12 PERFECT Hard Rock Albums With No Bad Songs
1. IV - Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin's legend looms so large in the hard rock world that it almost seems too obvious to put them at the top of this list. The band's signature mix of rock riffs and a strong beat have influenced countless rock and metal bands and have been pivotal in bringing rock music out of its bluesy origins.
There are many Zeppelin works that could have sat atop this list, from the pure power of their sophomore release to the grand scope of Physical Graffiti, but the band's untitled fourth record remains the most untouchable feat they have ever accomplished. Their knack for writing fantastic riffs on songs like "Black Dog" are so on point that you often forget that you're listening to a song in an odd time signature. The slow moments of the record like "The Battle of Evermore" and "Going to California" have a wistful quality that feels like they're pulled from the traditional folk tunes of long ago.
This record is also responsible for giving the band not just their biggest song, but one of the most celebrated rock songs of all time in "Stairway to Heaven," whose structure sends the listener on a musical journey for over 8 minutes. There had been hard rock before this record, but it seemed like the rulebook needed to be rewritten after this feat of musical genius.