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The Best of Led Zeppelin | ||||
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Greatest hits album seriesby | ||||
Released | Early Days: 22 November 1999 Latter Days: 21 March 2000 Box set: 19 November 2002 (US) | |||
Recorded | October 1968 – December 1978 | |||
Genre | Hard rock, blues rock, folk rock, heavy metal | |||
Length | Early Days: 1:08:09 Latter Days: 1:06:36 Box set: 2:14:54 | |||
Label | Atlantic | |||
Producer | Jimmy Page | |||
Led Zeppelin chronology | ||||
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Early Days: Vol. 1 | ||||
Latter Days:Vol. 2 | ||||
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [1] |
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [2] |
Sputnikmusic | [3] |
The Best of Led Zeppelin is a two-volume best-of compilation album series by English rock group Led Zeppelin;containing selections from all of the band's studio albums it was released by Atlantic Records. Volume one,Early Days was released on November 22,1999; [4] volume two,Latter Days,was released on March 21,2000. Early Days is composed of tracks from the period in the band's history dating 1968 to 1971 and doesn't use a traditional "greatest hits" format as Led Zeppelin largely avoided single releases. (The band never had a Billboard No. 1 single. [5] ) Latter Days covered 1973 to 1979. Early Days debuted at #71 on the Billboard 's Pop Albums chart and Latter Days debuted at #81. A combined disc set,called Early Days and Latter Days,was released on November 19,2002 in the United States and on February 24,2003 in the United Kingdom. [6] Both Early Days and Early Days and Latter Days were certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. [7]
Both volumes are now out of print,and were replaced with the 2007 two-disc compilation Mothership .
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original album | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Good Times Bad Times" | John Bonham, John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page | Led Zeppelin , 1969 | 2:48 |
2. | "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" | Anne Bredon, Page, Robert Plant | Led Zeppelin | 6:41 |
3. | "Dazed and Confused" | Page; inspired by Jake Holmes | Led Zeppelin | 6:27 |
4. | "Communication Breakdown" | Bonham, Jones, Page | Led Zeppelin | 2:29 |
5. | "Whole Lotta Love" | Bonham, Willie Dixon, Jones, Page, Plant | Led Zeppelin II , 1969 | 5:34 |
6. | "What Is and What Should Never Be" | Page, Plant | Led Zeppelin II | 4:44 |
7. | "Immigrant Song" | Page, Plant | Led Zeppelin III , 1970 | 2:25 |
8. | "Since I've Been Loving You" | Jones, Page, Plant | Led Zeppelin III | 7:24 |
9. | "Black Dog" | Jones, Page, Plant | Led Zeppelin IV , 1971 | 4:54 |
10. | "Rock and Roll" | Bonham, Jones, Page, Plant | Led Zeppelin IV | 3:41 |
11. | "The Battle of Evermore" | Page, Plant | Led Zeppelin IV | 5:52 |
12. | "When the Levee Breaks" | Bonham, Jones, Memphis Minnie, Page, Plant | Led Zeppelin IV | 7:08 |
13. | "Stairway to Heaven" | Page, Plant | Led Zeppelin IV | 8:02 |
This enhanced CD contains 1969 television footage from Sweden of the band miming to "Communication Breakdown".
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Canada (Music Canada) [18] | Gold | 50,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [19] | Silver | 60,000^ |
United States (RIAA) [20] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original album | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "The Song Remains the Same" | Page and Plant | Houses of the Holy , 1973 | 5:28 |
2. | "No Quarter" | Jones, Page, and Plant | Houses of the Holy | 6:59 |
3. | "Houses of the Holy" | Page and Plant | Physical Graffiti , 1975 | 4:01 |
4. | "Trampled Under Foot" | Jones, Page, and Plant | Physical Graffiti | 5:35 |
5. | "Kashmir" | Bonham, Page, and Plant | Physical Graffiti | 8:33 |
6. | "Ten Years Gone" | Page and Plant | Physical Graffiti | 6:31 |
7. | "Achilles Last Stand" | Page and Plant | Presence , 1976 | 10:22 |
8. | "Nobody's Fault but Mine" | Page and Plant | Presence | 6:27 |
9. | "All My Love" | Jones and Plant | In Through the Out Door , 1979 | 5:53 |
10. | "In the Evening" | Jones, Page, and Plant | In Through the Out Door | 6:49 |
This enhanced CD contains a video of a live performance of "Kashmir" from Earls Court in 1975 matched to the studio track.
