Album of the Day

Though Led Zeppelin's fourth album is technically untitled (it's sometimes referred to as IV or ZOSO), let's just call it the group's masterpiece. Produced by guitarist Jimmy Page, the collection is a seamless combination of heavy metal (“Black Dog”), blues (a cover of Memphis Minnie's “When the Levee Breaks”), folk (the Joni Mitchell-inspired “Going to California”) and mythology (“The Battle of Evermore,” with guest vocals by Fairport Convention's Sandy Denny). The 1971 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. We're hard-pressed to think of another hard rock album that showcases the form's power and possibilities as effectively as LED ZEPPELIN IV, and we'll give it another spin now to wish singer Robert Plant a happy birthday.