All the pieces of a true rock supergroup were present the moment Led Zeppelin took the stage. While countless bands have aimed for greatness, few matched the raw power, innovation, and chemistry that defined Zeppelin. And at the center of it all was Jimmy Page—more than just the band’s guitarist, he was the architect behind the whole vision.
From the ashes of The Yardbirds, Page envisioned something heavier, tighter, and more expansive. He wasn’t just forming a new group—he was building a sonic empire. But it didn’t take long before he found his ideal partner in John Paul Jones. A seasoned session player, Jones brought more than just basslines—his orchestral arrangements and studio smarts gave the band structure, depth, and the glue that held it all together.
Then there was Robert Plant, the wild card. At first, Plant wasn’t even the first pick. Page had considered other vocalists like Terry Reid, but when he stumbled upon Plant’s work with Band of Joy, there was something undeniable. Plant may not have looked like the prototype of a rock frontman at the time, but he brought with him a rare mix of blues soul and folk sensibility that reshaped the possibilities of hard rock vocals.
On their debut album, Plant poured emotion into every note—even on covers. His performance on “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You” hinted at the emotional depths he could reach, while “How Many More Times” delivered a full-throttle showcase of the primal power that would echo through decades of heavy metal and hard rock.
Although Plant has occasionally looked back on some of those early vocals with a bit of embarrassment, Page never wavered in his praise. “He should be really pleased with his vocal approach,” Page reflected. “He was performing in a very inspired way. What he did was really fitting in terms of where we were going. It was an essential element—and millions would agree with me.”
Plant’s influence spread far and wide—too far, in some ways. While he’s often praised in the same breath as vocal titans like Paul Rodgers and Steve Marriott, the wave of 1980s hair metal bands mimicking his high-pitched wails and theatrical swagger left Plant less than impressed. Still, the imitators never reached his depth. They copied the scream but missed the soul.
For Page, though, there was no doubt: without Plant’s voice, Led Zeppelin wouldn’t have been the same. No matter how many singers tried to replicate his sound, there’s only one voice that could rise with such power and grace above that thunderous band—and only one man who could be the “Golden God” of rock.
Led Zeppelin – Stairway To Heaven (Live at Earls Court 1975)