What year was the song "Black Dog" released?

“Black Dog” was released in 1971. It first appeared as the opening track on Led Zeppelin’s fourth album, commonly called Led Zeppelin IV, which was released on November 8, 1971.

The song was recorded between December 1970 and February 1971, largely at Headley Grange in Hampshire using the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio. Its title came from a black dog that wandered around the property during the sessions, although the lyrics are not about the animal.

“Black Dog” was later issued as a single in December 1971, with “Misty Mountain Hop” as its B-side. That release date sometimes causes confusion, because the recording process began in 1970 and the album followed in late 1971.

The track was written by Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, and John Paul Jones. Its shifting rhythmic pattern, powerful riff, and call-and-response vocals helped make it one of Led Zeppelin’s most recognizable songs.