Robert Plant, the legendary frontman of Led Zeppelin, continues to surprise fans and critics alike with his ever-evolving musical journey. As 2025 draws to a close, Plant’s career remains as dynamic and adventurous as ever, marked by new releases, unexpected collaborations, and a steadfast refusal to rest on the laurels of his storied past.
It’s been a banner year for Led Zeppelin enthusiasts. In September, the band released a brand new four-track live EP to commemorate the 50th anniversary of their iconic double album, Physical Graffiti. According to a report from antiMusic, the EP features electrifying live versions of “In My Time Of Dying” and “Trampled Under Foot” recorded at Earl’s Court in 1975, alongside “Sick Again” and “Kashmir” from the legendary Knebworth Festival in 1979. While these performances had previously been available on the 2003 Led Zeppelin DVD, this marks the first time they appear on CD, vinyl, and digital formats, offering fans a fresh way to experience the band’s live prowess.
The September 12 release also included an updated 50th Anniversary edition of the 2015 Physical Graffiti Deluxe Edition 3LP vinyl set, now featuring a replica promotional poster—a nod to collectors and die-hard fans. The original Physical Graffiti, released in the US on February 24, 1975, and four days later in the UK, remains a monumental achievement. Certified 17 times platinum, the album is widely regarded as one of the greatest double albums in rock history. As John Paul Jones once reflected, “I’m a big fan of Physical Graffiti. [It] was very wide ranging. It probably was a pinnacle.”
Behind the scenes, Physical Graffiti was the product of years of work and vision. Jimmy Page began initial work at his home studio in Sussex in 1973, with recording sessions at Headley Grange and further overdubs at Olympic Studios. “We had enough material for one-and-a-half LPs, so I figured, ‘Let’s put out a double and use some of the material we’d done previously but never released’. I always thought the sequencing of an album was really important and that was part of my role as the producer,” Page explained. The album also marked the debut of Led Zeppelin’s own label, Swan Song, launched in May 1974, signaling a new era of creative control for the band.
The album’s release was met with both critical and commercial acclaim, with Robert Plant summing up its eclecticism: “It goes from one extreme to the other but at the same time, it’s very evident that it’s Zeppelin... I love the album and it does work as a double album. There are some real humdinger, roaring tracks.” The band’s live shows that followed—five sold-out nights at London’s Earl’s Court in 1975 and two headlining nights at the Knebworth Festival in 1979—cemented their reputation as a stadium-filling force.
Yet, for all their masculine bravado and hard-driving rock, Led Zeppelin’s sound could have taken a different turn—at least if Robert Plant’s wishes from the late 1970s had materialized. As revealed in a Far Out Magazine feature, Plant expressed admiration for Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks at the height of her fame in 1977. During a candid interview with Mark Ginsberg of Interview Magazine that July, Plant mused, “That little lady ought to come and sing on one of our albums. If she were to come sing on one of our albums—it would…What’s her name?—Stevie…” Plant clarified that any collaboration would be Led Zeppelin featuring Nicks, not the other way around, and insisted such a partnership would be “impromptu” and “light-hearted.”
Despite his enthusiasm, Plant admitted, “I wouldn’t like to go and sing with anybody else at all.” The collaboration never came to pass, but the idea lingers as a tantalizing what-if for fans of both acts. Had Nicks joined Zeppelin in the studio, the result might have echoed the kind of magic Plant later found with country singer Alison Krauss on their Grammy-winning 2007 album Raising Sand.
Plant’s willingness to revisit and reimagine his own work is a recurring theme in his career. Nowhere is this more evident than with the song “Please Read the Letter,” originally co-written with bassist Charlie Jones for the 1998 Page & Plant album Walking Into Clarksdale, produced by Steve Albini. While the album received mixed reviews and the song was largely overlooked at the time, Plant never lost faith in its potential. Nearly a decade later, he recorded it anew with Alison Krauss, and the track went on to win the Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals. As Jones recounted to Guitar World, he was caught off guard by the win: “Truthfully, it was! I was in this weird situation where I’d come off tour, and I said, ‘I’m not gonna open any of my mail for three months. I don’t give a shit. I don’t care what comes through. I’m shutting myself away.’ And then, my manager called and said, ‘Do you realize you’ve got a Grammy for this song?’ [laughs]”
Jones credits Plant’s tenacity and vision for the song’s eventual success: “I was surprised, but to Robert’s credit, he always had a vision for that song. And it never dwindled.” It’s a testament to Plant’s refusal to let good ideas fade, and a reminder that musical brilliance sometimes needs a second chance to shine.
Fast forward to the present, and Plant shows no signs of slowing down. His latest project, Saving Grace, finds him exploring a broad palette of sounds—desert blues, psychedelic folk-rock, American roots, and global influences—alongside a talented five-piece band. As detailed in a Yorkshire Post review of a recent 90-minute concert at the York Barbican, Plant’s performance was both musically adventurous and deeply collaborative. The band’s set ranged from a haunting rendition of Blind Willie Johnson’s “Soul of a Man” to a rhythmically complex take on Led Zeppelin’s “Four Sticks.”
Plant’s rapport with singer Suzi Dian was a highlight, their harmonies described as “the real star of the show.” Plant even ceded the spotlight for Dian’s plaintive take on Gillian Welch’s “Orphan Girl,” exemplifying the egoless spirit that keeps his music fresh. The band’s recently released self-titled album—Plant’s first with Saving Grace, though they’ve been gigging since 2019—showcases this blend of old and new, reinventing classics like “The Rain Song” and closing with a fiercely charged version of Low’s “Everybody’s Song.”
Reflecting on his career with characteristic humor, Plant joked during the York show, “I could have ended up supporting a Whitesnake cover band, but I’m doing this instead. I thank all the gods.” It’s a sentiment that captures his ongoing creative vitality. Rather than chasing nostalgia, Plant continues to chart new territory, offering a masterclass in how to age gracefully while remaining artistically relevant.
As the curtain falls on another eventful year, Robert Plant stands as proof that true artistry is never static. Whether revisiting old songs, imagining collaborations that never were, or forging ahead with new sounds, Plant’s journey remains one of reinvention, curiosity, and boundless energy.
