Led Zeppelin, I think, was the first band that I listened to independently of my parents. What I mean by that is even though this record was around, I found it and played it myself.
I didn't know who Led Zeppelin was, I had no context about them, but I can remember very clearly loving the noise that was coming out of my headphones.
When my sister went to college, I "stole" her record player and I played this record over and over and over and over.
I didn't have Internet access so I didn't have a way to find out more about Led Zeppelin until one day, after school at the library I randomly wanted to look up some information on them. Where they came from, why they made music etc.
I asked the librarian if there was any information about bands, and she led me to a biography section, but nothing specifically about Led Zeppelin. Feeling defeated I went to the young adult section, and looked through some of the magazines. Mostly these were teen girl magazines, but there was a section for Guitar World, and while I didn't play guitar, music was a big part of my life. I picked up one at random and in the back they had the music for a Led Zeppelin song ("Ramble On" if I remember correctly).
I think that day had a direct effect on me. I learned to play the guitar later and though I haven't listened to this album in a while ( I am now though!) I will remember it being one of my favorites.
Awesome story mknod, unfortunately for my Wi-Fi compatible childhood I "truly" discovered Led Zeppelin via the Internets, but for me it was the Led Zeppelin (first) album. My god what a beast that thing is. Blast it with headphones on and in the car, and imagine myself on stage. gg. This is always cringey to say but I think Led Zeppelin has earned its place as virtually the absolute best rock band. That blues rock energy, Robert Plant's blood-curdling howls, and a consistently glorious album release every single time.. I already know people who have never heard of Led Zeppelin. The day I am a minority in that regard, I will leave this earth.
BEEEEN DAAAZED AND CONFUUUSED SO LONG ITS NOT TRUEEE
I feel very similarly about Zeppelin I myself. My best friend had discovered it, and copied their cd onto a tape for me. I was blown away by it. It was really the first album that showed me that music can be so much more than the pop I was listening to on the radio at the time. It was really the album that encouraged me to explore music for myself, a journey I am still on. It also showed me that music didn't have to be "new" to be great. The thing that stood out to me the most was how much I felt they were really making the music they wanted to, instead of what they thought people wanted. I could tell it was coming from something different than the pop I was hearing at the time, that they weren't just making it because they thought I would buy it. I didn't know anything about the machine that is the music industry at the time, but I knew that I had found something special that I would love forever.