Led Zeppelin are one of the most influential bands of all time. That’s a sentence you would’ve seen written in countless articles for decades now, and with good reason.
Four outstanding musicians in their own right, came together at the right time, and produced some of the most memorable and timeless rock songs. Songs that are often covered, sampled or just downright copied in an attempt to replicate the genius of Led Zeppelin.
Remember when Wolfmother hit the scene and were compared to them? In reality, Wolfmother had some similarities for sure, but now that Greta Van Fleet are touring around the world, those similarities pale into insignificance. Great Van Fleet completely lack any originality, but it's no surprise that people want to be like Led Zeppelin, so it stands to reason that great musicians would try to emulate their sound, and also cover their songs.
Here’s eight awesome Led Zeppelin covers that stand up, not to the original of course, but are worth a listen...
Chester Bennington with Slash and Joe Satriani – Whole Lotta Love
I dunno where this was taken, or how long ago, and you don’t really need me to tell you about the caliber of the players involved. Goddamn, I wish I was front and centre for this performance.
Iron Maiden – Communication Breakdown
When Maiden reissued their 1990 album in 1995, they added four covers, and this cracker was included. Bruce Dickinson is regarded as having one of the best voices in heavy metal, so having him cover the iconic Robert Plant is a no brainer, and you can hear the love the band have for this Zep classic.
4 Non Blondes – Misty Mountain Hop
This is from Enconium, a belter of a tribute album, and this is the opening track to it, and I think they nailed it. Linda Perry has always been a powerhouse vocalist, and this performance amplifies that. They perform this pretty damn close to the original, and it’s one you should crank as loud as you can.
Heart – The Battle Of Evermore
The Wilson sisters of Heart quite simply knock this one out of the park. For Zeppelin fans who haven’t seen this before, it will raise the hairs on your arms. Their voices compliment not only each other, but do justice to the song itself, with all the passion and vigor that Led Zeppelin intended originally. Magic.
Karen O with Trent Reznor and Atticus Rose – Immigrant Song
Taken from the movie, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, this combination of musos put a completely modern spin on this 1970 classic. Short, sharp, and filled with the angst it deserves. Some have said it’s better than the original. Not me, but some have said that. I peronally don’t think it’s possible to better Led Zep at their own game, but this comes close.
Fuel – Going to California
Fuel was one of those bands that people either loved or hated. They were part of the ‘yarling’ movement of the late 90s, but one thing’s for sure, lead singer Brett Scallions has some serious chops, highlighted here on this acoustic Lep Zeppelin tune from 1971. It’s a frag faster than the original, but treats it with respect and sounds great. P.S. I miss the mandolin.
Masterplan – Black Dog
Masterplan are a German power metal band, and were asked in 2002 to contribute a song to a Led Zeppelin tribute album. Easily one of Zeppelin's most covered hard rockin songs with the weird riff that so many bands get wrong. However, these guys nail it with a tonne of pomp and power metal crunch and wailing vocals. I like this one because it feels a bit over the top, and in that sense, it makes it perfect, because that’s how Zep were.
Blind Melon – Out On The Tiles
Here’s a lesser known (as far as commercial Led Zep songs go) tune done brilliantly by Blind Melon, most notably known for their original song, "No Rain". That song was a hit, but a gentle number it’s fair to say, so to hear them absolutely tear this one a new tail is so, so good. Trust me on this, press play and soak it in.
Now that we've seen these great attempts to emulate the masters, let's get back to the original.
Listen to Led Zeppelin on Spotify
Listen to Led Zeppelin on Apple Music
