US Release Date: January 17, 1969
US Catalog SD 8216 - Some January & February 69 pressings were mispressed on the Atco style label (purple & tan label)
In December of 73, the Broadway address on the cover changed to Rockefeller Plaza
Reissued as SD 19126 in 1977
Barcodes appeared on the rear covers in (I think) 1982.
Good Times Bad Times (2.43)
Babe I'm Gonna Leave You (6.40)
You Shook Me (6.28)
Dazed & Confused (6.27)
Your Time Is Gonna Come (4.34)
Black Mountain Side (2.12)
Communication Breakdown (2.30)
I Can't Quit You (4.42)
How Many More Times (8.27)
US chart position: #10 (on charts 50 weeks straight, 73 weeks total)
UK chart position: #6 (on charts 79 weeks)
Certified Gold July 22, 1969
Certified Platinum December 11, 1990
Certified Diamond (10 million) on March 2, 2001
Note: The Beatles are the only musical act with as many DIAMOND certifications (for 10 million or more sales) as Led Zeppelin. Half of Led Zeppelin's 10 studio albums have reached this level, a ratio that is unlikely to ever be equaled.
Before recommending certain albums as the best, please keep in mind several things:
I have not heard every pressing, or anywhere NEAR every pressing.
In almost every case (email me for exceptions) Led Zeppelin sound better on clean vinyl than they do on CD. The reasons are numerous, but unless you were born after 1975 or so, you'd have to agree if you took the time to test this for yourself.
A good rule of thumb re vinyl is that most Japanese and German pressings are quiet or "clean". I do not know the reason for this.
The Classic Records reissues are mostly stunning, but there was the occasional problem with the vinyl. Buyer beware. If you hit ones without problems, you WILL be pleased.
Recommended on Vinyl:
Classic Records Reissue SD-8216
Others of Note:
Early U.S. 1st Pressing SD-8216
German 1st Pressing SD-8216
Japan 1st Pressing (MT-1091)
Japan Analog Master (AMJY-2000)
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