Heart singer Ann Wilson described Led Zeppelin’s 1971 classic ‘Stairway to Heaven’ as “timeless and ageless and beautiful”, saying its emotional effect will endure. The song matters to her personally because its lyrics, scale and gradual build helped inspire her own path into music.

Wilson highlighted the track’s journey from acoustic opening to expansive climax, arguing that listeners feel its meaning rather than simply deciphering it intellectually. Her later performance of ‘Stairway to Heaven’ at the Kennedy Centre Honours was presented as a full-circle moment, with Robert Plant visibly moved by Heart’s rendition.