Why aren’t you allowed to play “Stairway to Heaven” in a music shop?

Led Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven is a timeless classic. And yet there’s a strange vibe around the song, with the intro even being dubbed “the forbidden riff”. In this mini-blog, we dive into the stories behind this evergreen meme — and why, according to some people, you’re not supposed to play Stairway to Heaven in a music shop.

1. References in pop culture

The intro to Stairway to Heaven is relatively easy to learn, even for beginners. It’s comparable to the well-known opening picking pattern from Metallica’s Nothing Else Matters. That’s why plenty of guitarists play the song — often with varying success — in music shops. At a certain point, even the most helpful staff have had enough. The ‘ban’ on Stairway really gained momentum thanks to the reference in Wayne’s World from 1992.

2. Copyright dispute

In 2014, Led Zeppelin were sued by Michael Skidmore, the trustee of the estate of Randy Craig Wolfe. The question up for debate was: who actually wrote that iconic intro — Jimmy Page and Robert Plant or… Randy Wolfe of the psychedelic band Spirit. Their track Taurus (1968) features a riff that strongly resembles Stairway (1970/1971). Led Zeppelin ultimately won the case, but whether that’s the end of the story is always anyone’s guess. Copyright in music is a particularly complicated phenomenon — and not one you want to get burned by.

3. Hidden references

Led Zeppelin pushed musical boundaries, but not everyone was thrilled about that. In the 70s and 80s, there were various groups that wanted to put a stop to rock music. It was claimed, for example, that Stairway to Heaven contains hidden references to the devil when you play the track backwards. The band have always firmly denied this.

In short: there’s more in a song than you might think. Of course, you’re always welcome to come and play this classic at Bax Music… At your own risk, of course 😉