Poll: Is Led Zeppelin Metal?

[CoachZ]

Now, I'm seeing a lot of responses in the vein of "well, they pioneered a heavy sound, so yes they are metal because metal wouldn't exist without them". To me, that's missing the question. The question is "IS Led Zepplin metal", implying current definitions apply. And by current definitions, Zepplin is no longer metal. They are now classic rock. Music genre definitions change over time, especially in the rock/metal categories, and the genreization of bands must also shift to meet modern definitions.

tl;dr, No, i don't think Led Zepplin is metal by modern standards, which the question implies. Yes, they did pioneer a heavy sound from which modern metal is derived.

 

[adrian_exec]

Nevermind. Mr. CoachZ is probably right.

 

[UFOROMANTIC]

I'm not going to make any fans here, but I DESPISE Zep. Robert Plant sounds like he's riding the white horse perpetually, the instrumentation is incredibly overwrought (and not terribly interesting, seriously, what the fuck is up with that 3 minute noise/drum solo in Whole Lotta Love?), the lyrics seem like overgrown bluesy fever dreams, and worst of all, people have built them up to a level where if they had done anything short of making me want to base an entire religion off of their music, it would have been an immense disappointment. I vastly prefer REAL blues to this (I grew up listening to old blues and bebop, not some white boy psuedo-hippie 70's revivalist shit), and if I'm going to listen to old school metal, I'm going to listen to Sabbath. I don't rightly give a damn if they were pioneers, I hate what they did.
Playing no small part in this was that I was in a band that collapsed over a Led Zepplin song, and neither I or the guitar player could stay awake during this garbage. The drummer wanted me to channel Plant and do this stupid repetitive bass riff over and over (the song was Whole Lotta Love, by the way). I could do it, but the more I did it, the more I becan to hate that harsh, nasally sound and the baleful riffs that were sludging out of that song.
I agree with what one above poster said about Sabbath binging in more of what we know as metal with the tri-chords and low tuned instruments, heavy distortion, dark lyrics with cavernous meanings, ect.
Lastly, I digress that I like two songs and two songs only by them: Houses of The Holy and Stairway to Heaven, because those are classics. Everything else can fuck right off. I've tried and I've tried hard to like them, but I feel really only passionate hate for them.

 

[UFOROMANTIC]

And no, they are not metal.
Not by current standards, at any rate.

 

[SenorNemo]

I'm no expert on Led Zeppelin or metal in general, but it'd vary a lot from song to song I'd think. A song can be metal, a band only performs. Some songs might fit the definition of metal, some might not. It's all on the Moh's Scale of Rock and Metal Hardness. [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MohsScaleOfRockAndMetalHardness]

 

[Artina89]

They did great music, I don't understand why people try and classify them. Does it really matter whether or not they are classed as one thing or another?

 

[Nigh Invulnerable]

A simple question, but one that has split metal fans forever. Is Led Zeppelin to be classified as heavy metal? I've heard some say they just weren't "metal enough" and others say that they were the start of heavy metal. So what do you think?

Personally, I think they are. Metal is a LARGE genre and Led Zeppelin was the basis of the heavy metal sound in my opinion.

Their riff-based songs where early metal, in my opinion. The Immigrant Song, Rock and Roll, etc etc. None of that woodstock acoustic stuff, though. They laid a foundation for metal music, but not one as big as Black Sabbath laid down.

Black Sabbath, to me, are more influential to metal as a whole with their use of the tritone, the "chug-chug" riffs, and down-tuned guitars.

Sabbath are far more "metal" for me than Zep can ever hope to be. I would still classify Zep as metal, but as more of a proto-metal band than outright. Sure, they were heavy, and Bonzo was a beast, but the blues were a stronger influence on their style than it was on Sabbath's, so I give Ozzy et al credit for being the founders of metal as we know it.

CAPTCHA: exclaimeth ffifewi

 

[Lukeje]

I mean, the Beatles were one of the great early pioneers of rock, but if they came out today they would be dismissed as a cheap pop music band.

Nah, they'd be part of the `Rockabilly Revival' movement that happens every few years or so.

 

[JohnnyDelRay]

I have loved Zeppelin for most of my musical influenced life, but I just wouldn't be able to call them metal. The rhythms and melodies are more blues and rock than anything. Sabbath was metal, even deep purple was more metal. Zeppelin may have started the trend, but like jazz started rock, and gospel started jazz, or blues started rap, or whatever started whatever, they each have their own genre.

 

[A Weary Exile]

Not even close. They're like soft rock/blues and awesome to boot.

 

[Bobbity]

Led Zeppelin is Led Zeppelin! Actually, it's heavy rock, but, imo, that's better than metal

 

[LoFr3Eq]

Don't compare The All-mighty Zeppelin to common heavy metal.

Zeppelin is heavy at times, and Sabbath is heavy all the time, but they are by no means metal(neither is Queen). The first true heavy metal band was Judas Priest.

1980 was when the Albums British Steel by Priest, and Iron Maiden by Iron Maiden came out.

These albums shaped the metal scene of the 80s and directly influenced other great ablums like Kill 'em all (Metallica) and Reign in Blood (Slayer).

Zeppelin did influence These bands, but they also influenced many progressive rock acts such as Pink Floyd, Genesis and Yes. At the height of the popularity of progressive rock, many musicians and listeners were fed up with the 20 minutes solos performed by Pete Townsend and the like. Thus was formed the Genre Punk. Early Punk included acts like Iggy and the Stooges and a few years later The Ramones. They were influenced by Led Zeps heavy, fast, and sometimes mindless songs (such and Rock 'n Roll and Immigrant Song). After a Ramones concert in London 1976, 3 of the most important punk bands were formed, these were: Sex Pistols, The Clash and Generation X. All of these bands from punk and prog rock influenced heavy metal in the 80s.

Another important band to note is the British rock band Motorhead. These guys are frequently referred to as being "Heavy Metal", while their influence on the genre is unquestionable, the frontman Lemmy has said in an interview that he more closely associates his band with punk rock, rather than heavy metal (he also admitted in another interview that he tried to teach Sid Vicious from the Sex Pistols how to play bass, emphasis on the tried).

Heavy Metal was a culmination of the best parts of progressive rock and punk rock. These genres were influence by Led Zeppelin and again came full circle to create heavy metal.

Led Zeppelin is a rock and roll band.

 

[Ensiferum]

Metal has a Genesis. That Genesis is best summed up by the words "Led Zeppelin."

 

[octafish]

Is Led Zep metal? Is Wolf metal? Is Muddy metal? In some ways yes, in some ways no. Like Tull they get lumped into the metal basket when they are really so much more.

 

[Jonabob87]

If you ask me they're rock, but plenty of people would class them as metal.

What's important is that we class them as AWESOME

 

[Restoshamankk]

It's defneatly not rock so what else can it be? Exactly, Heavy metal