Led Zeppelin released “Stairway to Heaven” in 1971. The song appeared on the band’s untitled fourth studio album, commonly called Led Zeppelin IV, and was released on November 8 of that year.
The track was developed during sessions that began in late 1970 and continued into 1971. Jimmy Page composed the music, while Robert Plant wrote the lyrics. Its arrangement unfolds in stages, beginning quietly with acoustic guitar and recorder before building toward electric guitar, powerful drums, and Page’s celebrated solo.
Despite becoming one of rock’s best-known songs, “Stairway to Heaven” was never issued as a conventional commercial single in the United States or United Kingdom. Manager Peter Grant rejected Atlantic Records’ requests, encouraging listeners to buy the complete album instead.
The song was first performed publicly at Belfast’s Ulster Hall on March 5, 1971, months before its studio release. A frequent mistake is confusing the recording date with the release year: recording began in 1970, but the finished song came out in 1971.