10 Most Influential British Acts On American Rock
5. Led Zeppelin
By the end of the '60s the Beatles were all but over. Hard rock was at the forefront of popular music and Jimmy Page, along with his new group, was leading the way.
It's almost impossible to separate a group like Led Zeppelin from their legacy. So ingrained are they in the tale of rock, that at this point, it's just a given how important they were. But when you take a step back to look at what they achieved on their first four albums (within a three year time period), the level of innovation is nothing short of astonishing.
Like many rock acts of the time, they were rooted in blues, but no one was playing as experimentally as these guys. They fused psychedelia into a form of proto-heavy metal, with riffs that burrowed to unreached depths and solos that soared half way to heaven. For several years they pushed this heavier form of rock, despite critics dismissing them. By the time their fourth record dropped, however, the snooty music press had finally caught up with fans, recognising these guys for the musical pioneers they were.