Episode Details

Led Zeppelin refused to release singles, rarely gave interviews, and let their manager Peter Grant intimidate promoters into unprecedented revenue splits. They sold more albums than almost anyone in history while treating the music industry's rules as suggestions. They hijacked the business and rewrote it on their own terms.

This episode traces Led Zeppelin from Jimmy Page's session work through the formation of the band, the creation of their own record label, and the excess and innovation that made them the blueprint for every arena rock band that followed.

• They refused to release singles in the UK, forcing fans to buy full albums — a strategy that made them one of the best-selling artists in history
• Their manager Peter Grant renegotiated standard concert revenue splits, giving the band up to 90 percent of gate receipts
• "Stairway to Heaven" is one of the most played songs in radio history despite never being released as a single
• They founded Swan Song Records to maintain full creative and financial control over their catalog