When it comes to rock legends, few names hold as much weight as Pete Townshend of The Who and Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin. Both musicians were pioneers, leading their bands to global fame and shaping the course of rock music. But despite their monumental success, Townshend’s feelings towards Led Zeppelin have always been… complicated.
While The Who and Led Zeppelin were both massively successful, their journeys couldn’t have been more different. The Who had sold around 100 million records, but Led Zeppelin’s rise was faster and more explosive. That difference seemed to stir some unease in Townshend.
In an interview with Time in 1995, Townshend didn’t hold back—he openly admitted that he simply didn’t like Led Zeppelin’s music. But what’s interesting is that his dislike wasn’t personal. He went out of his way to describe the members as “really, really great guys.”
So, what was the issue?
It wasn’t bad blood or any personal feud. Townshend’s problem lay with the music itself. Led Zeppelin’s style—heavy, riff-driven, and blues-infused—was worlds apart from what The Who was creating.
It’s easy to imagine that this stylistic clash, mixed with the sheer success of Led Zeppelin, might have left Townshend feeling overshadowed or, at the very least, out of sync with the direction rock music was heading.
On the flip side, Jimmy Page, Zeppelin’s lead guitarist, had a much more positive view of Townshend. In a 1977 interview with Trouser Press, Page praised Townshend’s contributions to music, though he did mention that Townshend didn’t quite have the same technical ability as other guitarists like Jeff Beck.
Despite the critique, it was clear that Page respected what Townshend had brought to the table.
What we see here is a clash not of personalities but of musical preferences and perhaps a touch of professional rivalry. Townshend couldn’t bring himself to appreciate Led Zeppelin’s work, while Page, on the other hand, maintained respect for Townshend’s achievements.
This tension between admiration and critique paints a vivid picture of the layered relationships that exist between rock’s biggest names.
At the end of the day, Townshend’s feelings toward Led Zeppelin speak to the complexity of being a giant in the music industry, where even the best of the best can sometimes struggle to appreciate each other’s art.
