Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The band comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist-keyboardist John Paul Jones and drummer John Bonham. With a heavy, guitar-driven sound and drawing from influences including blues and folk music, Led Zeppelin are cited as a progenitor of hard rock and heavy metal. Among the best-selling music artists of all time, they influenced the music industry, particularly in the development of album-oriented rock and stadium rock.
Led Zeppelin evolved from a previous band, the Yardbirds, and were originally named "the New Yardbirds". They signed a deal with Atlantic Records that gave them considerable artistic freedom.