On This Day in 2016, Jimmy Page Defended Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” Riff in Court Jimmy Page took the stand on June 15, 2016. The Led Zeppelin guitarist’s time in court came amid a legal battle over the band’s song.. Read more…

On This Day in 2016, Jimmy Page Defended Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” Riff in Court Jimmy Page took the stand on June 15, 2016. The Led Zeppelin guitarist’s time in court came amid a legal battle over the band’s song.. Read more…

On June 15, 2016, Led Zeppelin’s guitarist Jimmy Page took the stand in a Los Angeles courtroom to defend the band’s iconic song “Stairway to Heaven” against allegations of plagiarism. The lawsuit, filed by Michael Skidmore, trustee of the estate of Spirit’s late guitarist Randy Wolfe (known as Randy California), claimed that the opening guitar riff of “Stairway to Heaven” was copied from Spirit’s 1968 instrumental “Taurus.”age’s Testimony

During his testimony, Page asserted that he had never heard “Taurus” until a few years prior, when comparisons between the two songs began circulating online. He emphasized that the descending chromatic chord progression in question was a common musical device, stating, “That chord sequence has been around forever.” Page also revealed that he owned several Spirit albums but did not recall how “Taurus” came to be part of his extensive collection.

In a moment of levity, Page demonstrated his characteristic flair by playing air drums during the court proceedings and even breaking into a spontaneous dance move, much to the amusement of those present. Legal Proceedings and Outcome

The trial captivated the music industry, as “Stairway to Heaven” is one of the most played songs in rock history, and the potential financial implications were significant. The plaintiffs sought over $40 million in damages and a writing credit for Wolfe on the song.

After deliberation, the jury unanimously ruled in favor of Led Zeppelin, concluding that “Stairway to Heaven” was original and did not infringe upon the copyright of “Taurus.” The case was further appealed, but in 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review the decision, effectively ending the legal battle.

This case highlighted the complexities of copyright law in the music industry, particularly concerning the balance between protecting original works and acknowledging the use of common musical elements. While the jury found no substantial similarity between the two songs, musicologists noted that both shared a similar chord progression. However, the defense argued that such musical elements are not protected due to their long historical usage.

The trial underscored the challenges in distinguishing between inspiration and infringement in songwriting, a debate that continues to evolve in the digital age.