More than five decades after its release, a 1971 rock song has just been ranked the “Greatest Classic Rock Song” of all time — and fans say its legendary drum intro is the reason why.
According to a ranking of Greatest Classic Rock Songs by Great Bands, the No. 1 spot belongs to “When the Levee Breaks” by Led Zeppelin.
Originally appearing as the closing track on the band’s untitled fourth album in 1971, the song has long been revered for one defining element: John Bonham’s thunderous drum sound.
One fan summed it up simply in the ranking’s comments section: “Most memorable drum beat ever.”
That sentiment echoes decades of critical praise.
In "Led Zeppelin: The Complete Guide to Their Music," author Dave Lewis described the track as featuring “one of the most powerful drum sounds ever committed to tape.”
The two-bar drum break that opens the song has taken on a life of its own in music history. A 2013 Esquire piece examining rap samples noted that the intro is “one of the most monumental pieces of rock drumming ever recorded,” and one of the most widely sampled, appearing in songs by artists ranging from Eminem and Dr. Dre to the Beastie Boys.
Sadly, Bonham died in 1980 at just 32 years of age due to pulmonary aspiration. His death caused Led Zeppelin to disband.
“When the Levee Breaks” didn’t begin as a Led Zeppelin composition. The song was first written and recorded in 1929 by Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie, inspired by the devastation of the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927.
Robert Plant retained many of the original lyrics when Led Zeppelin reworked the song, but guitarist Jimmy Page built an entirely new riff around it, transforming a country blues track into something seismic and atmospheric.
The result was a brooding, hypnotic epic that closed one of the most successful albums in rock history—an album that also includes “Stairway to Heaven,” “Black Dog,” and “Rock and Roll.”
Yet on this particular ranking, it was “When the Levee Breaks” that rose above them all.
The Rest of the Top 10
The full Top 10 list of “Greatest Classic Rock Songs by Great Bands” includes:
"When the Levee Breaks" – Led Zeppelin"A Day in the Life" – The Beatles"Gimme Shelter" – The Rolling Stones"Echoes" – Pink Floyd"Sultans of Swing" – Dire Straits"Baba O’Riley" – The Who"Kashmir" – Led Zeppelin"Brothers in Arms" – Dire Straits"Come Together" – The Beatles"Light My Fire" – The DoorsWith Beatles, Stones, Zeppelin and Floyd all represented, the ranking reads like a Mount Rushmore of rock history—but it’s Bonham’s cavernous drumbeat that ultimately claimed the crown.
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