Led Zeppelin’s classic 1971 song “Stairway to Heaven” is climbing the stairway back to court yet again.
A new trial has been ordered by the United States appeals court regarding copyright issues with the record. Likely to have stemmed back from a 2016 case in which Led Zeppelin was accused of stealing the iconic acoustic riff from “Taurus”, a song by Spirit from 1968, three years after the release of “Stairway to Heaven.”
The band was found not guilty, however USA Today reports that a panel of three judges, the 9th United States Circuit Court of Appeals, has voted unanimously that “the lower court judge provided erroneous jury instructions” – sending the band back to the courtroom for yet another trial.
Despite this being Led Zeppelin’s 50th anniversary year, 2018 seems to have tarnished the celebration with this new development.
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