News Robert Plant’s favourite modern songwriter: “It’s just killer”
It’s always nice to see classic rock legends engaging with the generations that followed in their footsteps. Led Zeppelin, especially, was a band with limitless impact, inspiring guitar players and songwriters alike.
Beyond his reputation as one of history’s biggest and best frontmen, Robert Plant’s musical ear is obviously finely tuned. As Led Zeppelin’s leader, he was integral in building the band’s sound. Merging rock, blues and country, it was a sound that changed music forever. They remain one of the most beloved bands ever to exist, perfectly capturing the musical vibrancy of the 1960s.
Plant is regularly voted as the best rock vocalist of all time, but his songwriting also stands out as special. He penned tracks like ‘Heartbreaker’ and ‘Dazed and Confused’, proving his worth as one of the finest songwriters of his era and genre, alongside Jim Morrison and Mick Jagger.
Since Led Zeppelin split in 1980, Plant’s career as a writer and performer has continued. He refuses to be caught up in being nothing but a nostalgia act, declaring the band “an incredible one-night stand” but holding his love for music as his long-term life plan. He remains engaged with the modern music landscape, performing with several different bands and artists over the years.
When talking to the BBC about the soundtrack of his life and sharing his favourite songs, this split between a clear love for his 1960s peers and a desire to still be an active part of the music industry is clear. Alongside artists like Joni Mitchell, Jeff Beck and The Rolling Stones, he picked a track by a modern act, Nathaniel Rateliff.
“Well, Nathaniel is one of the really big strong new names in America,” Plant said of the singer and songwriter. “Also, he is a real great blue-eyed soul singer and his new record, it’s just a killer.”
Rateliff continues Led Zeppelin’s legacy of merging the genres of folk, blues and rock. Significantly softer and more acoustic than the band ever were, his side band Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats get a little closer to their rock energy.
Nodding towards Rateliff as a modern act that still carries the kind of raw passion and energy that Plant and his peers put into their work back then, he sees the songwriter as part of the next generation of greats. “He is one of these guys that will just carry the torch,” he continued. “Beautiful songwriting, beautiful singing, great delivery and he is a magnificent guy to go with it.”
