Best Album for a Zeppelin Newcomer?

[Starbreaker]

I say IV because people are familiar with a lot of the songs on it even if they've never listened to it (Electophile I know you'll disagree with my reasoning). So it's better to start safe, then let them expand. PG is too large of an album to get someone hooked on to Zeppelin. For the record the first thing by Zeppelin I owned was Best of the Early Days, and my first albums were III and TSRTS

[BlackDog71]

IV was the album that started it for me. I then heard Physical Graffiti. That was all I needed.

[Coda.S]

Physical Graffiti; very diverse and introduces newcomer to the essence of Zep

[Brando2600]

I say Zep I. Then let them discover the others on their own. I almost said HotH but then they might think D'yer Maker and The Crunge are part of the feel of Zep.

For me I think it started with I and IV

[Bonzo2000]

This is tough because I got into Zep after all of the albums were out. Older fans (I'm 35) may say start at the first one and do it naturally, but I may give him or her a copy of Physical Graffitti and let the chips fall where they may.

I got the albums in a wierd order:

II

In through..

IV

I

Houses...

Physical...

III (my fav. overall)

Presence

Coda

[Jucrew1]

Mothership would make the most sense, but if you don't wanna count that, i'd say IV, cuz if that's not good enough for them, they should just keep moving along...........and go get their ears checked out.

[Kiwi_Zep_Fan87]

Here's my suggestion (for all the newbies) :

First check out Mothership, then go on to Physical Graffit and then check out Led Zeppelin IV! Your experience will be magical!

[Michael Page]

Id say Led Zep II that has a great mix of classics.Plus with the opener being Whole Lotta Love how can u fail with that.

[Sardonicus]

Definitely the first album.

There are exceptions to the rule, but usually I think the best way to discover and explore a band is to start at the very beginning and hear them mature and experiment, album by album.

100% correct!

You start them at the begginning, and if they can't appreciate the first album, they aren't going to like the rest.

Besides, if you started them with ITTOD, they would probably never know the good stuff.

[cheesehead1204]

I voted PG because its got the most songs and a ton of variety showing the wide range of music Zeppelin was capable of making

[Aussie ZOSO]

I started off with LZ IV and obviously the first LZ song I heard was Black Dog... after that I said to myself "this is it, this is my favorite band eve and I will never love any other band like I do with LZ".  And that's true, I still love LZ like I did when I first heard them, maybe even more because I know more of them now.

[zdr]

I say Zep I. Then let them discover the others on their own. I almost said HotH but then they might think D'yer Maker and The Crunge are part of the feel of Zep.

For me I think it started with I and IV

But these songs are part of the feel .

HOTH is a great choice, and Dyer Maker is a good hook (along with OTHAFA and No Quarter). But indeed, The Crunge could scare a newbie

But, again, every album is having songs that could scary a newbie: "I" have You Shook Me (someone could find it too crazy) and YTIGC (that creepy organ); "II" ...well, I can't find anything potentially apaling for a newcomer; "III" - Friends and Hats Off; "IV" - BOE and Four Sticks; "PG" - no song is safe, except maybe Bron Yr Aur and Ten Years Gone; Presence and ITTOD - again, a hazard.

So... "II" could be the answer?

//Of course, all above are based on my personal taste, and remembering my first reaction to some of these songs

[machead]

Choosing a LZ album for someone else could be quite a task! My own fave studio album is Physical Grafitti, but that's not where I started. In 1976 a girl called Rosemary introduced me to Zeppelin, it was Led Zeppelin II. I remember that day as if it was yesterday. Come to think of it, I remember it better than yesterday! Anyway needless to say I became a convert straight away. The very next day I decided to buy the first LZ album I could see, which turned out to be The Song Remains The Same. I know it's not very popular, and the band members themselves didn't like it much, but I've always liked live albums and this one remains one of my favorite live albums. But to get back on thread, I would choose the album that started it all of for me, Led Zeppelin II.

[leddy]

Id say Led Zep II that has a great mix of classics.Plus with the opener being Whole Lotta Love how can u fail with that.

Thats what I put asit was the first I heard all the way through, although to be honest I think aslong as its one of the studio albums, then your on to a winner.

