Jimmy Page was born.
John Paul Jones was born.
John “Bonzo” Bonham was born.
Robert Plant was born.
Ahmet Ertegun signs the English group Cream. Atlantic will become a major force in British rock, releasing albums by such artists as the Bee Gees, Mott the Hoople, Yes, Genesis, Derek and the Dominos, Emerson, Lake and Palmer and Led Zeppelin.
The Yardbirds break up, guitarist Jimmy Page forms the New Yardbirds and changes the group’s name to Led Zeppelin, allegedly on the advice of the Who’s Keith Moon.
Led Zeppelin performs its first show, at Surrey University in England.
Atlantic Record announces its signing of a “hot new English group” named Led Zeppelin.
The hotly anticipated, self-titled debut album by Led Zeppelin enters the album charts, ultimately reaching #10.
Led Zeppelin enters the Top Forty with “Whole Lotta Love,” which reaches #4. It is this album-oriented band’s highest-charting single.
‘Led Zeppelin II’ tops the U.S. album charts for the first of seven weeks; it will reach #1 in the U.K. in February 1970.
The more folk-oriented ‘Led Zeppelin III’ becomes the band’s second #1 album.
Led Zeppelin hits #15 with “Immigrant Song”.
Led Zeppelin’s fourth album, which features four runes (symbols) as its title, enters Billboard’s album chart, where it will remain for the next five years. Oddly, it doesn’t quite reach #1, peaking at #2.
Led Zeppelin hits #15 with “Black Dog”.
Led Zeppelin hits #47 with “Rock and Roll”.
‘Houses of the Holy,’ Led Zeppelin’s fifth album, becomes their third to reach #1.
Led Zeppelin hits #20 with “D’yer Mak’er”.
Led Zeppelin launches their Swan Song label, which releases their albums and ones by handpicked artists like Bad Company and the Pretty Things.
‘Physical Graffiti,’ a double album by Led Zeppelin, reaches #1 in its second week of release. It stays there for six weeks.
Led Zeppelin becomes the first band in history to have 6 albums on the chart at once
Led Zeppelin hits #38 with “Trampled Under Foot”.
Robert Plant and his wife are injured in a car crash while vacationing in Greece.
Led Zeppelin’s concert documentary, T’he Song Remains the Same,’ premieres in New York.
‘In Through the Out Door,’ Led Zeppelin’s first album of new material in over three years, is released. Topping the chart for seven weeks, it turns out to be their swan song.
Led Zeppelin hits #21 with “Fool In the Rain.”
John Bonham, drummer for Led Zeppelin, dies of asphyxiation in his sleep after having consumed “40 measures of vodka.”
Led Zeppelin releases a statement announcing that it is disbanding in the wake of drummer John Bonham’s death.
Led Zeppelin re-forms (with Phil Collins replacing the late John Bonham on drums) for the Live Aid benefit concert in Philadelphia.
Led Zeppelin reunites, with drummer Jason Bonham (the late John Bonham’s son), to perform a few songs at Atlantic Records’ 40th anniversary concert at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
‘Led Zeppelin,’ a four-CD and six-LP box set, is released. Reaching #18 on the album chart, it will sell over one million copies, making it the best-selling box set in rock and roll history.
‘Led Zeppelin – The Complete Studio Records,’ a ten-CD box set, is released.
The live documentary ‘Unledded,’ which reunites Robert Plant and Jimmy Page onstage, airs on MTV. It features four live acoustic versions of Led Zeppelin favorites and eight new Page-Plant collaborations.
‘No Quarter,’ by Led Zeppelin mainstays Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, enters the album chart at #4.
Led Zeppelin is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at the tenth annual induction dinner. Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith are their presenters.
