‘Dazed and Confused’ Copyright Dispute Finally Settled

Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page settles a copyright lawsuit over disputed credits to the band’s legendary track, ‘Dazed and Confused.’

Jimmy Page and songwriter Jake Holmes have reached a settlement in the latest lawsuit over disputed credits to Led Zeppelin’s iconic track, “Dazed and Confused.” The deal, the terms of which were undisclosed, puts to bed the latest case filed by Holmes, who claims he was denied proper credit or payment for the song for decades.

The agreement, filed in court on Friday (August 1), says it “resolves the entire case” and will be formalized in the weeks ahead—though the terms were not disclosed in public filings. Notice of the settlement was filed by Holmes’ attorneys, but was not signed by lawyers for Page or other defendants. Representatives from neither party have returned media requests for comment.

In 1967, Holmes wrote and recorded “Dazed and Confused,” which Page later reworked into a song for his band The Yardbirds, then into the now-famous 1969 Led Zeppelin track. In 2010, Holmes filed a copyright lawsuit against Page, which was quickly settled, and saw the credits for the track updated to say “written by Jimmy Page, inspired by Jake Holmes.”

But Holmes sued Page again in May with allegations the rock star violated his rights in that earlier agreement. The new case centered on the recently unearthed Yardbirds recordings and the documentary Becoming Led Zeppelin—which led to Sony Pictures’ involvement.

“By falsely claiming that the Holmes composition is the Page composition, […] Page [and others] have willfully infringed the Holmes composition,” wrote lawyers for Holmes. “Defendants […] have ignored Plaintiff’s cease and desist demand and continue to infringe.”

Holmes’ new case against Page was still in its infancy, with the other defendants—including Sony Pictures and Warner Chappell—not yet having formally responded to the allegations.