Led Zeppelin Backed by U.S. in ‘Stairway’ Case (Corrected)

The U.S. filed an amicus brief at the Ninth Circuit supporting Led Zeppelin in a copyright case involving “Stairway to Heaven.”

The relevant part of the rock band Spirit’s song “Taurus” is entitled “at most” to thin copyright protection, and “Stairway” isn’t “virtually identical” to it, the brief said.

Spirit guitarist Randy Wolfe sued Led Zeppelin for allegedly stealing elements of “Taurus” in the opening guitar riff of “Stairway to Heaven.” A jury found that Zeppelin didn’t infringe Wolfe’s copyright after comparing the sheet music of the two songs. The trial court ruled that the jury couldn’t hear the ...