In the recording industry, copyright is one of the biggest issues that can arise. The legendary band Led Zeppelin learned this when they were sued over their song "Whole Lotta Love." Truly, it doesn't matter how big the artist is; everyone from the Ozzy Osbourne is held to the same standard of scrutiny. In fact, Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin has expressed how a harsher spotlight is placed on more successful acts.

This is because Led Zeppelin is no stranger to copyright issues. The band was scrutinized a few times, including for their biggest hit, "Stairway to Heaven." Although these issues didn't stop Led Zeppelin from releasing 13 albums and becoming Rock and Roll Hall of Famers, they certainly made some music pundits stop and examine their body of work much more stringently. Instead of taking a legacy that should be revered, they find it picked apart for reasons that are less than stellar, creating unfortunate discourse.

Willie Dixon Sued Led Zeppelin Over 2 Songs

The Blues Musician Worked With Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters

With a career that started in 1939, Willie Dixon became one of the most influential figures in blues. Throughout his Hall of Fame career, Dixon worked with legends such as Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, and Muddy Waters. His work with Waters is where his main issue with Led Zeppelin came into play. Dixon claimed his song "You Need Love," which was performed by Waters in 1963, was the basis for Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love."

For Led Zeppelin, "Whole Lotta Love" was the first track on their second studio album, Led Zeppelin II. When listening to the songs, there is a clear similarity between them. Dixon sued Led Zeppelin in 1985, seeking songwriting credits and financial compensation. It was only fair, since Led Zeppelin had become one of the most successful bands of their generation. However, it didn't stop there, as there was yet another song from the band for which Dixon wanted credit.

He was also seeking his rightful compensation for a song he wrote for Sonny Boy Williamson in 1966, titled "Bring it on Home." This time, the Led Zeppelin song in question even shared the same name as the one Dixon had written. Again, it was one of the tracks on the Led Zeppelin II album, as it was the closing song. Once more, the similarities were all there. While the band could have tried to contest this case, they opted to take a different route and settle out of court.

Led Zeppelin Settled With Dixon Out Of Court

Led Zeppelin Kept Things Undisclosed

To make things right with Willie Dixon, Led Zeppelin settled with him out of court for an undisclosed amount. Perhaps more importantly, Dixon received songwriting credits on both tracks, meaning he will rightfully be associated with them whenever they are released. This brought an end to an unfortunate situation that Dixon had faced many times in his life, including once against a music label. Nonetheless, Dixon has his rightful credit, and he is ed for the influence he had.

As for Led Zeppelin, it didn't change much of their history. In fact, Robert Plant was unfazed by the situation, stating: "Well, you only get caught when you’re successful. That’s the game.” Even his bandmate Jimmy Page laughed off the ordeal, saying that Plant was supposed to change the lyrics. Both answers illustrate why copyright is such a major issue. Of course, there are only so many notes and words, but it is only fair for a band to give credit when it's due, even if they're one of the biggest of all time, like Led Zeppelin.