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The Best of Led Zeppelin

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The Best of Led Zeppelin is a two-volume best-of compilation album series by English rock group Led Zeppelin; containing selections from all of the band's studio albums it was released by Atlantic Records. Volume one, Early Days was released on November 22, 1999;[4] volume two, Latter Days, was released on March 21, 2000. Early Days is composed of tracks from the period in the band's history dating 1968 to 1971 and doesn't use a traditional "greatest hits" format as Led Zeppelin largely avoided single releases. (The band never had a Billboard No. 1 single.[5]) Latter Days covered 1973 to 1979. Early Days debuted at #71 on the Billboard's Pop Albums chart and Latter Days debuted at #81. A combined disc set, called Early Days and Latter Days, was released on November 19, 2002 in the United States and on February 24, 2003 in the United Kingdom.[6] Both Early Days and Early Days and Latter Days were certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.[7]

The Best of Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin dressed as astronauts
Greatest hits album series by
Led Zeppelin
ReleasedEarly Days: 22 November 1999 (1999-11-22)
Latter Days: 21 March 2000 (2000-03-21)
Box set: 19 November 2002 (2002-11-19) (US)
RecordedOctober 1968 – December 1978
GenreHard rock, blues rock, folk rock, heavy metal
LengthEarly Days: 1:08:09
Latter Days: 1:06:36
Box set: 2:14:54
LabelAtlantic
ProducerJimmy Page
Led Zeppelin chronology
BBC Sessions
(1997) 		The Best of Led Zeppelin
(1999–2000) 		Led Zeppelin DVD
(2003)
Early Days: Vol. 1
Led Zeppelin dressed as astronauts
Latter Days: Vol. 2
Led Zeppelin dressed as astronauts
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[2]
Sputnikmusic[3]

Both volumes are now out of print, and were replaced with the 2007 two-disc compilation Mothership.

Early Days

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Track listing

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No.TitleWriter(s)Original albumLength
1."Good Times Bad Times"John Bonham, John Paul Jones, Jimmy PageLed Zeppelin, 19692:48
2."Babe I'm Gonna Leave You"Anne Bredon, Page, Robert PlantLed Zeppelin6:41
3."Dazed and Confused"Page; inspired by Jake HolmesLed Zeppelin6:27
4."Communication Breakdown"Bonham, Jones, PageLed Zeppelin2:29
5."Whole Lotta Love"Bonham, Willie Dixon, Jones, Page, PlantLed Zeppelin II, 19695:34
6."What Is and What Should Never Be"Page, PlantLed Zeppelin II4:44
7."Immigrant Song"Page, PlantLed Zeppelin III, 19702:25
8."Since I've Been Loving You"Jones, Page, PlantLed Zeppelin III7:24
9."Black Dog"Jones, Page, PlantLed Zeppelin IV, 19714:54
10."Rock and Roll"Bonham, Jones, Page, PlantLed Zeppelin IV3:41
11."The Battle of Evermore"Page, PlantLed Zeppelin IV5:52
12."When the Levee Breaks"Bonham, Jones, Memphis Minnie, Page, PlantLed Zeppelin IV7:08
13."Stairway to Heaven"Page, PlantLed Zeppelin IV8:02

This enhanced CD contains 1969 television footage from Sweden of the band miming to "Communication Breakdown".

Charts

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Certifications

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Certifications for Early Days – The Best of Led Zeppelin Volume One
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[18] Gold 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[19] Silver 60,000^
United States (RIAA)[20] Platinum 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Latter Days

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Track listing

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No.TitleWriter(s)Original albumLength
1."The Song Remains the Same"Page and PlantHouses of the Holy, 19735:28
2."No Quarter"Jones, Page, and PlantHouses of the Holy6:59
3."Houses of the Holy"Page and PlantPhysical Graffiti, 19754:01
4."Trampled Under Foot"Jones, Page, and PlantPhysical Graffiti5:35
5."Kashmir"Bonham, Page, and PlantPhysical Graffiti8:33
6."Ten Years Gone"Page and PlantPhysical Graffiti6:31
7."Achilles Last Stand"Page and PlantPresence, 197610:22
8."Nobody's Fault but Mine"Page and PlantPresence6:27
9."All My Love"Jones and PlantIn Through the Out Door, 19795:53
10."In the Evening"Jones, Page, and PlantIn Through the Out Door6:49

This enhanced CD contains a video of a live performance of "Kashmir" from Earls Court in 1975 matched to the studio track.

Charts

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2000 weekly chart performance for Latter Days – The Best Of Led Zeppelin Volume Two
Chart (2000) Peak
position
UK Albums (OCC)[21] 40
US Billboard 200[16] 81

Box set

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Appearance

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The sleeve that holds the two CDs is made of cardstock. The cover of the sleeve is mainly occupied by the same photo from the cover of Early Days. It features the members of Led Zeppelin in late Apollo mission astronaut suits in front of a starry background and a Led Zeppelin logo. The logo behind them shows many space-related images, but the only one wholly visible is the image of the moon's face with a space capsule stuck in its eye taken from the early silent movie A Trip to the Moon.

