Greta Van Fleet Is a Better Band Than You Think
Today, I would like to talk about an incredibly talented group of musicians, and my second favorite band, Greta Van Fleet. The first time I heard anything about this band, I was scrolling through Instagram one night after a day in high school when I stumbled upon a video. In this particular video, Greta Van Fleet made their Saturday Night Live debut performing their popular songs, “Black Smoke Rising,” and “You’re the One.” Simply put, the band’s SNL performances were very rough. Still relatively new to national fame, Greta struggled to perform in a challenging venue. Nonetheless, over the next few months, Greta Van Fleet continued to captivate the rock music scene with their exceptional musicianship and eerily familiar-sounding vocalist. In my life, I have yet to come across a group of musicians who have created so much drama and controversy over things I believe they are truly innocent of. To set the record straight, I absolutely love this band. I have had the privilege of seeing Greta on two separate occasions at Hershey Park in Pennsylvania and Madison Square Garden in NYC. At the same time, I acknowledge the thunderstorm of opinions that this band has created, and I intend to address these matters head-on.
To date, Greta has released four studio albums: “From the Fires,” “Black Smoke Rising,” “Anthem of the Peaceful Army” and “Starcatcher.” Formed in 2012 in Michigan, the band achieved fame while all members were relatively young, with the oldest, twins Jake and Josh Kizka, being only 21 years old when they signed to Lava Records in 2017. Over the course of their career, the band has had numerous triumphs, including winning a Grammy in 2019 and achieving a popular TikTok sound with their hit song “Light My Love.” In 2023, the band’s guitarist, Jake Kizka, was voted Guitar World’s Best Guitar Solo of the 21st Century with his incredible six-minute solo in the song “Weight of Dreams.” This came as a shock to some Greta Van Haters, as the solo beat out other popular solos from songs such as Tedeschi Trucks Band’s “Midnight in Harlem,” Velvet Revolver’s “Slither” and Slipknot’s “Psychosocial.” Kizka’s guitar dominance was nothing new to Guitar World magazine, having won the organization’s 2021 Best Guitar Solo of the Year with his track on the song “Age of Machine.” If you have not given these songs (or the album they belong to) a listen, I highly encourage you to do so. You will understand why Guitar World’s readers came to these decisions–both of which I strongly agree with.
Personally, I am sick and tired of hearing people say that Greta Van Fleet is a Led Zeppelin rip-off. They are not. Is it fair to say that Zeppelin inspired Greta Van Fleet? Of course. So is the case with all other rock bands that came after Zeppelin’s height in the early 70s. Does the Greta Van Fleet frontman, Josh Kizka, have a voice that vaguely
resembles the great Robert Plant? Yes. But genetically, that is not his fault. Also, when it comes to musical sound, resemblance is not a bad thing and certainly not something that should be criminalized.
The first studio album released by Greta, “From the Fires,” is, in my opinion, the only album where one could say the band is ripping off Zeppelin. Even so, not only did this album bring Greta into commercial success, but it also began an evolution within the band’s sound that is absolutely unique and original. To me, Greta Van Fleet has established itself with their own musical sound, something I can only describe as cinematic rock. Combining hard rock with a more epic background of tones, Greta is truly a band to listen to when you want something beyond the traditional rock scene. The truth is, if anyone tells you that Greta Van Fleet sounds exactly like Zeppelin, they have either not listened to any of their new albums or are so eager to criticize modern age music that they are unable to step back and appreciate the positive fallout past rock bands have left on the music scene. So if you disagree with me, at least listen to their newest two albums. If you still feel that way afterward, come and talk to me.
Now, let me set the record straight–Led Zeppelin is one of the greatest bands of all time, and they are one of my personal favorites. I envy those living who had the chance to see them live, and I dream about having been able to hear them in their prime era. Regarding Zeppelin’s impact on rock music and their influence on the music world in general, it is certainly fair to say they are far greater than Greta Van Fleet ever will be. That being said, if you hear any modern band with a similar vocal sound or if you can listen and hear the influence of Zeppelin in other bands, that does not invalidate such bands or define them as being rip-offs. Simultaneously, Led Zeppelin’s greatness is not hindered or offended by the fact that these bands exist and thrive. Study any musician or music group in history, including Led Zeppelin, and you will see that everyone has been influenced and inspired by those of the past.
Greta Van Fleet is not for everyone, and that is okay. Their cinematic rock style is truly meant to be enjoyed in a larger-than-life setting, such as the monumental music amphitheaters of Madison Square Garden and the Red Rocks. To me, Greta has given me a new perspective on music. In turn, I believe they serve as a respectful nod to past legends of rock, especially to those whom the band has admitted to taking inspiration from, including Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, Queen and Rush. If you haven’t given this band a listen, I encourage you to do so. They are a lot of fun, incredibly talented. They will forever be one of the greatest rock bands to have played during my lifetime.