Robert Plant

Arguably one of the most influential singers in the history of rock-n-roll, Robert Plant was the voice of the mighty Led Zeppelin, the British blues-rock behemoth that stormed the world during the late 1960s and early 1970s with such earth-shaking songs as "Whole Lotta Love," "Dazed and Confused, "Stairway to Heaven" and other hard rock anthems. With Zeppelin, Plant helped to set the tone for the next four decades of rock music with his powerful voice, highly theatrical stage presence and mystic-influenced lyrics, which could be seen, heard and felt in countless later bands ranging from heavy metal acts like Black Sabbath to alternative groups like Soundgarden and Pearl Jam and even pop performers like Shakira. Plant attempted to emerge from Zeppelin's massive shadow in the decades that followed their 1980 breakup, finding success as a solo performer while balancing reunions with his former bandmates. In 2007, he finally established himself as an entity outside of Zeppelin with Raising Sand, an eclectic collection of covers with bluegrass performer Alison Krauss that swept the Grammys in 2009. But Plant's greatest legacy continued to be his work with Zeppelin, which remained an eternal inspiration for decades of rock fans.