On the back of the sleeve is an array of information split up into two columns. On the left column, there is a photograph of the cover of Latter Days. It features the same astronaut suits, but the photos were taken later and so the members of Led Zeppelin are older. In the logo is an image of Saturn and behind all of the foreground is an image of Earth taken from space. Below that is the information about Atlantic. On the right column is a synopsis of the tracks on both discs.

Early Days disc

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Early Days is packaged in a plastic jewel compact disc case. Much of the background is a drawing of stars, yet inside the case and behind the CD is an image of an artist's rendition of a supernova, apparently airbrushed. On the backside of the case is a list of the tracks. The background of the back cover appears to be a slightly out-of-focus photograph, likely taken by an amateur photographer.

The Early Days liner notes begin with the cover. On the cover is the same image that appears on the foreground of the sleeve. Inside the booklet is first a summary of the tracks, and then photos of the band ranging from 1969 to 1972. Then after that is a list of their albums, and the back page is a list of the band members, design and artwork credits, and information about the Enhanced CD capabilities on Early Days.

Latter Days disc

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The packaging for Latter Days mirrors that of Early Days. The four band members are pictured in the same Apollo space suits in the same order, but they are older. Much of the background is of Earth as viewed from orbit. There is a picture of Saturn in place of the picture of the moon with the ship in its eye. Behind the CD is an image of the Eagle Nebula.

The liner notes are just like those of Early Days, except for the fact that the images range from the years 1973 to 1979.

Enhanced CD

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Both the Early Days CD and the Latter Days CD are enhanced so they can play extra content on a computer. On Early Days, a music video of the song "Communication Breakdown" is included. On Latter Days, a video of the song "Kashmir" is included.

Charts

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2002 weekly chart performance for Early Days and Latter Days
Chart (2002–2003) Peak
position
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[22] 40
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[23] 96
Italian Albums (FIMI)[24] 22
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[25] 17
UK Albums (OCC)[26] 11
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)[27] 2
US Billboard 200[16] 114

Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[28] Platinum 300,000^
United States (RIAA)[29] Platinum 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Personnel

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Led Zeppelin
Additional musicians

References

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  1. ^ The Best of Led Zeppelin at AllMusic
  2. ^ Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734.
  3. ^ "Led Zeppelin – Early Days/Latter Days (album review) | Sputnikmusic". sputnikmusic.com. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
  4. ^ "BPI".
  5. ^ "Led Zeppelin". Billboard.com. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  6. ^ "BPI".
  7. ^ "American album certifications – Led Zeppelin – Early Days". Recording Industry Association of America.
  8. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Led Zeppelin – Early Days – The Best Of Led Zeppelin Volume One" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved July, 8 2023.
  9. ^ "Led Zeppelin: Early Days – The Best Of Led Zeppelin Volume One" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved July, 8 2023.
  10. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Led Zeppelin – Early Days – The Best Of Led Zeppelin Volume One" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved July, 8 2023.
  11. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July, 8 2023.
  12. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Led Zeppelin – Early Days – The Best Of Led Zeppelin Volume One". Hung Medien. Retrieved July, 8 2023.
  13. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Led Zeppelin – Early Days – The Best Of Led Zeppelin Volume One". Hung Medien. Retrieved July, 8 2023.
  14. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July, 8 2023.
  15. ^ "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July, 8 2023.
  16. ^ a b c "Led Zeppelin Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July, 8 2023.
  17. ^ "Top 100 Metal Albums of 2002". Jam!. Archived from the original on 12 August 2004. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  18. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Led Zeppelin – Early Days The Best Of Led Zeppelin Vol. 1". Music Canada.
  19. ^ "British album certifications – Led Zeppelin – Early Days – The Best – Vol1". British Phonographic Industry.
  20. ^ "American album certifications – Led Zeppelin – Early Days: The Best Of Led Zeppelin Volume 1". Recording Industry Association of America.
  21. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July, 8 2023.
  22. ^ "Led Zeppelin: {{{album}}}" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved July, 8 2023.
  23. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Led Zeppelin – {{{album}}}" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved July, 8 2023.
  24. ^ "Italiancharts.com – Led Zeppelin – {{{album}}}". Hung Medien. Retrieved July, 8 2023.
  25. ^ "Charts.nz – Led Zeppelin – {{{album}}}". Hung Medien. Retrieved July, 8 2023.
  26. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July, 8 2023.
  27. ^ "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July, 8 2023.
  28. ^ "British album certifications – Led Zeppelin – Early and Latter Days". British Phonographic Industry.
  29. ^ "American album certifications – Led Zeppelin – Early Days & Latter Days: Vol. 1 & 2". Recording Industry Association of America.
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