Led Zeppelin: Ranking Their Studio Albums From Worst To Best

5. Houses of the Holy (1973)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlmYEj0AwsU This is possibly the most unfair ranking of them all. I truly love Houses of the Holy - not just for its songs but for the fact that it was the album where Zeppelin began to let loose a bit.

Instead of all the songs being about mysterious Lord of the Rings references and nods to blues legends, Zeppelin dabbled in reggae with 'D'yer Maker?' (showing their capacity for awful puns) as well as James Brown in 'The Crunge'- a track which showed just how well John Paul Jones and John Bonham could work as a rhythm section. Add to that possibly the most unabashed love song that Zeppelin ever recorded in 'The Rain Song' (apparently a reaction to a conversation that Jimmy Page had with George Harrison- in which the Beatle told him that Page didn't write any ballads) as well as the Jones showpiece 'No Quarter' and there is plenty to put this album amongst the best that Zeppelin ever recorded.