The Year in Music 2025: Led Zeppelin gets the documentary treatment, plus ‘Physical Graffiti’ turns 50

After waiting almost four years, Led Zeppelin fans finally got to see the story of their favorite band on the big screen with the February 2025 release of Becoming Led Zeppelin, the first officially sanctioned documentary about the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band.

The film, directed by Bernard MacMahon, first premiered as a work in progress at the 2021 Venice Film Festival. It took until May 2024 for Sony Pictures Classics to acquire the rights to the completed project.

Described as a “hybrid docu-concert film,” Becoming Led Zeppelin featured archival footage of the band’s early days, along with concert footage and new interviews with surviving members Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones. It also featured archival audio from their late drummer, John Bonham.

The film initially opened exclusively in IMAX theaters and set a record in the U.S., bringing in $2.6 million, which was the biggest opening weekend ever for an IMAX-exclusive music release. The film also landed in the top 10 at the box office opening weekend. Since its release, Becoming Led Zeppelin has brought in $10.4 million domestically.

The film, currently streaming on Netflix, is on the short list for a possible Oscar nomination in the best documentary feature film category. It was also one of two docs to win best music documentary at the 10th annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards, tied with the Sly Stone doc Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius).

– This year also saw Led Zeppelin celebrate the 50th anniversary of their iconic album Physical Graffiti. To mark the occasion, the band released a new live EP, titled Live E.P., as well as an update of 2015’s three-LP Physical Graffiti Deluxe Edition. It included a remastered version of the album, a bonus album featuring rough mixes and early versions of songs.

– John Bonham’s son, Jason Bonham, also marked the milestone by launching a new tour, An Evening with JBLZE Celebrating 50 Years of Physical Graffiti, which had him and his band performing the album in its entirety, alongside other Led Zeppelin classics.

– Also this year, Plant released his first album with his band Saving Grace. Plus, Page and The Black Crowes reissued their collaborative live album, Live At The Greek.