they signed a contract with Atlantic Records. Their presence may seem more high profile now but this is a vastly different world media-wise than the one they existed during the 60s and 70s. Believe it or not their records were well stocked back then and highly visible in record stores. This is also not the first time they've appeared on a plethora of music magazines. Yes, they never issued official singles or gave into every interview requested of them but they didn't reach the status they did by remaining entirely invisible and totally inaccessible.

This no singles policy was only true of the UK.

[kirchzep27]

I'm surprised with all the interviews in the media, -page/plant -unledded was low key compared to this. It seems like its building up in a commercial way, with alot of hype, not that thats bad.

In regards to the commercialization aspects....its all business decisions for -led zeppelin inc. and thats how they have to look at it, i guess. They were never a medium sized act in the music business, their status just keeps growing. Even if one of them had a punk rock business ethic, the other two would probably vote and sign off on business deals.

[Bonham]

Well, here in the UK, they hardly ever played any Zeppelin on the radios... and now it's all coming about, they're now doing "Top Ten Led Zeppelin Songs" and crap like that. It's a shame they didn't do this before, I mean they were the same good band before all of this new hype.

[DreamyKnight]

As we all know, 2007 has seen Led Zeppelin change a great deal. For years they had always been that band that had mystery, and was more something spread by word of mouth then from media exposure. Even with that, they sold the most albums, had the largest concerts, sold countless merchandise, and we as well known as any over-exposed Act. This was accomplished simply off pure power and presence. But now for the first time ever, they have leaned towards much larger commercialization. Examples..

*Commercials

*Digital Catalog

*Ringtones

*The Reunion

*Magazine Covers (Rolling Stone, Guitar World, etc.)

*New Albums..at the front of every music store

*Posters everywhere

So what is to be made of this? Is this good bad or inbetween? Personally...I support it 100% and here is why. The music industry is weak now. But population and global spending power help it thrive. There are enough people to have even weak acts sell alot of records, or get on TV, etc. (although no where near what Zep has done or is doing!). So people might not notice how weak this era is. Think about it. In the 50's they had elvis. In the 60's the beatles, stones, who, hendrix, The 70's Zeppelin, Floyd, Sabbath, Deep Purple, the 80's Michael Jackson, Prince, Queen, Gunz and Roses...etc. Just the past had many big musical acts of higher quality comparitivly speaking. Who was the artist or band of the 90's? Hard to say..how about the 00's?

So with a band like Led Zeppelin heaidng towards commercialization..they have went from being the biggest rock band ever...to a popularity and level never before seen. Yes in many ways it sucks to see 16 year olds with zeppelin 77 tour t-shirts, only downloading stairway to their ipod, and acting like they know it all. But i say thats better then the next generation indulging in weaker music. Hopefully this will do more good then bad. I loved zeppelin my whole life...and now, for better or worse...the people in the world who didnt take notice before, are left with no choice now.

Over saturation of the market. On one hand it is really super cool to hear zep snipits during Monday night football and its way cool to see ads on mainstream tv and everyone talking about it all over the media.

But,

What made the damand so great was the lack of media saturation. Now its everywhere, all frikin day...there is no need to play the cd's or dvd's now, all you have to do is turn something on, tv, pc, radio - its everywhere now. Theres ads in the newspaper everyday....This can have a negative impact as time moves on people get numb to a sound shoved down their throat everywhere they are. Kinda like Christmas music.

By the time they decide to tour if they do-and that will be a huge mistake...we will have already heard it all, over and over and over again. Not only that, they have become bigger than life itself. The only people that are going to be able to attend these concerts are the rich kids or kids with influence. Unless they do multiple shows per venue there will be millions of dissapointed fans. Their rock-God like popularity has taken them out of the game to deliver.

This statement is opposite of what I want- but it is also a selfless statement as well.

They shouldnt do a full tour...remember the old saying "Always leave them wanting more". If you spoon feed the baby he will become full and not desire it any longer and start looking elsewhere for satisfaction.

What they should do, is a smaller, stratigic set of shows...maybe 6 shows a year...here and there and not everywhere. But the cats out of the bag now, that will probebly just dis-infranchise some fans.

They are between a rock and a hard spot now. Re-uniting for an album and tour is a backwards move for Robert as he is now well established in a very successfull solo career. However, if he decides not to do it, that will hurt a lot of feelings too. And it isnt fair to put this all on him either...which is what has happened. In every single article it all comes down to Roberts decision.