Chart (2000) | Peak position |
---|---|
UK Albums (OCC) [21] | 40 |
US Billboard 200 [16] | 81 |
The sleeve that holds the two CDs is made of cardstock. The cover of the sleeve is mainly occupied by the same photo from the cover of Early Days. It features the members of Led Zeppelin in late Apollo mission astronaut suits in front of a starry background and a Led Zeppelin logo. The logo behind them shows many space-related images, but the only one wholly visible is the image of the moon's face with a space capsule stuck in its eye taken from the early silent movie A Trip to the Moon .
On the back of the sleeve is an array of information split up into two columns. On the left column, there is a photograph of the cover of Latter Days. It features the same astronaut suits, but the photos were taken later and so the members of Led Zeppelin are older. In the logo is an image of Saturn and behind all of the foreground is an image of Earth taken from space. Below that is the information about Atlantic. On the right column is a synopsis of the tracks on both discs.
Early Days is packaged in a plastic jewel compact disc case. Much of the background is a drawing of stars, yet inside the case and behind the CD is an image of an artist's rendition of a supernova, apparently airbrushed. On the backside of the case is a list of the tracks. The background of the back cover appears to be a slightly out-of-focus photograph, likely taken by an amateur photographer.
The Early Days liner notes begin with the cover. On the cover is the same image that appears on the foreground of the sleeve. Inside the booklet is first a summary of the tracks, and then photos of the band ranging from 1969 to 1972. Then after that is a list of their albums, and the back page is a list of the band members, design and artwork credits, and information about the Enhanced CD capabilities on Early Days.
The packaging for Latter Days mirrors that of Early Days. The four band members are pictured in the same Apollo space suits in the same order, but they are older. Much of the background is of Earth as viewed from orbit. There is a picture of Saturn in place of the picture of the moon with the ship in its eye. Behind the CD is an image of the Eagle Nebula.
The liner notes are just like those of Early Days, except for the fact that the images range from the years 1973 to 1979.
Both the Early Days CD and the Latter Days CD are enhanced so they can play extra content on a computer. On Early Days, a music video of the song "Communication Breakdown" is included. On Latter Days, a video of the song "Kashmir" is included.
Chart (2002–2003) | Peak position |
---|---|
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista) [22] | 40 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [23] | 96 |
Italian Albums (FIMI) [24] | 22 |
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) [25] | 17 |
UK Albums (OCC) [26] | 11 |
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC) [27] | 2 |
US Billboard 200 [16] | 114 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom (BPI) [28] | Platinum | 300,000^ |
United States (RIAA) [29] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Led Zeppelin is the first album by the English rock band Led Zeppelin. It was released on 13 January 1969 in the United States and on 31 March 1969 in the United Kingdom by Atlantic Records.
Led Zeppelin II is the second album by the English rock band Led Zeppelin, released on 22 October 1969 in the United States and on 31 October 1969 in the United Kingdom by Atlantic Records. Recording sessions for the album took place at several locations in both the United Kingdom and North America from January to August 1969. The album's production was credited to the band's lead guitarist and songwriter Jimmy Page, and it was also Led Zeppelin's first album on which Eddie Kramer served as engineer.
