[JMan]

OK, this was a great thread on RYM, and I thought it should go here, too. Both of these bands, who have been labelled pioneers of heavy metal had a highly acclaimed streak of their first six studio albums from the end of the 60's to the year 1975. What band had the best first six albums?

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Led Zeppelin's first six were...

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Led Zeppelin (1969)

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Led Zeppelin II (1969)

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Led Zeppelin III (1970)

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Led Zeppelin IV (1971)

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Houses of the Holy (1973)

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Physical Graffiti (1975)

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Black Sabbath (1970)

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Paranoid (1970)

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Master of Reality (1971)

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Vol. 4 (1972)

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Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (1973)

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Sabotage (1975)

So here are two ways you can do this. You can compare the first albums of each band and then the second albums of each band like so:

1 vs. 1
2 vs. 2
3 vs. 3
4 vs. 4
5 vs. 5
6 vs. 6

Or you can compare you favorite Zep album to your favorite Sabbath album, your second favorites, and so on. In the end, which band has the better selection?

I abstain for now because I have not yet heard the first and fifth Black Sabbath albums, and I'm currently listing to Vol. 4. But it looks like Black Sabbath, despite being a good band no doubt, won't beat Led Zeppelin in my chart.

[Guest]

Sabbath for me, whichever way you want to do it. I was going to say that there are a fair few artists whose first six records I'd choose above either of these, but thinking about it those Sabbath albums are consistently great. I'd obviously take Dylan's, and probably The Beatles' too, and Ghostface's, and The Fall's, but off the top of my head there aren't too many artists whose first six albums match up to Sabbath's.

[SuedeSwede]

Not heard Houses of the Holy and only heard the first four Sabbath. But I prefer LZ-LZIV.
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[meccalecca]

I've never heard Sabotage, so my opinion doesn't really matter, but as much as I think Sabbath's early work is more interesting than Zeppelin, I get more pleasure out of Zeppelin's first 6 albums.

I know this isn't how it works and will set off a string of people saying other band names, but I think it'd be fair to throw King Crimson into this match. All three bands started around the same exact time and had a profound impact on hard rock and metal. I'd take Crimson's first 6 over either of these two (and that doesn't even factor in the masterpiece that is Red).

[JMan]

[Guest]

I've only heard the first three Sabbath albums, but for those:

Black Sabbath > Led Zeppelin
Paranoid > Led Zeppelin II
Master of Reality > Led Zeppelin III

So based on what I've heard I'd say Sabbath. However, Led Zeppelin IV through Physical Graffiti are possibly my 3 favorite Zeppelin albums, and everyone says Sabbath's first three were their best, so it may turn out differently if I compared those, as well. However, if I took the second approach (favorite against favorite, etc.), it would almost definitely go to Sabbath. Houses of the Holy is the only Zeppelin album that does anything for me these days and I really like Sabbath's first three (especially Paranoid and Master). I may use this as an excuse to finally listen to the next 3 Sabbath albums and say for sure, though.

[meccalecca]

[MrFrogger]

[Romanelli]

For me, it's a matter of the weakest links. Led Zeppelin III or Vol. 4. The Sabbath album is, to me, clearly the weakest of the 12 albums...everything else up to that point is pretty even.

So I'd say the best 1st 6 between Zeppelin and Sabbath would be Zeppelin.
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Of her mystery
And crashing through the walls
Of dying history

[RockyRaccoon]

As much as I love Sabbath, it's Zeppelin by a mile. LZ-LZIV are absolutely perfect albums. Houses of the Holy is just about perfect, and Physical Graffiti is like 90% perfect. Zeppelin had a major effect on me growing up. Sabbath did too, but not nearly as much as Zeppelin did. I love Sabbath, a lot, but Zeppelin is incredible.
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