Tough choice.

[SteveAJones]

It was inevitable. So long as integrity and quality is maintained I'm not bothered by it.

[dragster]

The times wait for no-one......I say as long as Zep don't wimp out on us like maybe doing a YMCA, disco-duck-oriented crap, I'll always be there to listen to 'em.....bit I'm DEAD sure they won't!

[DreamyKnight]

It was inevitable. So long as integrity and quality is maintained I'm not bothered by it.

I'm in agreement with you on this.

Mainly for the new generation of fans.

I'm too old and bogged down in responsability for people other than myself, and highly highly doubt I'd even be able to afford a Zep concert at this stage in life. In fact I still havent paid the loans I took out to see them the last couple times they've come around, only to watch a performance that was less than 2 hours and then having to wait sooooooooo long for the return.

I'm very excited and happy for them however, having reached such a high status.

I've seen Zeppelin once...it was great! No regrets.

[Jahfin]

Zeppelin are just commercially visible in 2007 as they have always been.

[SIBLY]

I think Page & Plant was more low key because Plant was more in charge. He only agreed to the duo if Bonham Jr, JPJ & Led Zep were kept out of it.

I find it wonderous that this band who've been away for nearly 3 decades can cause so much fuss today. But, it's the quality of the product, pure and simple. There's not another band on the planet to touch them (maybe The Beatles but it's too late for that reunion).

I'm waiting with anticipation for The X Factor /American Idol shows to have a Led Zeppelin week! They used Kashmir as incidenatl music a couple of weeks ago. Or, what about LZ ballroom for SCD /Dancing With The Stars.

[Jahfin]

I'm waiting with anticipation for The X Factor /American Idol shows to have a Led Zeppelin week! They used Kashmir as incidenatl music a couple of weeks ago. Or, what about LZ ballroom for SCD /Dancing With The Stars.

I sure hope to fuck not. Then again I don't watch any of those shows.

[AlexKx]

I love it!!! It's the best stuff EVER!!! It's just dead hippie ideology not to do all of this stuff! If it's good enough then it's worth it!

[danelectro]

The entire idea that Zep was a secret society may be one of the best marketing campains ever. You don't achieve the huge success they have by keeping it on the down low. Clever trick they employed all those years by telling people they avoid commercialization and then proceed to ram it down peoples unsuspecting throats. Fact is Zep did all the same things other big bands of their time did, billboards, t-shirts, pre-release hype all under the guise of maintaining a supposed low profile. Zep's self proclaimed anti mainstream stance was the perfect way to create a huge demand for the band and they knew it.

[PlantOneOnMe]

Saw this thread, and hey, I love my Stairway To Heaven Ringtone! I've been waiting for Led Zep to finally allow their music to be heard in every format.

Who has Zep ringtones besides me? Anyone?

[euro]

Saw this thread, and hey, I love my Stairway To Heaven Ringtone! I've been waiting for Led Zep to finally allow their music to be heard in every format.

Who has Zep ringtones besides me? Anyone?

I have the Stairway and All My love

[justinv416]

I think Zep has always been commercially viable and popular in a certain demographic. One good thing is that maybe the overexposure will help cancel out the excess crap that is today's music. I'd be happy to see some kids getting into LZ, just as I did around 10 yrs old.

[Zephyrus]

this isn't really anything new, they were always in the spotlight to some degree. I really think that the fact that they wouldn't play on tv and Rolling Stone hated them was really taken out of proportion to mean that their entire career was undercover of darkness and nobody knew where they'd pop up next. sure they were sort of underground in the early years. I kind of don't like this hype all of a sudden myself. it becomes bland. I'm starting to feel the same way I did when they let Cadillac use Rock And Roll on commercials: all I ever thought about was tv commercials and Cadillacs and even today I don't really like that song so much. people say they've got to keep doing stuff to continue making money off the Led Zeppelin name, and keep bringing in new fans. but I really think that if they never advertised in any way shape or form again they'd still be huge and there's really a cutoff to where milking money out of something is pure greed and is kind of disgusting. hopefully it's just a quick fad and will fade in the coming months...

[BonzoEqualsGoodStuff]

The one thing that really bothers me is all the idiots wearing Zeppelin shirts because it's "cool," yet they know absolutely nothing about them. For example, I saw this guy wearing a shirt on campus a few months ago and the following conversation ensued.

"Oh hey, you're a Led Zeppelin fan!" - Me

"Yeah, they're so awesome." - The dude

"So what's your favorite album by them?"

