🧨 Led Zeppelin Legend Robert Plant Reveals His 9 Musical Gods – And Some Are Totally Unexpected! 🤯

When Robert Plant speaks, the music world listens.

As the electrifying voice behind Led Zeppelin and a solo artist who’s constantly pushed the boundaries of sound, Plant’s musical opinion isn’t just respected—it’s gospel.

So when he recently unveiled his personal Mount Rushmore of music, fans braced themselves.

But no one was prepared for what he had to say.

Far from a predictable list of classic rock darlings, Plant’s picks stretch across genres, generations, and global borders, revealing a complex musical mind shaped by more than just the blues-soaked riffs of the 1970s.

At the top of his list? Elvis Presley.

That’s right—the King himself.

Plant describes hearing Elvis for the first time as “a spiritual awakening.

” The swagger, the rawness, the fire in every note—it lit a fuse in young Robert’s soul.

“Without Elvis,” he said, “there would be no Robert Plant.

” It’s a fitting tribute from one rock icon to another, but just the beginning of a far-reaching, wildly eclectic list.

Next up is Howlin’ Wolf, the towering figure of Chicago blues who Plant credits as a primal influence.

“He sounded like the earth itself was groaning,” Plant said.

“That voice.

it carved itself into my bones.

” Zeppelin’s heavy blues foundation owes much to Wolf’s guttural growl, and Plant has never shied away from admitting it.

In fact, he once called Howlin’ Wolf’s music “a blueprint for everything we tried to do.

Third on the list is Joan Baez—a curveball no one saw coming.

While Plant’s voice roared across stadiums, Baez’s delicate, politically charged folk seemed to operate in a different universe.

But for Plant, it was her integrity and emotional purity that stood out.

“She made protest sound poetic,” he said.

“She taught me that power isn’t always loud—it can be devastatingly soft.

And then comes Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, the Pakistani Qawwali singer whose voice defies earthly description.

Plant calls Nusrat “the most transcendent voice of the 20th century.

” Their shared love for spiritual music, and Plant’s deep dive into world music post-Zeppelin, created an unlikely bridge between two seemingly distant musical worlds.

Nusrat’s influence is evident in Plant’s later work, particularly in his collaborations with artists like Alison Krauss and his venture into African and Middle Eastern rhythms.

Speaking of the unexpected, number five is none other than Patti Smith.

“She tore the walls down,” Plant says.

“She made poetry dangerous again.

” Her raw, unfiltered expression—half punk, half prophet—ignited a whole new era of rebellion, and Plant admits she reminded him of why he fell in love with music in the first place: its ability to disturb, to inspire, to make you feel something real.

Sixth on Plant’s list is Richard Thompson, the British folk-rock virtuoso whose guitar work and songwriting remain criminally underrated.

“Richard is a magician,” Plant claims.

“He can make six strings sound like sixty.

” It’s a pick that reinforces Plant’s long-standing love for Celtic and traditional music, something he’s embraced more openly in his later years.

Coming in seventh is John Lee Hooker.

No surprise here—Plant has always been deeply rooted in the blues, and Hooker’s hypnotic riffs and shuffling grooves were foundational to Led Zeppelin’s sound.

But it wasn’t just about the music; it was Hooker’s storytelling, his grit, and his presence that captivated Plant.

“He didn’t just play the blues,” Plant said.

“He was the blues.

In eighth place, Plant names Sandy Denny, the ethereal voice of Fairport Convention and the only guest vocalist ever featured on a Led Zeppelin track (“The Battle of Evermore”).

“She brought a haunting beauty to everything she touched,” Plant said, his voice tinged with emotion.

“Her voice lives in some other world.

” Their brief collaboration left a permanent mark on Plant’s heart—and his art.

And rounding out the list is Bob Dylan.

Though it might seem obvious, Plant’s praise for Dylan is anything but generic.

“Bob didn’t just change lyrics—he changed language,” he says.

“He took a generation’s confusion and gave it structure.

” Dylan’s fearless evolution, from folk to electric to modern-day prophet, mirrors Plant’s own constant reinvention, and their mutual respect runs deep.

What’s most striking about Plant’s top 9 is not just who made the list—but the ones who didn’t.

No Beatles.

No Mick Jagger.

No Eric Clapton.

Not even Jimmy Page, his Zeppelin co-creator.

Plant’s selections tell a story not just of admiration, but of evolution.

These are the voices that helped him find his own.

They shaped his heart, his mind, and his music—and perhaps more than any platinum record or sold-out tour, they helped him survive the highs and lows of a life lived on the edge of greatness.

For fans expecting a nostalgia-laced list of rock’s greatest hits, Plant’s picks are a bold reminder that true artistry isn’t confined to charts or record sales.

It’s about soul.

It’s about spirit.

And, as Robert Plant proves with every unexpected name, it’s about honoring those who dared to sound different.

Whether it’s a Pakistani mystic, a punk poet, or a British folk goddess, these nine musicians form the cathedral of sound in Plant’s heart.

And now, we finally know who sits on that sacred throne.