Robert Plantâs post-Led Zeppelin career has been a wild series of adventures down different artistic and stylistic paths. The man does not rely on his history and he certainly doesnât want to reproduce it.
Indeed, Plant has spent the past four decades exploring new sounds⌠and sometimes, some very old ones, often combining the past and present in surprising ways. It doesnât always work, but you never feel like his albums are done on âcruise control.â Thereâs intent and vision behind every Robert Plant release. And give the man credit: he doesnât just follow the money (hey, imagine how much he could have gotten for a Led Zeppelin reunion tour).Â
As heâs releasing his long-awaited second album with bluegrass artist Alison Krauss, we decided to look back at his entire post-Zeppelin career, including his collaborations with Ms. Krauss, Jimmy Page, as well as a few others. You may not be familiar with every song on this list, so consider yourself lucky: now you can go on YouTube and find some gems that you hadnât heard before from one of the greatest singers rock and roll has ever known. Â
41. âHeaven Knowsâ from âNow And Zenâ (1988)
ShareThe song marked the beginning of a new era for Robert Plant; âNow And Zenâ saw him making peace with his history with Led Zeppelin in a way that he hadnât previously. He uses his Led Zeppelin symbol (the circle around the feather) in the albumâs artwork. More pointedly, Jimmy Page played guitar solos on two of the songs, including this one. It also marked the debut of Plantâs new band; heâd parted ways with his original backing musicians after three albums. âHeaven Knowsâ was written by his keyboardist Phil Johnstone and David Barratt, who did some of the keyboard programming on the album. Apparently, the pair had recorded the song for their former group who were called The Rest Is History. Someone sent Plant the song, and that led to him wanting to record it, and inviting Johnstone to join his band.
40. Pearl Jam with Robert Plant – âLittle Sister (live)â – Pearl Jamâs Christmas single (2005)
SharePearl Jam, obviously, are big Led Zeppelin fans, you can hear that in almost all of their songs. Especially âGiven To Fly,â their 1998 single which sounded a bit too much like âGoing To California.â Jimmy Page and Robert Plant have both been a bit vocal about that. But Pearl Jam and Plant mended their fences in 2005 when the Seattle band invited Plant to open for them at a fundraiser for Hurricane Katrina relief. Plant joined Pearl Jam for a few songs, including this Elvis Presley cover, which Pearl Jam later released as part of their Christmas single series.
39. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss – âFortune Tellerâ from âRaising Sandâ (2007)
ShareA classic song written by the late New Orleans legend Allen Toussaint (under his pseudonym Naomi Neville). It had been covered by the Rolling Stones, the Who and the Strawberry Alarm Clock, among others, before Robert and Alison got to it. It tells a funny tale of some dude who learns from a fortune teller that he will find love "when the next one arrives." When he comes back the next day, he realizes that heâs in love with the fortune teller. They get married and are as "happy as we could be" and -- bonus! -- and now he gets his "fortune told for free." Plant takes the lead vocals here, and sings it as convincingly as anyone could. You kind of believe that this actually happened to him!
38. âKeep It Hidâ from âCarry Fireâ (2017)
ShareIn recent years, Plant has gotten more and more interested in electronic music, but his fascination with the blues is as strong as it was in his Zeppelin days. That clash of different musical cultures tends to make an awesome noise, as it does on this song.
37. âLittle Maggieâ from âlullaby and⌠The Ceaseless Roarâ (2014)
ShareMost of this album is original material co-written by Plant and his backing band, but âLittle Maggieâ is a âtraditionalâ ballad, like âGallows Pole.â Even in the 2010s, Plant was bringing classic -- but overlooked -- songs to a new audience.
36. The Honeydrippers – âYoung Boy Bluesâ from âVol. 1â (1984)
ShareRobert Plantâs first two solo albums were received warmly, but album #3 -- âShaken âNâ Stirredâ -- alienated fans. Plant found something of a âresetâ with the Honeydrippers EP. âVol. 1,â saw him teaming up with Jeff Beck, Nile Rodgers, Paul Shaffer and even Jimmy Page to tackle early rock and roll era songs. This Ben E. King cover wasnât a hit for the Honeydrippers, but it should have been. And sadly, the Honeydrippers never recorded a âVol. 2.â
35. Jimmy Page with Robert Plant – âThe Only Oneâ from âOutriderâ (1989)
ShareAfter Page guested on two tracks on Plantâs âNow And Zen,â the vocalist returned the favor, singing on the hard rock jam âThe Only Oneâ on Pageâs solo album. Weâre still waiting for the follow-up. Unfortunately, Page isnât as prolific as Plant. He hasnât released new music since the Page/Plant âWalking Into Clarksdale album in 1998.
