The Most Underrated Led Zeppelin Album of All Time

2025-08-09

Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin.

Led Zeppelin had many famous albums but they also had one album that didn’t get enough attention when it was released. – Author: Cat Badra, Photo from Ken Settle

Led Zeppelin is known for its rich discography of fantastic songs that truly tell the story of how classic rock formed. When it comes to Zeppelin’s best album of all time, there’s plenty of debate, but in a May 2025 feature, Audio Ink Radio selected 1971’s “Led Zeppelin IV” as the greatest Led Zeppelin record of all time.

When it comes to “Led Zeppelin IV,” it’s just the perfect snapshot of the band. It also served as a blueprint for other rock bands to follow. But, what’s the most underrated Led Zeppelin album of all time?

While albums such as “Led Zeppelin IV” and “Physical Graffiti” get plenty of attention, there are a few Zeppelin albums that just don’t get the exposure that they deserve. So, let’s get into the most underrated Led Zeppelin album of all time.

An Underrated Led Zeppelin Album That Needs More Attention

It was almost a tossup between crowning 1976’s “Presence” and 1978’s “In Through the Out Door” as the most underrated Led Zeppelin record of all time, but Audio Ink Radio is going with the former. The band recorded “Presence” in just 18 days in Munich’s Musikland, and even though it has solid tracks, it’s often overlooked in their catalog. Critics weren’t too kind to Zeppelin about this album, but looking back on it, the album is much better than the reviews showed. Highlights include ALS and “Nobody’s Fault But Mine,” both of which show off incredible guitar work.

In a review of the album in Pitchfork, the publication smartly explains that “it’s the Zeppelin album that was least embraced by the radio, with its lengthy songs and general aversion to hooks. But the hard and brittle sound of ‘Presence’ (at points, it sounds like a Shellac album) has much to admire, not least because you can hear the contributions of each band member so clearly. There are moments of space and silence and very little standing in between the instrument and the listener.”

The AllMusic Guided added that “Presence winds up as something less than the sum of its parts but its imbalance also means that it’s a record worth revisiting; it seems different upon each revisit and is always compelling.”

The CU Independent added, “This album is fascinating from a historical standpoint because it marked a turning point for the band, a brief period of more experimental music that was cut tragically short by the death of drummer John Bonham and the subsequent breakup of the band.”

“Depressing was hardly surprising. Before Presence Zeppelin were at the very top of the mountain, able to look down on nearest rivals such as the Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd from a considerable height,” Louder Sounds stated. “Unstoppable, unbreachable, invulnerable, nothing could go wrong. Until suddenly it did. And nothing would ever be the same again.”

So, it’s great that decades later, we can revisit “Presence” and recognize it for its great songs and stories. Also check out Audio Ink Radio’s tally of the most underrated Led Zeppelin songs of all time.

Cat Badra
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Posted by Cat Badra | Features, Music, Rock

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