--- title: "Stairway to a Heavenly Defense Verdict, for Jimmy Page and Robert Plant. Sorry, Justin Bieber!" canonicalUrl: "https://wyche.com/insights/blog/posts/stairway-to-a-heavenly-defense-verdict-for-jimmy-page-and-robert-plant-sorry-justin-bieber/" excerpt: "Wyche Inside IP By Wallace Lightsey In June, a Los Angeles jury decided that Led Zeppelin did not commit copyright infringement in its rock classic, Stairway to Heaven, considered by many to be the greatest rock song ever recorded.  The song was accused of infringing a 1967 song called Taurus by the band Spirit, which had toured with Led Zeppelin and performed Taurus several times when playing with Led Zeppelin.  Stairway to Heaven was released in 1971. A federal district judge ruled last spring that the two songs were similar enough to make it a jury issue whether Stairway to Heaven had…
Read More" datePublished: "2016-08-17T19:01:52-04:00" dateModified: "2024-05-24T16:05:28-04:00" --- - Stairway to a Heavenly Defense Verdict, for Jimmy Page and Robert Plant. Sorry, Justin Bieber! [Home](https://wyche.com/) » Stairway to a Heavenly Defense Verdict, for Jimmy Page and Robert Plant. Sorry, Justin Bieber! [** Wyche, P.A.](https://wyche.com/author/insights/) - ** [[email protected]](/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection) ** ** ** # Stairway to a Heavenly Defense Verdict, for Jimmy Page and Robert Plant. Sorry, Justin Bieber! *[Wyche Inside IP](https://wyche.wpengine.com/insights/newsletters/intellectual-property-newsletter/)* By [Wallace Lightsey](https://wyche.wpengine.com/what/attorneys/lawyer/wallace-k-lightsey/) In June, a Los Angeles jury decided that Led Zeppelin did not commit copyright infringement in its rock classic, *Stairway to Heaven*, considered by many to be the greatest rock song ever recorded.  The song was accused of infringing a 1967 song called *Taurus* by the band Spirit, which had toured with Led Zeppelin and performed *Taurus* several times when playing with Led Zeppelin.  *Stairway to Heaven* was released in 1971. A federal district judge ruled last spring that the two songs were similar enough to make it a jury issue whether *Stairway to Heaven* had been copied from *Taurus*.  The case centered on the opening guitar arpeggio and bass line in *Stairway to Heaven*, which in fact was quite similar to parts of *Taurus*.  The jury, however, agreed with the defense that the similarity came about because the chord progression was a common one that had been around for many years and used in many other songs.  The jury concluded that the two songs were not similar enough to prove that Page and Plant had copied their epic from the Spirit piece. One of the interesting aspects of the case is the age of the works in question – both were written nearly 50 years ago.  Randy Craig Wolfe a/k/a Randy California, the composer of *Taurus*, has long been dead, and obviously the statute of limitations (generally 3 years for copyright infringement) elapsed over four decades ago.  However, Led Zeppelin released a digital remaster of *Stairway to Heaven* more recently, and the trustee of a testamentary trust set up by Randy Craig Wolfe’s estate brought suit over the remastered recording only. The case is also interesting in that it highlights one of the core principles of copyright law.  Copyright protects only against copying.  Independent creation is a complete defense.  Therefore, if one person independently creates a work that is much like another’s – even if the two works are identical – there has been no infringement because there was no copying.  In this case, even though parts of the two songs sounded very similar, the jury decided that Plant and Page had come up with *Stairway to Heaven *on their own, not by copying *Taurus*. Now, if only Justin Bieber could fare as well.  On May 26, he was sued for copyright infringement by an artist known as White Hinterland in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee (the district where Nashville is located).  Wyche IP [previously reported](https://wyche.wpengine.com/insights/wyche-articles/a-tough-year-for-justin-bieber/) on an appellate setback that Bieber experienced in a copyright infringement case in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit – that was a different lawsuit.  In the Tennessee case, the plaintiff contends that the opening vocal riff of Bieber’s smash hit *Sorry*, consisting of 5 notes, is strikingly similar to the opening 4-note vocal riff of Hinterland’s song, *Ring the Bell*. That theory sounds, well, strikingly similar to the plaintiff’s theory in the Led Zeppelin case.  Perhaps Bieber will prevail just as Plant and Page did.  But then, Justin Bieber is no Jimmy Page or Robert Plant.  To anyone who disagrees, I have just one thing to say: “And if you listen very hard, the truth will come to you at last.” [*](https://wyche.com/author/insights/) [## Wyche, P.A.](https://wyche.com/author/insights/) Wyche is a full-service law firm that has practiced law and served the community for over 100 years. In that time, Wyche has participated in landmark litigation, served as counsel on cutting-edge transactions, and provided community leadership that has helped shape and drive our region’s growth and success. With offices across the state, Wyche is the South Carolina member of Lex Mundi, the world’s leading association of independent law firms. RELATED ARTICLES [](https://wyche.com/insights/blog/posts/ieepa-tariffs-struck-down-by-the-u-s-supreme-court-next-steps-for-importers/) ### [IEEPA Tariffs Struck Down by the U.S. Supreme Court: Next Steps for Importers](https://wyche.com/insights/blog/posts/ieepa-tariffs-struck-down-by-the-u-s-supreme-court-next-steps-for-importers/) Last Friday, the United States Supreme Court held that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (“IEEPA”) does not give President Trump authority to impose tariffs [](https://wyche.com/insights/blog/posts/wyche-adds-standout-associates-stephen-atkinson-and-hayden-cox-to-its-corporate-practice-group/) ### [Wyche Adds Standout Associates Stephen Atkinson and Hayden Cox to Its Corporate Practice Group](https://wyche.com/insights/blog/posts/wyche-adds-standout-associates-stephen-atkinson-and-hayden-cox-to-its-corporate-practice-group/) GREENVILLE, SC (November 6, 2025) – Wyche, a leading full-service law firm with offices across South Carolina, is pleased to announce the addition of Stephen [* View All](https://wyche.com/insights/news-stories/) ## Stay in Touch Join one our mailing lists and receive regular updates! 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