Album of the Day

Released 50 years ago today, Led Zeppelin's untitled fourth album (sometimes referred to as IV or ZOSO) stands as the group's masterpiece. Produced by guitarist Jimmy Page, the collection is a seamless combination of blues (a cover of Memphis Minnie's “When the Levee Breaks”), heavy metal (“Black Dog”), folk (the Joni Mitchell-inspired “Going to California”) and mythology (“The Battle of Evermore,” with guest vocals by Fairport Convention's Sandy Denny). The Atlantic set introduced future concert favorites “Rock and Roll” and signature song “Stairway to Heaven” and has gone on to sell more than 37 million copies worldwide. Is this the greatest hard rock album ever made? You can be the judge of that, but we're hard-pressed to think of another that showcases the form's power and possibilities as effectively as LED ZEPPELIN IV.