 By this time , Led Zeppelin were the world 's number one rock attraction , having outsold most bands of the time , including the Rolling Stones . Presence , released in March 1976 , marked a change in the Led Zeppelin sound towards more straightforward , guitar @-@ based jams , departing from the acoustic ballads and intricate arrangements featured on their previous albums . Though it was a platinum seller , Presence received a mixed reaction among fans and the music press , with some critics suggesting that the band 's excesses may have caught up with them . Page had begun using heroin during recording sessions for the album , a habit which may have affected the band 's later live shows and studio recordings , although this has been denied by Page . 
