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1968 July 7, The Yardbirds break up, guitarist Jimmy Page forms the New Yardbirds and changes the group's name to Led Zeppelin, allegedly on the advice of the Who's Keith Moon. October 15 Led Zeppelin performs its first show, at Surrey University in England. November 13 Atlantic Record announces its signing of a "hot new English group" named Led Zeppelin.   1969 February 15 The anticipated, self-titled debut album by Led Zeppelin enters the album charts, ultimately reaching #10.   December 6 Led Zeppelin enters the Top Forty with "Whole Lotta Love," which reaches #4. It is this album-oriented band's highest-charting single.   December 27 'Led Zeppelin II' tops the U.S. album charts for the first of seven weeks; it will reach #1 in the U.K. in February 1970.   1970 October 31 The more folk-oriented 'Led Zeppelin III' becomes the band's second #1 album.   1971 January 30 Led Zeppelin hits #15 with "Immigrant Song".   November 27 Led Zeppelin's fourth album, which features four runes (symbols) as its title, enters Billboard's album chart, where it will remain for the next five years. Oddly, it doesn't quite reach #1, peaking at #2.   1972 February 12 Led Zeppelin hits #15 with "Black Dog".   April 15 Led Zeppelin hits #47 with "Rock and Roll".   1973 May 12 'Houses of the Holy,' Led Zeppelin's fifth album, becomes their third to reach #1.   December 29 Led Zeppelin hits #20 with "D'yer Mak'er".   1974 May 3 Led Zeppelin launches their Swan Song label, which releases their albums and ones by handpicked artists like Bad Company and the Pretty Things.   1975 March 22 'Physical Graffiti,' a double album by Led Zeppelin, reaches #1 in its second week of release. It stays there for six weeks.   March 29 Led Zeppelin becomes the first band in history to have 6 albums on the chart at once: 'Physical Graffiti' (#1), 'Led Zeppelin IV', 'House of the Holy', 'Led Zeppelin II', 'Led Zeppelin', and 'Led Zeppelin III'.   May 17 Led Zeppelin hits #38 with "Trampled Under Foot".   August 5 Robert Plant and his wife are injured in a car crash while vacationing in Greece.   1976 October 20 Led Zeppelin's concert documentary, T'he Song Remains the Same,' premieres in New York.   1979 September 7 Led Zeppelin's last studio album 'In Through the Out Door' enters the British charts at Number One.   September 8 'In Through the Out Door,' Led Zeppelin's first album of new material in over three years, is released. Topping the chart for seven weeks, it turns out to be their swan song.   September 14 Led Zeppelin's 'In Through the Out Door' begins its seven-week run at Number One on the US charts.   1980 February 16 Led Zeppelin hits #21 with "Fool In the Rain."   September 25 John Bonham, drummer for Led Zeppelin, dies of asphyxiation in his sleep after having consumed "40 measures of vodka."   December 4 Led Zeppelin releases a statement announcing that it is disbanding in the wake of drummer John Bonham's death.   1985 July 13 Led Zeppelin re-forms (with Phil Collins replacing the late John Bonham on drums) for the Live Aid benefit concert in Philadelphia.   1988 May 14 Led Zeppelin reunites, with drummer Jason Bonham (the late John Bonham's son), to perform a few songs at Atlantic Records' 40th anniversary concert at New York's Madison Square Garden.   1990 November 13 'Led Zeppelin,' a four-CD and six-LP box set, is released. Reaching #18 on the album chart, it will sell over one million copies, making it the best-selling box set in rock and roll history.   1993 September 11 'Led Zeppelin - The Complete Studio Records,' a ten-CD box set, is released.   1994 October 12 The live documentary 'Unledded,' which reunites Robert Plant and Jimmy Page onstage, airs on MTV. It features four live acoustic versions of Led Zeppelin favorites and eight new Page-Plant collaborations.   November 26 'No Quarter,' by Led Zeppelin mainstays Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, enters the album chart at #4.   1995 January 12 Led Zeppelin is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at the tenth annual induction dinner. Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith are their presenters.   1997 January  Rock 'N Roll Hall Of Fame's 500 Songs That Shaped Rock And Roll includes "Dazed And Confused," "Rock And Roll," "Stairway To Heaven," and "Whole Lotta Love." November 18 'Led Zeppelin: BBC Sessions,' a double CD of archival live performances on British radio from 1969-71, is released. 1998 April Robert Plant and Jimmy Page released Walking Into Clarksdale. At a news conference, Plant said of the new music: "This is our first collection of original songs written together since 1978. It is basically 4-piece music, with a little bit of assistance." May Ranked # 4 on VH1: Greatest Artists of Rock & Roll (and # 5 on Rock On The Net's Poll).   1999 February Jimmy Page and Robert Plant won a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance for "Most High."   2000 January VH1: 100 Greatest Rock Songs includes: # 3: "Stairway To Heaven" - # 46: "Whole Lotta Love" - # 62: "Kashmir" - # 66: "Rock & Roll." November Led Zeppelin came in at # 1 on VH1: 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock.   2001 January VH1: 100 Greatest Albums includes Led Zeppelin at # 43, Led Zeppelin II at # 44, and Physical Graffiti at # 71. August BBC Sessions was certified 2x platinum.

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