"Oh I like the greatest hits. Stairway to Heaven is so amazing. I love their guitarist. What's his name? Robert Plant?"

Me: *walks away*

[Nathan]

^Ha! Sounds about right, lol

I'm with those who are enjoying Zep's commercialization. Part of the reason I want to see Zep have a full return (a final album w/ Jason [and you "Zep ain't Zep w/o Bonzo" purists can such the fuck up] and "limited engagement" tour) is because I fully believe that the state of today's mainstream is un such bad shape, that putting Led Zeppelin into it may be just what it needs to be fixed.

Imagine Zep music charting in the whole world again? Imagine seeing MTV and VH1 start airing more specials on Zep and Floyd and the Beatles and the Doors and the Who and all of them, all because of Led Zeppelin. I really think this exposure may help fix the mainstream, at least in America.

I mean, some people may see it as too much to fast, and that may be true, but if they do tour and release a new album (only a mistake if it's done for the wrong reasons, BTW), this'll last a few years, at least. They are the biggest band in the world... again. The news can't get enough of them. It seems even politicians are getting in on the act.

I enjoy it.

[SteveAJones]

Part of the reason I want to see Zep have a full return (a final album w/ Jason [and you "Zep ain't Zep w/o Bonzo" purists can such the fuck up] and "limited engagement" tour) is because I fully believe that the state of today's mainstream is un such bad shape, that putting Led Zeppelin into it may be just what it needs to be fixed.

Part of the reason I don't want to see Zep have a full return is because putting Led Zeppelin into the present day and age may be just what it takes to damage the legacy of the band. Without Bonzo, it's at worst an approximation and at best an evolution and either way, it's not the same.

[feather in the wind]

i think Led Zeppelin is a quest, a journey, about evolving in many ways.

'the song remains the same'

[madison]

i think they are probably the least commercialized of bands of that stature esp.

they do remain the same in the respect. keepin' it real.

[SamG]

As we all know, 2007 has seen Led Zeppelin change a great deal. For years they had always been that band that had mystery, and was more something spread by word of mouth then from media exposure. Even with that, they sold the most albums, had the largest concerts, sold countless merchandise, and we as well known as any over-exposed Act. This was accomplished simply off pure power and presence. But now for the first time ever, they have leaned towards much larger commercialization. Examples..

*Commercials

*Digital Catalog

*Ringtones

*The Reunion

*Magazine Covers (Rolling Stone, Guitar World, etc.)

*New Albums..at the front of every music store

*Posters everywhere

So what is to be made of this? Is this good bad or inbetween? Personally...I support it 100% and here is why. The music industry is weak now. But population and global spending power help it thrive. There are enough people to have even weak acts sell alot of records, or get on TV, etc. (although no where near what Zep has done or is doing!). So people might not notice how weak this era is. Think about it. In the 50's they had elvis. In the 60's the beatles, stones, who, hendrix, The 70's Zeppelin, Floyd, Sabbath, Deep Purple, the 80's Michael Jackson, Prince, Queen, Gunz and Roses...etc. Just the past had many big musical acts of higher quality comparitivly speaking. Who was the artist or band of the 90's? Hard to say..how about the 00's?

So with a band like Led Zeppelin heaidng towards commercialization..they have went from being the biggest rock band ever...to a popularity and level never before seen. Yes in many ways it sucks to see 16 year olds with zeppelin 77 tour t-shirts, only downloading stairway to their ipod, and acting like they know it all. But i say thats better then the next generation indulging in weaker music. Hopefully this will do more good then bad. I loved zeppelin my whole life...and now, for better or worse...the people in the world who didnt take notice before, are left with no choice now.

How old were you in the seventies?

This is what shits me about young people, the world never existed before them. (assuming you are young ;-)

[ally]

Part of the reason I don't want to see Zep have a full return is because putting Led Zeppelin into the present day and age may be just what it takes to damage the legacy of the band. Without Bonzo, it's at worst an approximation and at best an evolution and either way, it's not the same.

I understand where your coming from Steve. You know I do. However as much as I don't want them to damage the legacy, I feel they have enough creativity to... Be what Led Zeppelin alway's were... Themselves. Yep, John Bonham's not there and WE know that without him this really is not ... Zeppelin. But the three remaining members I think work so well together it would be a shame for them, and us , not to let them do it. Believe me I have reservations too. But at the end of the day, it's time the albatros was released.