[Deborah J]

^^ Everyone has a great response. This is only my way of answering. I first heard them when I was 9 and it was "I Can't Quit You Babe". Being raised in New Orleans you grew up with the Blues, Jazz , Zydeco, Southern Rock. Well to hear that song just reached out to me. I was not able to buy my first album until early 1971 two years later. I had to have LZ I first, then I saved my chore and babysitting money and every few months I bought each one in order so by the end of 71 I had the four that had been released...then as they came out I bought them. I am so glad I did it this way as you could listen to and grow with the musical direction of the band IMHO.

For any new person learning of this music as you are sucked into the vortex you will eventually get them all anyway.

Made me smile just thinking of those times :-)

[mastress of procrastinate]

I started with Mothership. So I would recommand it, since it gives a nice overview. I can only agreeto the points the others gave about it. Then I'd go for II and IV. II Is so raw and bluesy while IV undoubtable is a masterpiece. A few months after purchasing Mothership I had the fortune to find II and IV on a flea market Since then I am deeply sucked into the Zep-ish matter.

[sixpense]

Without question: Zep IV or Zoso or Untitled....................

[MINI_Zoso]

I was a late bloomer as far a being a big Zep fan is concerned. I knew lots of their music, courtesy of the radio, but that is all I knew of them. Always like their stuff.

The first album I heard, front to back, was In Through The Out Door. This was my eye opener. I realized these guys were SO much more that what you heard on the radio. Time to explore. That album had a couple of "radio" tunes on it, that got the ball rolling and I have not looked back.

Had I not heard any of their work at all before, it's a tough one, but II would have to get my vote. It just best represents my kinda band!

[mastress of procrastinate]

I was a late bloomer as far a being a big Zep fan is concerned. I knew lots of their music, courtesy of the radio, but that is all I knew of them. Always like their stuff.

The first album I heard, front to back, was In Through The Out Door. This was my eye opener. I realized these guys were SO much more that what you heard on the radio. Time to explore. That album had a couple of "radio" tunes on it, that got the ball rolling and I have not looked back.

Had I not heard any of their work at all before, it's a tough one, but II would have to get my vote. It just best represents my kinda band!

I notice you to be the first one to pick one of the latter works.

[MINI_Zoso]

I notice you to be the first one to pick one of the latter works.

Only because it is what worked for me. It really fit my tastes at the time. Of course now they all fit just nicely.

[T2071]

I would say Mothership since it includes all of their best work from all years, or the Best of Latter Days and Early Days, which were the first two albums that I listened to. But they were not a choice, so I'll go with Houses of the Holy, since "No Quarter" is the first song that I remember listening to.

I kinda have to agree here. No clue what album would be perfect for a newbie since it would all depend on what they like/prefer musicly. But when I got into Zeppelin in 4th grade (just 21 now) I only had the combo version of Early and Later days. That's what got me into Zeppelin was that compliation cd, and I loved every song I heard and listened to it constantly. Though gradualy as years went by I heard LZ songs on the radio that I wound up loving that weren't on those albums ("Heartbreaker/Living Loving Maid", "Hey Hey What Can I Do", "The Ocean", "Fool in the Rain", "The Rain Song", "Dyer Maker", "Going To California", "Misty Mountain Hop") so went online and listened to all the albums and loved them and eventulay bought the complete studio box. So my guess would be either a good overview cd or just pick whatever album got you yourself into the band

[JPJ = the groovinator]

I voted for IV just because it is so versatile. BUT I'd say I, II, or IV. They are all essential.

[Raust]

I think that Led Zeppelin IV is the obvious choice. It has every single "classic" Led Zeppelin song on there. Even though it's not my favorite I think it's a pretty good starting point for anyone who wants to get the Led out for the first time.

[Mofostone]

Tough choice but lz2 just above lz4 is what I'd pack if I had only one cd/album to bring with me to heaven/hell/limbo for eternity it just has so much "fist pumpin, ass shakin' rock not to mention the softer side like Ramble on which is softer but still brings the heat

[Charles J. White]

It depends on who the potential first time listener is. If they are into the Blues, the first 2 albums would be a starting point. If they prefer acoustic clearly III is the choice. If they are the type of music listener who likes “the hits” type of music 4 is the way to go. If they like adventure Physical Graffiti and Houses of the Holy. A grunge metal type listen, Presence is a solid album to point them towards. If they want all of the above, In Through the Out Door is a great album.