34. âStranger Here⌠Than Over Thereâ from âPrinciple of Momentsâ (1983)
SharePlant definitely tried to put some distance between him and Led Zeppelin on his first few solo albums, but here, about three minutes into the song it starts to sound a bit like a modern update to the jams Zep used to do during âDazed and Confused.â Which is a compliment, obviously.
33. âSlow Dancerâ from âPictures At Elevenâ (1982)
ShareAnother early song where Plant seems pulled back into Zeppelinâs gravity. Most of his debut album featured Phil Collins of Genesis on drums. But here, he uses Cozy Powell, formerly of the Jeff Beck Group and Ritchie Blackmoreâs Rainbow, and he brings a bit of heavy metal (or hard rock) thunder to the song.
32. Robert Plant with the Lilâ Band of Gold – âIt Keeps Raininââ from âGoing Home: A Tribute To Fats Dominoâ (2007)
ShareRobert Plant was the lead singer of one of the biggest bands of all time, but to his credit, heâs always quick to pay tribute to the much lesser-known artists who inspired him as a kid (and surely, still inspires him as an adult). Plant recorded two songs for this Fats Domino tribute (with two separate bands, no less!). âGoinâ Homeâ also featured contributions from Tom Petty, Norah Jones and Elton John, among others. Lilâ Band of Gold is a zydeco group, and they really give Plant a New Orleans sound here.
31. âIf Itâs Really Got To Be This Wayâ from âAdios Amigo: A Tribute To Arthur Alexanderâ (1994)
ShareWho is Arthur Alexander, you might ask? Well, heâs the only songwriter to have been covered by the Beatles (âSoldier of Loveâ), the Rolling Stones (âYou Better Move Onâ) *and* Bob Dylan (âSally Sue Brownâ). Sadly, by the â90s he was mostly forgotten and driving a bus for a living. Plant did this song justice, and (as he often does) brought a lesser-known song to a much bigger audience.
30. The Honeydrippers – âRockinâ At Midnightâ from âVol. 1â (1984)
ShareA jump-blues song dating back to 1947, Robert Plant (featuring Jeff Beck on lead guitar) took this jam to the top 40; it was a #25 hit. Ironic that while Plant was terrifying the â50s generation with Zeppelin, he actually shared a lot of their musical tastes.
29. âHouse Of Cardsâ from âBand Of Joyâ (2010)
ShareAfter Robert Plant and Alison Kraussâs âRaising Sand,â which won six Grammys, fans (and the record label) surely expected a follow-up. Of course, Plant has become somewhat well-known for not making his artistic choices based on money. Instead, his next project saw him working with a new group of collaborators, including Americana singer/songwriters Patty Griffin and Buddy Miller. âBand of Joyâ was an album of unexpected covers, including this one by Richard Thompson. Thompson was no stranger to Plant though - heâd played guitar on the âFate Of Nationsâ album over a decade earlier.
28. â29 Palmsâ from âFate of Nationsâ (1993)
ShareA folk-rocky jam that should have been a bigger hit. Itâs laid back, but shows that Plant was still good at writing about⌠similar subject matter that heâd covered in his previous band. Hereâs a sample lyric: âHer kiss of fire/A loaded invitation/Inside her smile/She takes me down and down and down and down.â
27. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss – âGone Gone Goneâ from âRaising Sandâ (2007)
ShareA lot of âRaising Sandâ feels kind of dark, but this Everly Brothers cover sees Plant and Krauss having a blast.
26. âLiars Danceâ from âManic Nirvanaâ (1990)
ShareYouâd almost think that this one was from Led Zeppelin âIII.â There was a lot of production on much of the âManic Nirvanaâ album, but this was just Robert and guitarist Doug Boyle (the two co-wrote the song as well).
