Led Zeppelin’s iconic album ‘Led Zeppelin IV’ was released on this day exactly 40 years ago, November 8, 1971.
Led Zeppelin IV
‘IV’ wasn’t the official title for the album. The title was in symbols and it became known as “symbols”, ‘IV’ and ‘Zoso’ depending on who you talked to.
‘IV’ was Led Zeppelin’s biggest album, selling over 32 million units since its release. It is the third biggest selling album ever in the USA behind Eagles ‘Their Greatest Hits’ and Michael Jackson ‘Thriller’.
Led Zeppelin started work on the album at Basing Street Studios in London in December 1970 while Jethro Tull were in another studio recording ‘Aqualung’.
Led Zeppelin recorded 11 songs at the sessions and eight made the album. The remaining three ‘Down By The Seaside’, ‘Night Flight’ and ‘Boogie With Stu’ were released four years later on ‘Physical Graffiti’.
The two singles released from the album were ‘Black Dog’ and ‘Rock and Roll’. Australia was the only country in the world to release ‘Stairway To Heaven’ as a 7” vinyl EP with ‘Black Dog’ and ‘Rock and Roll’ on the other side.
