Led Zeppelin Tops Popular WPDH Memorial Day Weekend Countdown

Led Zeppelin was number 1, but it wasn't "Stairway to Heaven" on the WPDH Memorial Day 500.

It was the return of a WPDH tradition in New York's Hudson Valley over the weekend with the WPDH Memorial Day 500 and the countdown was full of many surprises. The WPDH Memorial Day 500 Countdown returned this year with songs you've requested and the biggest rock anthems making up this year's countdown compiling the ultimate rock ranking of the 500 greatest rock songs of all time.

Many surprises were spotted in the top 10, with last year's number 1 Queen "We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions" slipping back to the number 4 spot.

Guns N' Roses having two spots in the top 5 was a pleasant surprise this year on the WPDH Memorial Day 500 countdown with ""Sweet Child O' Mine" at number 5 and "Welcome to the Jungle" reaching #2!

Bon Jovi saw two spots in the top 10 as well, with "Livin' On a Prayer" at number 10 and "You Give Love a Bad Name" at number 6.

The big surprise for many listeners came when it got down to the top 3: Lynyrd Skynyrd "Sweet Home Alabama" at number 3, Guns N' Roses "Welcome to the Jungle" and Led Zeppelin at number 1 with "Black Dog".

"Black Dog" is the first track on the band's untitled fourth album (also known as Led Zeppelin 4) released in 1971, which has become one of the best-selling albums of all time. The song was released as a single and reached the charts in many countries. It is "one of the most instantly recognizable Zeppelin tracks", and was included in Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list in the U.S., and ranked No. 1 in Q Magazine's (UK) "20 Greatest Guitar Tracks". The lyrics contain typical bluesman themes of lust, eroticism and betrayal.

Not the First Time at #1 for Led Zeppelin's "Black Dog"

This wasn't the first time that "Black Dog" has been #1 on the WPDH Memorial Day 500 as some years back it also topped the popular countdown. Surprisingly to some, songs like Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" and Skynyrd's "Freebird" that were constantly battling for the top spot of the countdown many years ago were much further back on the chart this year with "Stairway" at 33 and "Freebird" at 31.

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A New Era for the WPDH Memorial Day 500

One listener Tim Floyd (formerly of Newburgh, NY) wrote, "Stairway at 33 and Freebird at 31??? It truly is a new era for the 101.5 WPDH Memorial Day 500!!!!"

What are your thoughts on the WPDH Memorial Day 500 this year? You can always let us know by leaving your feedback on the WPDH mobile app. Download the PDH Mobile app and take us with you wherever you go. We hope you enjoyed the Memorial Day 500 Countdown presented by Perfect Exteriors and Tasca Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Fiat Kingston. See the Top 10 of the countdown below.