25. âIf I Were A Carpenterâ from âFate of Nationsâ (1993)
SharePlant has always been an excellent song interpreter but only did it sparingly (until the 2000s). This Tim Hardin cover is one of the highlights of the underrated âFate Of Nationsâ album.
24. Patti Griffin with Robert Plant – âOhioâ from âAmerican Kidâ (2013)
ShareAmericana singer/songwriter Patti Griffin gets a lot of respect, and rightfully so: her songs have been covered by Emmylou Harris, the (Dixie) Chicks and Kelly Clarkson. And in 2010, she joined Robert Plantâs backing group, the Band Of Joy, as a backing singer and acoustic guitarist. He would later sing with her on this song, which she wrote. One of the interesting things about the last few years of Plantâs career is hearing him share the mic, something he rarely did in the â60s, â70s, â80s and â90s.
23. Robert Plant and the Soweto Gospel Choir – âValley Of Tearsâ from âGoinâ Home: A Tribute To Fats Dominoâ (2007)
ShareThe second of two songs that Plant did for the Fats Domino tribute album. Here, Plant is accompanied by the Soweto Gospel Choir and a percussionist⌠and thatâs it. Plantâs voice and that of the South African vocalists on this song complement each other perfectly. Songs on tribute albums sometimes get lost, and thatâs a shame. You can find this on YouTube, and you should look for it.
22. Jimmy Page and Robert Plant – âShining In The Lightâ from âWalking Into Clarksdaleâ (1997)
ShareJimmy Page and Robert Plant reunited for 1994âs âNo Quarter,â which saw the ex-bandmates revisiting their Led Zeppelin classics in different settings and arrangements. They also wrote a few new songs. The follow up was all new music, and they kept it simple, stripping down to a small band - accompanying themselves with just a bass player (Charlie Jones) and drummer (Michael Lee), Led Zep-style, and using no-nonsense producer Steve Albini. âShining In The Light,â the albumâs opening track, showed that they still had some solid Zep-esque jams in the tank.
21. âLetâs Have A Partyâ from âThe Last Temptation of Elvisâ (1990)
ShareâThe Last Temptation of Elvisâ was an Elvis Presley tribute album put together by British music magazine NME and which featured only songs from Elvisâs movies. It was a challenge that a lot of famous Elvis fans were up for: Paul McCartney and Bruce Springsteen also contributed. âLetâs Have A Partyâ was written for Elvis to record for the 1957 movie, âLoving You.â (What, you donât remember that one?) Wanda Jackson -- the Queen of Rockabilly -- recorded a cooler version a year later. And Led Zeppelin would quote this song during their extended âWhole Lotta Loveâ jams. Plant is clearly having a blast revisiting it here.
20. âShine It All Aroundâ from âMighty ReArrangerâ (2005)
ShareRobertâs band Strange Sensation was taking him farther and farther from mainstream rock music, but thatâs always been his path. Led Zeppelin didnât cater to the mainstream: the mainstream came to Zeppelin. But in the wake of the dissolution of the Page/Plant project, this song seemed to serve as an answer to, âWill you and Jimmy ever work together again?â Robert sings, âThese are the times of my life/Bright, strong and golden/This is the way that I choose/When the deal goes down.â
19. âShip Of Foolsâ from âNow And Zenâ (1988)
ShareBy 1988, Phil Collins had been gone from Robert Plantâs band for five years. But the drum machine in this ballad totally sounded like something the Genesis-drummer would have programmed. As does the entrance of âliveâ drums 1:50 into the song. In any case, âShip Of Foolsâ is one of Plantâs loveliest ballads.
