Ranking the 10 Greatest Post–Led Zeppelin Jimmy Page Songs

Looking Beyond Zeppelin’s Shadow

When Led Zeppelin ended in 1980, fans wondered what Jimmy Page would do next. As one of rock’s most influential guitarists, expectations were impossibly high. His later career has often been called uneven — flashes of brilliance mixed with long silences and scattered collaborations. But hidden within those years are moments that remind us why Page remains one of music’s most inventive minds.

This list revisits ten songs that showcase the best of Jimmy Page’s post-Zeppelin work — from overlooked projects like Coverdale Page to his later partnership with Robert Plant. Each track proves that even after Zeppelin’s final bow, Page never lost his touch for crafting powerful, unpredictable music.

10. Coverdale Page – “Over Now”

This slow, moody track from Coverdale Page finds David Coverdale reflecting on his divorce from Tawny Kitaen. The song’s mechanical mid-tempo beat, courtesy of drummer Denny Carmassi, underpins Page’s Middle Eastern-style riffs. The elliptical break section stands out, with Page and Carmassi briefly trading musical dialogue before Coverdale’s voice returns, sounding weary but defiant.

9. Jimmy Page and Robert Plant – “Please Read the Letter”

Page’s approach here is striking—he plays electric guitar throughout a song that feels like an acoustic ballad. “There’s a bit of acoustic thoughtfully massaged in,” Popoff notes, “but he’s relentless and deft throughout with electric licks and washes.” Robert Plant later re-recorded the song with Alison Krauss, and that version went on to win a Grammy in 2009.

8. The Firm – “Radioactive”

“Radioactive” stands out as one of the few intriguing moments from The Firm. Tony Franklin’s fretless bass gives it a unique texture, while Page’s acoustic strumming and short, slightly dissonant solo add character. “It’s strange, which is why it’s interesting,” Popoff explains. Paul Rodgers’ bullhorn-filtered vocals enhance the song’s offbeat charm, making it one of the group’s more memorable experiments.

7. Coverdale Page – “Easy Does It”

For fans who love “Friends” from Led Zeppelin III, this one hits familiar territory. The song begins as a clear homage to that classic before bursting into a full-band groove. Ricky Phillips of The Babys and Styx contributes a strong bass performance, channeling the same confident energy Tony Franklin brought to The Firm. It’s both a nod to Zeppelin’s past and a showcase of Page’s ongoing inventiveness.

6. Jimmy Page and Robert Plant – “When the World Was Young”

The second track on Walking into Clarksdale captures the light-and-shade dynamics Zeppelin perfected. The verses pulse with a psychedelic, Middle Eastern rhythm that builds toward an explosive chorus. “Throughout, Jimmy hits those tangy notes we love him for,” Popoff says. Drummer Michael Lee and engineer Steve Albini bring a raw, live sound that gives the track extra bite.

5. Coverdale Page – “Pride and Joy”

In the “Pride and Joy” video, Coverdale can be seen strumming acoustic guitar—“’cos he’s actually a really good guitarist,” Popoff points out. The song’s opening chords sound like Page, but Coverdale wrote that intro. The track’s pounding rhythm made it a standout hit for the short-lived duo. Adding to the fun, Page plays harmonica—a first since his 1965 solo single “She Just Satisfies.”

4. Coverdale Page – “Shake My Tree”

“Shake My Tree” opens the Coverdale Page album with a powerful, exotic riff originally conceived during the In Through the Out Door sessions. The idea was later rejected during Page’s work with Paul Rodgers, but it finally found a home here. The song blends Page’s progressive side with Coverdale’s arena-rock flair, complete with harmonica and chant-like vocals that recall Zeppelin’s swagger.

3. Jimmy Page and Robert Plant – “Upon a Golden Horse”

Arguably the heaviest moment on Walking into Clarksdale, this track thrives on tension rather than pure volume. “Jimmy is persistently dark and bluesy,” Popoff says, “augmented by a surreal string arrangement courtesy of Linton Naiff.” The result is one of the most atmospheric pieces of Page’s post-Zeppelin work—dense, moody, and full of emotion.

2. Jimmy Page and Robert Plant – “Most High”

The lead single from Walking into Clarksdale feels like a lost Led Zeppelin track, echoing the grandeur of “Kashmir.” “It’s also a sort of sister song to ‘Calling to You’ on Robert Plant’s Fate of Nations,” Popoff notes. With quarter-tone keyboards from Tim Whelan of Transglobal Underground and textured programming by Ed Shearmur, “Most High” fuses world music and rock into something timeless.

1. Jimmy Page and Robert Plant – “Shining in the Light”

At the top of the list is “Shining in the Light,” the opening song from Walking into Clarksdale. “All three major parts of this song roil and sparkle with Led Zeppelin-like inspiration,” Popoff writes. It’s vibrant, organic, and built for the stage, where the late Michael Lee drove the band with thunderous energy. For many fans, it remains the clearest reminder that Jimmy Page’s creative fire never truly dimmed.