sniper007

According to Billboard.biz, LED ZEPPELIN's classic 1971 album "Led Zeppelin IV" (which spent four weeks at No. 2), sold around 3,600 copies in the United States last week to return to the chart (No. 166) for the first time since 1987. The LP — which is priced at $5.99 at AmazonMP3 and $6.99 at iTunes — is up 273% in overall sales (compared to around 980 copies sold the previous week) and 654% in downloads.

On November 8, "Led Zeppelin" turned 40. The album has been referred to as "Led Zeppelin IV", following the naming standard used by the band's first three studio albums and even four symbols that symbolized each band member: singer Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist John Paul Jones and late drummer John Bonham. Not only does the album have no title, but there is no writing on the front or back cover, or even a catalogue number on the spine (at least on the original LP release).

Following the lukewarm reaction to the band's acoustic-leaning "III" album, "Led Zeppelin IV" was more upbeat and sits as one of the most influential albums in hard rock/heavy metal history.

"Led Zeppelin IV" is the third best-selling album of all time in the U.S., with cumulative sales of more than 23 million.

Spiderbite

So the kids are still listening to some good music?

cungar

No the boomers a buying a replacement copy

Jason

Wonder what caused the big bump? It's not like these songs haven't been played to death. If classic rock played these songs anymore, they'd have to stop playing Skynyrd completely.

sniper007

The album turning 40 (Happy Birthday) may have something to do with the increase in downloads.

wm lopez

Hopefully some kids will learn something on how to play rock.

islandclaws

Aside from the top singles, I don't think I've ever heard this album. I know many consider it blasphemous, but LZ has just never done much for me.

PopcornTreeCt

Probably the price point as well.

Gerry P.

Pretty much every song on the album gets played on the radio, so you have probably heard it without ever really hearing it.

rw2516

Actually, the album had no singles.

Sean O'Hara

I thought Billboard changed the rules so this couldn't happen after Dark Side of the Moon did it?

sniper007

Singles from IV
"Black Dog"/"Misty Mountain Hop"
Released: 2 December 1971
"Rock and Roll"/"Four Sticks"
Released: 21 February 1972

Jason

I've heard these songs on the radio so many time I can't imagine actually buying it.

Alan Smithee

Were all those sales downloads or does that include CDs and LPs too? I think this had an LP rerelease fairly recently. I have it on 8-track- downloads can suck it.

Pizza the Hutt

'III' is fantastic. Just wanted to say it.

johnnysd

And diectly led to the musical style of IV, most significantly "tangerine"

statcat

Page just took an old yardbirds demo written by Keith Relf and took the credit.

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Heat

That's a tough one to figure out. Wikipedia has Led Zeppelin at #12... with 37 million copies sold. RIAA has Led Zeppelin at #4 (behind The Eagles Greatest hits, Michael Jackson's Thriller, and Billy Joel Greatest hits).

And of course, from Fast Times at Ridgemont High:

[the "five-point plan"]
Mike Damone: First of all Rat, you never let on how much you like a girl. "Oh, Debbie. Hi." Two, you always call the shots. "Kiss me. You won't regret it." Now three, act like wherever you are, that's the place to be. "Isn't this great?" Four, when ordering food, you find out what she wants, then order for the both of you. It's a classy move. "Now, the lady will have the linguini and white clam sauce, and a Coke with no ice." And five, now this is the most important, Rat. When it comes down to making out, whenever possible, put on side one of Led Zeppelin IV.

nothingfails

Billboard changed the rules again in late 2009 after the massive sales spike following Michael Jackson's death and the success of The Beatles remasters not being able to rechart despite massive sales made the chart look like a joke, as there were points where MJ and The Beatles each were taking up half of the "actual" top 10 in sales but not showing up on Billboard because they were catalog titles.

I'm glad all is allowed to chart again, I always thought someone at Billboard was a Pink Floyd stan and didn't want anyone coming near their record

TomOpus

And then the movie cuts to the couple in the car with "Kashmir" playing.

Mabuse

Yeah, what gives? Why the sudden spike? Was Zep covered on Glee or America's Got Talent?

bluetoast

It was the 40th anniversary of the album's release.

whotony

Wasn't the record(cd) re-released recently, wouldn't that cause a spike?