Released on this day in 1970, Led Zeppelin III is the third studio album by Led Zeppelin. Featuring a more eclectic style than prior albums, the band dabbled in folk and acoustic rock rather than prior rock and blues sound. While "Immigrant Song" kept with the hard rock sound, tracks like "Gallows Pole" and "That's The Way" showed the band was capable of playing different styles. One of the most anticipated albums of 1970, advance orders in the US alone were close to the million mark. The volvelle-designed sleeve held up production, and caused a two-month delay. In the run-up to release, the group bought a full page advertisement in Melody Maker magazine at the end of September, which simply said "Thank you for making us the world's number one band."The album would immediately topped the British charts. In the US, it entered the chart at No. 3 and reached No. 1 the following week. It remained on the chart for 19 weeks and was certified Gold on 8 October 1970.
In honor of the anniversary, check out the video for "Immigrant Song" taken from a live performance in 1972