 Led Zeppelin 's music was rooted in the blues . The influence of American blues artists such as Muddy Waters and Skip James was particularly apparent on their first two albums , as was the distinct country blues style of Howlin ' Wolf . Tracks were structured around the twelve @-@ bar blues on every studio album except for one , and the blues directly and indirectly influenced other songs both musically and lyrically . The band were also strongly influenced by the music of the British , Celtic , and American folk revivals . Scottish folk guitarist Bert Jansch helped inspire Page , and from him he adapted open tunings and aggressive strokes into his playing . The band also drew on a wide variety of genres , including world music , and elements of early rock and roll , jazz , country , funk , soul , and reggae , particularly on Houses of the Holy and the albums that followed . 