18. âCalling To Youâ from âFate Of Nationsâ (1993)
ShareA descendant of Led Zeppelinâs âKashmir,â âCalling To Youâ was interpreted by many fans as a message to Jimmy Page⌠Plant practically name drops his ex-bandmate at the end of the song when he sings, âJust fadinâ away! Oh Jimmmmmmy!â Page had recently recorded a duo album with Whitesnakeâs David Coverdale, a guy who had been accused of ripping off Zep more than once. And Plant wasnât shy about mocking the guy, either, dubbing him âDavid Cover-version.â Alas, Plant and Pageâs next project was their collaboration, âNo Quarter.â
17. âMorning Dewâ from âDreamlandâ (2002)
ShareâDreamlandâ was Plantâs first project after splitting with Jimmy Page. The album was mostly â60s covers and the highlight was this Bonnie Dobson classic (first made famous by folk singer Tim Rose). If âMorning Dewâ sounds familiar to you, itâs probably because youâve heard the Grateful Deadâs version. Or maybe youâve heard the definitive version by the Jeff Beck Group; their lead singer was an up-and-coming guy named Rod Stewart. Plantâs version is almost as good as that one. And fun fact: British pop singer Lulu covered this song as well, in 1967⌠and it was produced by Plantâs future bandmate John Paul Jones.
16. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss – âRich Womanâ from âRaising Sandâ (2007)
ShareA lot of artists cover songs to do a new spin on a beloved classic. Give Robert Plant and Alison Krauss credit for digging deep and looking in dusty corners for material for their first album together. âRich Womanâ is a cover of a 1957 song by Li'l Millet and his Creoles. Itâs fair to guess that most fans hadnât heard the original, but the song was the perfect choice to kick off âRaising Sand.â
15. âAngel Danceâ from âBand Of Joyâ (2010)
ShareA cover of a lesser-known song by legendary L.A. band, Los Lobos. Released in 1990, Los Lobosâ original is rock meets mariachi. But Plantâs Band Of Joy takes the song from the west coast to the mountains via their use of a mandolin.
14. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss – âCanât Let Goâ from âRaise The Roofâ (2021)
ShareA cover of legendary Americana singer/songwriter Lucinda Williams. One of the first releases from Plant and Kraussâs long-awaited second album shows that the duo has lost none of their chemistry.
13. âOther Armsâ from âThe Principle of Momentsâ ((1983)
ShareThe opening track from Plantâs second album was the labelâs first choice for a single. Plant rejected that plan: he didnât want to be labeled a âhard rockâ singer, so they went with âBig Logâ and âIn The Moodâ as singles instead, which worked out pretty well.
12. Afro-Celt Sound System featuring Robert Plant – âLife Begin Againâ from âVolume 3: Further In Timeâ (2001)
ShareAfro-Celt Sound System combines electronic music with traditional Gaelic and West African sounds. They recorded for Peter Gabrielâs RealWorld record label. That combination seemed to appeal to Plant - much of his recent music seems to combine similar influences. He certainly gave the group a great vocal performance here, and again, exposed them to his much bigger audience.
11. âLittle By Littleâ from âShaken âNâ Stirredâ (1985)
ShareâShaken âNâ Stirredâ wasnât well-received by most of Plantâs fans - it was very synthy, and seemed influenced by the Eurythmics and Talking Heads. âLittle By Littleâ though, was one song that broke, topping the Mainstream Rock chart, thanks to a good amount of MTV play.
10. The Honeydrippers – âSea Of Loveâ from âVol. 1â (1984)
ShareThis cover of a 1959 song by Phil Phillips (it was his only hit) became Robert Plantâs highest-charting song ever, hitting #3 on the pop charts. Yes, *ever*. Led Zeppelin's biggest hit single only reached #4 (âWhole Lotta Loveâ).
9. âThe May Queenâ from âCarry Fireâ (2017)
ShareCo-written by Plant with the members of his backing band the Sensational Space Shifters -- guitarist Justin Adams, guitarist Liam "Skin" Tyson, keyboardist John Baggott and bassist Billy Fuller, âThe May Queenâ sort of felt like a trip-hop song played on acoustic instruments.
8. âTall Cool Oneâ from âNow And Zenâ (1988)
ShareRobert really got the Led out here, so to speak. Not only did he use Jimmy Page on the track, he also sampled a bunch of Zeppelin songs, including "Black Dog,â "Dazed and Confused,â "Whole Lotta Love,â "The Ocean" and "Custard Pie,â and also borrowed from "When the Levee Breaks.â The song, somewhat surprisingly, hit #25 on the pop charts, higher than most Zeppelin singles except for âWhole Lotta Loveâ (#4), âImmigrant Songâ (#16), âBlack Dogâ (#15) and âFool In The Rainâ (#21).
