Higgo here, I’ve been given the pleasure of citing 10 reasons that Led Zeppelin are one of the greatest rock bands of all time.

Well, I’m here to tell you, it’s no easy task to nut it down to just 10 reasons, especially when the first four could be attributed to the band members themselves. Am I right? Of course I am. We’ll get to them soon enough though.

1. They secured an unprecedented record deal before anyone from Atlantic Records had even seen them play live, but after they had recorded their first album ON THEIR OWN. Their deal was based purely on the calibre of the musicians and the recorded music, then, they were given more money than anyone else at the time, and they had loads of control over stuff like physical releases, publishing rights, promotional material, they were BOSSES.

2. They were so damn good, they never released singles. Just albums. CREATING ‘album oriented rock’. If you’re like me, and love it when a band syncs an album to tell a story or create a beautiful landscape, you’ve got Zeppelin to thank. Pioneers.

3. Their eponymous debut album only took about 36 hours of studio time to create. BANG. DONE. That’s because they’d worked out arrangements during their Scandinavian tour in the year prior. Jimmy Page paid for the whole thing himself. £1,782. Quite the Princely sum in 1969! For an album that went on to gross more than £3.5 million, it wasn’t a bad investment.

4. By 1973, Led Zeppelin had their own damn custom plane, The Starship! It was completely rad for the time as well, with over $200,000 being spent to reduce the seating to 40, installing a bar, huge couch, TV and video cassette player, bedrooms, a shower, and adorned with their name and custom paint. This was next level stuff for a band, so much so that others would charter it, Deep Purple, Alice Cooper, The Rolling Stones, everyone wanted to use The Starship.

5. As I mentioned, Led Zeppelin didn’t release singles, and yet "Stairway to Heaven" is their most recognised and most played song of all time. It was plucked from the album as a favourite and played by all and sundry. It forged its own path without being GIVEN to DJ’s as a single. It is, without doubt, one of the greatest rock songs of all time.

6. Jimmy Page produced every album they made. He knew the sound he wanted from the band from the very beginning and would be damned if he was going to let anyone else take credit for what they did. He wanted everyone to know that it was his doing. Again, like a boss!

7. John Bonham. For years I’ve loved Led Zeppelin, but recently I’ve been diving into what made Bonzo one of a kind. Watching countless YouTube videos, watching interviews with the man himself, reading opinion pieces, talking to drummers about him. He had ‘it’. We’ve all heard of ‘it’ before, that magic inside someone that you just can’t replicate or define. Was it his one-foot bass drum triplets? His high-hat? The way he played along with the guitar instead of bass at times? John Bonham had ‘it’ by the tonnage and remains an inspiration and influence to millions.

8. John Paul Jones. The bass player’s bassist. From the ballsy all out "Whole Lotta Love", to the simply delicate and haunting beginning of "Dazed and Confused", he is a magician with a bass. Flip that though, give him any instrument and he’ll play it. He was Led Zeppelin’s bag of tricks adding sounds, textures, and ideas that no other musician could for any other band. Recorder solo on Stairway anyone?

9. Jimmy Page. Times may have changed a touch, but one thing that hasn’t, is the magic of Jimmy Page. He is your guitar hero’s hero, a master of his craft, an influencer to millions, a pioneer of guitar sounds, a riff lord worthy of all his accolades and many more. Jimmy page invented the ‘reverse echo technique’, played a guitar with a bloody cello bow for cryin out loud and wrote "Stairway to Heaven"!

10. Robert Plant. Superlatives roll out by the bucket load when people speak of Robert Plant. His sublime vocal ability is a defining key to the success of Led Zeppelin. Wailing screams, sultry lows, he could do it all. Add in the nerd lyrics from "Ramble On", which way back then, would have baffled anyone who wasn’t familiar with Lord Of The Rings and you have a powerhouse frontman who possesses swagger and style that is enviable the world over. Like Jimmy Page, Robert Plant is your singing hero’s hero. He influenced EVERYONE from Freddie Mercury and Geddy Lee, to Axl Rose, Sammy Hagar and Chris Cornell.

Well, there ya go my hard rocking Zepp lovin’ friends, 10 undeniable reasons that Led Zeppelin are one of the greatest rock bands of all time. For a band whose body of work spanned only 12 years, they sure made an impact on the musical world. What a legacy.

Here's a fantastic Spotify playlist, I Like: Led Zeppelin... Turn it up!

- Dave 'Higgo' Higgins