The verdict
Cleared After Dispute
A fully litigated dispute over Spirit’s “Taurus,” resolved entirely in Led Zeppelin’s favor (no infringement) through a 2020 en banc 9-2 ruling and a declined Supreme Court petition. Precisely documented figures (~$562M lifetime royalties; ~$3.4M earned during the 2014–2020 litigation) and a significant precedent: the ruling overturned the “inverse ratio rule.”
Quick Facts
Released1971
AlbumLed Zeppelin IV
GenreHard Rock, Folk Rock
LabelAtlantic Records
ProducerJimmy Page
Recorded atHeadley Grange, England
More infoWikipedia → · Discogs →
Who you need to ask
Has it been reused?
Fully litigated to a definitive win for Led Zeppelin (no infringement); the 2020 ruling overturned the “inverse ratio rule.” ~$562M lifetime royalties; ~$3.4M earned during the litigation itself.
Do they allow reuse?
No standalone policy found; confirmed songwriters of record.
Related Songs
Same album, answer records, and songs worth knowing about
Same band; a settled Led Zeppelin dispute (this batch)
Same band (already in this catalogue)
Shared the same 1976/pre-1972 deposit-copy evidentiary limitation (this batch)
Who Owns It
Licenses explained →The two permissions you need, and who holds them
The song itself (the writing)Jimmy Page & Robert Plant
Precisely documented dollar figures“Stairway to Heaven” had reportedly earned approximately $562 million in total royalties as of a 2008 estimate (predating the streaming era). Remarkably, during just the five years the legal battle was actively raging (2014–2020), the song was separately estimated to have earned an additional $3.4 million.
Multi-stage litigation — and a significant precedentFiled in 2014 by a trustee for Wolfe’s estate seeking credit and royalties. A 2016 jury ruled for Led Zeppelin; a 2018 three-judge panel overturned it and ordered a new trial; in March 2020 an 11-judge en banc panel voted 9–2 to restore the original verdict in Zeppelin’s favor, and the US Supreme Court declined to hear a further appeal, definitively ending the case with no infringement found. The 2020 ruling directly overturned the “inverse ratio rule,” a significant shift in how future music-copyright cases are evaluated.
The recording (current administrator)Not confirmed
Receipts
Every public mention of terms, policy, or past deals we've found
A shared evidentiary limitation with Blurred Lines
Because “Taurus” was registered before 1972 (under the 1909 Copyright Act, which didn’t protect sound recordings), the jury could only compare the songs via the handwritten sheet-music deposit copy, not the recorded audio — the same limitation noted on “Blurred Lines” (this batch).
Justia (case opinion) · read it →
Can You Use It for Free?
How to check PD →Is it public domain?No
Sample History
—
Times sampled
Won outright; overturned the “inverse ratio rule”
Covers
—
First flip
Who to Contact
SH
Jimmy Page & Robert Plant (Atlantic)
The confirmed songwriters of record
What they'll chargeNobody's shared numbers yet
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Page history · 2 updates
Jul 2026Page created — full research (Research Queue Batch 23)
Jul 2026BPM/Key pending the automated GetSongBPM/Deezer pass