Led Zeppelin III is the third album by the English rock band Led Zeppelin, released on 5 October 1970. It was recorded in three locations. Much of the work was done at Headley Grange, a country house, using the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio. Additional sessions were held at Island Studios and Olympic Studios in London. As with the prior album, the band eschewed the use of guest musicians, with all music performed by band members Robert Plant (vocals), Jimmy Page (guitars), John Paul Jones, and John Bonham (drums). The range of instruments played by the band was greatly enhanced on this album, with Jones especially emerging as a talented multi-instrumentalist, playing a wide range of keyboard and stringed instruments, including various synthesizers, mandolin and double bass, in addition to his usual bass guitar. As with prior albums, Page served as producer on the album, with mixing done by Andy Johns and Terry Manning.
The untitled fourth studio album by the English rock band Led Zeppelin, commonly known as Led Zeppelin IV, was released on 8 November 1971 by Atlantic Records. Produced by the band's guitarist, Jimmy Page, it was recorded between December 1970 and February 1971, mostly in the country house Headley Grange. The album contains the band's most well-known recording, the eight-minute-long "Stairway to Heaven".
Houses of the Holy is the fifth album by the English rock band Led Zeppelin, released on 28 March 1973 in the United States and on 30 March 1973 in the United Kingdom by Atlantic Records. The album benefited from two band members installing studios at home, which allowed them to develop more sophisticated songs and arrangements and expand their musical style. Several songs subsequently became fixtures in the group's live set, including "The Song Remains the Same", "The Rain Song" and "No Quarter". Other material recorded at the sessions, including the title track, was shelved and released on the later albums Physical Graffiti (1975) and Coda (1982). All instruments and vocals were provided by the band members Robert Plant (vocals), Jimmy Page (guitar), John Paul Jones, and John Bonham (drums). The album was produced by Page and mixed by Eddie Kramer. The cover was the first for the band to be designed by Hipgnosis and was based on a photograph taken at Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland.
Physical Graffiti is the sixth album by the English rock band Led Zeppelin. Released as a double album on 24 February 1975 in the United States and on 28 February 1975 in the United Kingdom, it was the group's first album to be released under their new label, Swan Song Records. The band wrote and recorded eight new songs for the album in early 1974 at Headley Grange, a country house in Hampshire, which gave them ample time to improvise arrangements and experiment with recording. The total playing time covered just under three sides of an LP, so they decided to expand it into a double album by including previously unreleased tracks from the sessions for the band's earlier albums Led Zeppelin III (1970), Led Zeppelin IV (1971) and Houses of the Holy (1973). The album covered a range of styles including hard rock, progressive rock, rock 'n' roll and folk. The album was then mixed over summer 1974 and planned for an end-of-year release; however, its release was delayed because the Peter Corriston-designed die-cut album cover proved difficult to manufacture.
Presence is the seventh album by the English rock band Led Zeppelin. It was released by the band's own label Swan Song Records on 31 March 1976 in the United States and on 2 April 1976 in the United Kingdom. While the record was commercially successful, reaching the top of both the British and American album charts, and achieving a triple-platinum certification in the United States by the RIAA, it received mixed reviews from critics and is the lowest-selling album by the band.
Coda is the ninth and final studio album, as well as the first compilation album by English rock band Led Zeppelin. It is a collection of rejected and live tracks from various sessions during the band's twelve-year career. The album was released on 26 November 1982, almost two years after the group had officially disbanded following the death of drummer John Bonham. In 2015, a remastered version of the entire album with two discs of additional material was released.
Led Zeppelin Remasters is a three-LP compilation album of digitally remastered material by English rock band Led Zeppelin. Containing songs from the band's eight studio albums, it was initially released in the UK and Japan by Atlantic Records on 15 October 1990. The album is essentially a scaled-down version of the four-CD Led Zeppelin Boxed Set.
The Song Remains the Same is the live soundtrack album of the concert film of the same name by the English rock band Led Zeppelin. The soundtrack was recorded 27–29 July 1973 and released on 22 October 1976 on Swan Song Records.
