Robert Plant Reveals the One Album He Always Wanted to Match: “I’d Be Really Happy” with…
In a rare and candid interview, legendary rock musician Robert Plant shared insights into the album he always aspired to match throughout his illustrious career. While many associate Plant with his groundbreaking work as the frontman of Led Zeppelin, the singer’s solo work has also earned significant praise over the years. However, Plant has often spoken about a certain album that holds a unique place in his heart—an album he wishes to have equaled in terms of influence and artistic impact.
That album is none other than “The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan”, the 1963 release by the iconic Bob Dylan. Plant’s admiration for Dylan has been no secret; in fact, the singer has often cited Dylan as a major influence on his vocal style and songwriting. However, it was Dylan’s folk-infused masterpiece that, according to Plant, set a bar he constantly sought to reach during his musical journey.
In the interview, Plant revealed that he first encountered “The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan” in the early years of his musical development, during a time when he was deeply immersed in blues and folk traditions. “I heard that record, and it just hit me on a different level,” Plant explained. “Dylan’s ability to weave narratives into songs, the simplicity and the power of it, that’s what I wanted to do. The album’s impact on me was immediate, and it stayed with me for years. It was poetry, it was raw emotion, and it was revolutionary. That’s the kind of work that sets the benchmark.”
While Plant’s career with Led Zeppelin would evolve into one of the most groundbreaking in rock history, he never quite forgot the influence Dylan’s music had on him. “I’ve done a lot of things, from heavy blues to experimental rock, and I’ve been proud of all my work,” Plant continued. “But, if I could have captured just a fraction of the magic of The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, I’d be really happy.”
Plant’s love for Dylan’s work also influenced his solo career, especially in his more recent albums like Band of Joy (2010) and Lullaby and… The Ceaseless Roar (2014). The introspective and acoustic-driven sound of these records, which featured a blend of folk, blues, and Americana, reflects Plant’s desire to channel the same deep emotional resonance found in Dylan’s work.
In particular, Band of Joy stands out as an album where Plant allowed his voice to delve into a more subtle, folk-inspired approach, while still maintaining a distinctive, heartfelt intensity that fans had come to expect. The album’s combination of poetic lyrics and acoustic arrangements bears a resemblance to Dylan’s approach to storytelling, even though Plant’s sound is undeniably his own.
For Plant, the legacy of “The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan” has always been about more than just music. It represents the purity of artistic expression and a timeless connection to the human experience. “Dylan was saying things no one had ever dared to say, and he did it in a way that felt both profound and natural. That’s the gold standard for me,” Plant reflected. “No matter what I do, there’s always that album in the back of my mind, reminding me of what’s possible.”
As Plant continues to tour and record new music, fans can be certain that his admiration for Dylan will continue to shape his creative endeavors. But for the artist himself, the bar remains high, set by that one album that, in his words, still represents the pinnacle of what he wanted to achieve in his own music.
