Stairway to Heaven is Worth $572 million
Portfolio does a fun analysis as to what the full value of Led Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven would be worth if the band went all out on the licensing side.
They call it a"back-of-the-napkin analysis of the lifetime worth of the most requested rock tune in history:"
"In the big, bad game of rock and roll, “Stairway to Heaven” is undeniably a winner. Released by Led Zeppelin in 1971, the eight-minute song is considered a musical masterpiece and is one of the most-played rock tunes of all time. Proving its longevity, “Stairway” hit the U.K. charts again last fall and was a top download in the U.S., after Zeppelin’s first downloadable album launched on iTunes. But because the band is notoriously protective of its work, “Stairway” hasn’t met its full moneymaking potential. While other artists have made big bucks by licensing songs to Hollywood and Madison Avenue—think of Bob Dylan’s “Love Sick” in that Victoria’s Secret commercial—Zeppelin has shunned most opportunities. We consulted executives in the music, advertising, and entertainment industries to come up with some numbers, real and potential, for the value of “Stairway."
That seems a little rich to me, but hey! It is Stairway. . .
>
Sources:
Stairway Surprise
Miriam Datskovsky
Portfolio July 2008 Issue http://www.portfolio.com/culture-lifestyle/culture-inc/arts/2008/06/16/Stairway-to-Heavens-Revenues
Led Zeppelin IV (aka ZOSO)
November 8, 1971
Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones on Stairway to Heaven
http://rhino.edgeboss.net/download/rhino/ledzeppelin/discography/lz4_stairway.mp3
Led Zeppelin to Make Its Songs Available Digitally
JEFF LEEDS
NYT, October 15, 2007
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/15/arts/music/15musi.html
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Wednesday, June 18, 2008 | 07:30 PM | Permalink
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Comments
What was wrong with the front of the napkin?
Posted by: Seadog | Jun 18, 2008 8:02:12 PM
Somewhat OT, but last weekend I read "Air Guitar", a collection of essays by the critic Dave Hickey, and he has an interesting piece on Chet Baker. I think you will agree that a boy can't have too much material on Chet Baker around the house.
Posted by: Roger Bigod | Jun 18, 2008 8:20:22 PM
Barry - Is there a bustle in your hedgefund?
Posted by: brent green | Jun 18, 2008 9:02:26 PM
Oh boy, Stairway to Heaven. I love it. I'm a huge Zephead. But yes, this money count seems a little high for me. Half a billion? Oh well considering the inflation of the 70s...
And that article referenced was not written by a zephead!
Posted by: Olivier Giovannoni | Jun 18, 2008 9:05:14 PM
~~~Theeeere's no escaping it.~~~~
Posted by: ...listen to Zep backwards... | Jun 18, 2008 9:26:09 PM
very topical, because Ambac just stamped a new syndicated tranche of Zep,Stones and Beatles royalties AAA. There calling them RBS (rock backed syndicate). I'm buying if Houses, Exile and Revolver are inside. In fact, I'll leverage and buy some ADS (album default swaps) just in case. Isn't this fun?
Posted by: mitch | Jun 18, 2008 10:00:15 PM
..could I pay 572 million to never hear it again?...
Posted by: keyote | Jun 18, 2008 10:03:18 PM
and there's no inflation....right....
Posted by: stuart | Jun 18, 2008 10:03:35 PM
Stairway to Heaven's worth a big fat zero now, since we've all decided it's ok to steal music and not prosecute anyone for stealing it.
And that's why there will never, in the history of the world, be another song of this caliber. No one will finance making it.
And you who think great music can be made without anyone financing it are full of you know what, and deserve to have to listen to my son's band and Garageband garbage for 8 hours straight.
Posted by: RN | Jun 18, 2008 10:53:00 PM
Datskovsky (Portfolio writer) makes the classic non-pro mistake - album and DVD gross sales are not income to the band and/or the song - it's like those who state with certainty that box office is the same as income to the film - not by a long shot
$548MM DVD/CD/LP/cassette gross sales may, maybe on a good day, translate to $50-75MM to the band - not shabby, but far from the headline
Posted by: fatbear | Jun 18, 2008 11:06:56 PM
A nice metaphor for the current housing tragedy that we are now witnessing. So many houses were sold as a stairway to a better life....
Posted by: Trainwreck | Jun 19, 2008 12:04:59 AM
Their value song would be "Out on the Tiles" their most underrated, don't know about eight figures, but definitely a margin of safety.
"...I'll I need from you is all your love
I'll you got to give to me is all your love..."
Posted by: VennData | Jun 19, 2008 12:21:13 AM
And if I say to you tomorrow
Take my hand child, come with me
It's to a castle I will take you
Well, what's to be they say will be
Just remember this...
In the grand scheme of things the crash of '87 proved nothing more than a shakedown resulting in shares being transfered from weak hands into strong.
Posted by: Risk Averse Alert | Jun 19, 2008 1:37:40 AM
I used to be a huge fan of LZ until I saw a show detailing how LZ stole music from other artisits and never gave them credit or royalties. I was so disgusted I got rid of all my LZ cds. I now refuse to listen to them. Google it if you have doubts.
I hated finding out about this because I was so looking forward to a reunion tour........
Posted by: David | Jun 19, 2008 9:32:35 AM
[H.E.L.P.E.R. beeps a comment while "When the Levee Breaks" is playing.]
Brock: Jock rock my ass! Listen to those lyrics, man. That song's about love, and longing.
[H.E.L.P.E.R. responds.]
Brock: Yes.... and hobbits. Ahh, why am I arguing with a robot?
Stairway is a good song, but I'm not sure what product it would help sell.
Posted by: daveNYC | Jun 19, 2008 10:16:02 AM
When I was in college in england in 1991, the NME had a great article titled something like "The History of Heavy Metal". In it the author made a comment along the lines of most Zep songs were either about elves or shagging.
When we got back to the states, my roommate would break out his Zep albums and we had the great drinking game where you drink whenever he sings about either elves or shagging. You had to do a shot if he mentioned both in the same song. Needless to say we didn't stay sober for very long.
Posted by: Theo | Jun 19, 2008 10:59:09 AM
Um, maybe the reason the song has had such longevity and is still downloaded is because it hasn't been used to sell chips, soda, lingere and a host of other marginal crap. My guess is that it's earning value would decline significantly after the first one or two commercial uses.
There are many songs I previously liked because of the song itself and the memories attached to it. After a few hundred plays selling snack food, my memories are attached to the song and I think of junk food instead when I hear it. At that point I have no interest in downloading the song or buying the album its part of.
Posted by: dr paul | Jun 19, 2008 11:35:05 AM
To me, stairway has a deeply spiritual meaning and anyone who is enlightened will easily pick up on the metaphorical lyrics. I believe there was a distinctly Indian flavour to LZ music at one stage and stairway is one of their songs that carries an almost religious message.
I am glad it has never been commercialised or else it would definitely have lost some appeal.
Posted by: dave | Aug 21, 2008 8:54:04 PM