How the West Was Won is a live triple album by the English rock group Led Zeppelin, released by Atlantic Records on compact disc on 27 May 2003, DVD-Audio on 7 October 2003 and Blu-ray audio in 2018. The recordings are taken from two 1972 performances in California during their tour of North America: L.A. Forum and Long Beach Arena.
Led Zeppelin is a boxed set by English rock band Led Zeppelin. It was the first compilation of songs by the band and the selection and remastering of the tracks were supervised by Jimmy Page. Atlantic Records released it on 8 October 1990 on several formats: four compact discs, six vinyl records, or four cassette tapes. A 36-page booklet was also included with the release.
Led Zeppelin Boxed Set 2 is a double album released by Atlantic Records on 21 September 1993. This box set features the rest of the English rock band Led Zeppelin's catalogue not included in the 1990 4-CD box set Led Zeppelin, all digitally remastered, including the previously unreleased studio track "Baby Come On Home". A 54-page booklet was also included with the release. Between this box set and the 4-CD box set every track from the band's nine studio albums are featured along with two BBC live recordings; the band's only non-LP b-side; and one studio outtake.
Purple is the second studio album by the American rock band Stone Temple Pilots, released on June 7, 1994, by Atlantic Records. The album, building on the foundation laid by the band's debut album Core (1992), was a major commercial success, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 252,000 copies sold in its first week. It remained at the top of the chart for three weeks, eventually selling over six million copies. It spawned a number of successful singles; "Vasoline" and "Interstate Love Song" both topped the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and reached number 2 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart, while "Big Empty" also reached the top ten on both charts. Lesser known album cuts "Pretty Penny" and "Unglued" were released as promotional radio singles.
Mixed Up is a remix album by English rock band the Cure, released on 20 November 1990 by Fiction Records. The songs are remixes of some of their hits, reflecting the popularity of remixing of existing songs and dance culture of the late 1980s and early 1990s. In 2018, a sequel was released titled Torn Down.
The discography of the English rock band Led Zeppelin consists of 9 studio albums, 4 live albums, 10 compilation albums, 19 singles, 16 music videos and 9 music downloads. The band is estimated to have sold over 300 million records worldwide, becoming one of the best-selling music artists in history. According to Billboard, they are the 40th Greatest Artist of All Time, as well as the 11th Most Successful Artist on Billboard 200 history. The band has scored 7 number-one albums on Billboard 200 and has sold 112.5 million certified albums in the United States, becoming the 5th best-selling album artist in RIAA history.
The discography of the English rock group Pink Floyd consists of 15 studio albums, six live albums, 12 compilation albums, five box sets, three EPs, and 27 singles. Formed in 1965, Pink Floyd earned recognition for their psychedelic or space rock music, and, later, their progressive rock music. The group have sold over 250 million records worldwide, including 75 million in the United States.
Mothership is a compilation album by English rock band Led Zeppelin, released by Atlantic Records and Rhino Entertainment on 12 November 2007 in the United Kingdom, and 13 November 2007 in the United States. It was released on the same day that Led Zeppelin's entire catalogue became available in digital stores, including the iTunes Store. The cover was designed by artist Shepard Fairey.
In Through the Out Door is the eighth studio album by the English rock band Led Zeppelin. It was recorded in three weeks in November and December 1978 at ABBA's Polar Studios in Stockholm, Sweden, and released by their label Swan Song Records on 22 August 1979 in the US and 24 August 1979 in the UK. Unlike earlier Led Zeppelin albums, In Through the Out Door was dominated musically by bassist and keyboardist John Paul Jones. It was the band's last release before the death of their drummer John Bonham in September 1980 and their disbandment three months later.
Celebration Day is a concert film and live album by the English rock band Led Zeppelin, recorded at the Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert on 10 December 2007, in The O2 Arena, London. The film was given a limited theatrical release starting on 17 October 2012, and was released on several home audio and video formats on 19 November 2012. The performance, the film, and album releases have been widely praised.