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British rock band formed in 1968, widely considered one of the most influential and successful groups in rock history. Led Zeppelin was formed in London in September 1968 by guitarist Jimmy Page, recruiting vocalist Robert Plant, drummer John Bonham, and bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones. The band pioneered a heavy, guitar-driven blues-rock sound that evolved to incorporate diverse influences, becoming a defining force in hard rock and heavy metal. They achieved massive commercial success with iconic albums like 'Led Zeppelin IV' (featuring 'Stairway to Heaven') and 'Physical Graffiti', known for powerful live performances and shunning singles releases in the UK. The band disbanded in December 1980 following the death of drummer John Bonham.

• The band was initially formed as 'The New Yardbirds' to fulfill contractual obligations after Page's previous band, The Yardbirds, disbanded. Manager Peter Grant suggested the name change to Led Zeppelin.
• Led Zeppelin were notorious for their wild off-stage antics, including significant hotel room destruction, earning them a legendary, albeit controversial, rock 'n' roll reputation. A notorious incident involved John Bonham riding a motorcycle through a hotel corridor and a shark-related prank gone wrong at the Edgewater Inn in Seattle.
• John Bonham died on September 25, 1980, at Jimmy Page's house after consuming a massive amount of alcohol (roughly 40 shots of vodka) and choking on his own vomit in his sleep. His death was ruled accidental.
• The iconic 'Led Zeppelin IV' album cover features an image of an old man carrying sticks on his back, found in an antique shop. The album deliberately bore no official title or band name on the sleeve.
• The band faced a high-profile plagiarism lawsuit over 'Stairway to Heaven', accused of copying the instrumental track 'Taurus' by Spirit. After a lengthy legal battle, they were ultimately found not liable for copyright infringement.
• Despite their immense popularity, Led Zeppelin rarely released singles in the UK during their active years, focusing instead on albums and avoiding TV appearances to cultivate a mystique, relying heavily on radio play and word-of-mouth.
• Their 1977 concert at the Pontiac Silverdome set a world record for the largest attendance at a single performer show (76,229 tickets sold), later broken. Their 1979 Knebworth concerts drew audiences estimated at over 200,000 total.