7. âIn The Moodâ from âThe Principle of Momentsâ (1983)
ShareRobert Plantâs original solo band gets short shrift: that crew, which included guitarist Robbie Blunt, Paul Martinez on bass, Jezz Woodroffe on keyboards and -- making time between Genesis and his budding solo career -- Phil Collins on drums. Of course, at the time, they were being compared to Led Zeppelin, which was just unfair. They had their own sound and put out a lot of great music, including this jam.
6. âFar Postâ – B-side of âBurning Down One Sideâ (1982)
ShareAn incredible song that, for some reason, was left off of âPictures at Eleven.â For years, it was available only as a B-side, until it was released on the soundtrack of the 1985 film âWhite Nights.â This song seems to imagine what Dire Straits would sound like with a more exciting singer and a more exciting drummer (Phil Collins plays drums here, and he makes his presence known).
5. Jimmy Page and Robert Plant âMost Highâ from âWalking Into Clarksdaleâ (1998)
ShareThe first single from âWalking Into Clarksdale,â this jam saw the quartet of Page, Plant, bassist Charlie Jones and drummer Michael Lee accompanied by some keyboards (programmed to sound like a hurdy gurdy) and electronic beats, in hopes to give the â70s legends a â90s sound. It worked: it topped the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, and got them airplay alongside Garbage, the Verve, Smashing Pumpkins, U2 and Foo Fighters.
4. âRainbowâ from âlullaby and⌠The Ceaseless Roarâ (2014)
ShareComing off of the reissues of the Led Zeppelin catalog, there might have been a temptation to take the tens of millions that surely would have been offered to go on a Zep tour. But instead, Plant showed that he not only aged gracefully, but that he also aged interestingly. Not every solo song of his will hold up to the Zeppelin catalog, but you can never accuse Plant of cruising on fumes. Heâs always trying new sounds and he always has something to say. âRainbowâ is nearly as lovely as âThank You,â and holds up to -- and is better than -- some of the songs on the last two Zep LPs.
3. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss – âPlease Read The Letterâ from âRaising Sandâ (2007)
ShareWhoever had the idea to re-record an album track from Jimmy Page and Robert Plantâs âWalking Into Clarksdaleâ for âRaising Sandâ deserves a lot of credit. Of all the songs in Plantâs back catalog to revisit, this wasnât an obvious one. And yet, it worked so well, easily topping the original. This won Record Of The Year at the Grammys in 2009, and propelled âRaising Sandâ to win Album of the Year. It was a good Page/Plant song, but itâs the definitive Plant/Krauss song.
2. âBig Logâ from âThe Principle Of Momentsâ (1983)
ShareThis was a crucial song for Plant in the early days of his solo career. He wanted to be seen outside of the shadow of Led Zeppelin, and songs like this, which sounded nothing like his former band, helped him to get there. This song was his first solo top 40 hit, reaching #20. In 2004, bass player Viktor Krauss covered the song for his âFar From Enoughâ album. You may not have heard of him⌠but the guest vocalist on the song was his sister, Alison, who would go on to record with Plant three years later. Weirdly, Plant and Krauss didnât perform this song on their tour, but they did play âIn The Mood.â
1. âBurning Down One Sideâ from âPictures At Elevenâ (1982)
ShareThe first song and lead single from Plantâs solo debut. It did really well at radio, hitting #3 on the rock radio charts⌠and it gave the format new music from a former Zep member for the first time since the band broke up. Like most of the first two albums, the song featured Phil Collins on drums, but that wasnât Philâs most important role in the song (although his drumming is excellent). Without him, the song, and the album, may not have seen the light of day. According to the book âRobert Plant: A Life,â Plantâs record label didn't want âPictures at Elevenâ released, nor did Plant's manager, Peter Grant, who had also managed Zeppelin. As powerful as the new music was, everyone who made money off of Plant clearly wanted something that sounded more like his former band. Plant felt that Grant was trying to damage his solo career so that heâd get back with Jimmy Page. Collins, already in the midst of splitting his time between Genesis and his solo projects, helped convince the singer to stick to his guns and release the album. And *that* might be why Jimmy Page seemed so eager to blame the awful Zeppelin reunion set at Live Aid on Collinsâ drumming. He may have just had an ax to grind (no pun intended).