Limp Bizkit Files $200 Milion Lawsuit over Unpaid Royalties.
Limp Bizkit, the nu-metal group, led by frontman Fred Durst, lodged the lawsuit on Tuesday, October 8, in Los Angeles. According to Durst's legal representatives, the band has "not received a single cent in royalties" for many years. Universal Music Group (UMG) is accused of having released Limp Bizkit’s first six albums from 1997 to 2011 under its sub-label, Interscope.
In 2021, the band released their comeback album through Suretone, a now-independent label that was previously owned by UMG. The lawsuit alleges that UMG has established a “fraudulent” policy that is “intentionally designed” to withhold royalties from artists, as stated in the recent complaint. The plaintiffs assert, “UMG’s development of such a system, while presenting itself as a company that values and protects its artists, renders the discovery of UMG’s scheme all the more shocking and disturbing.”
The band has achieved sales exceeding 40 million records during their career; however, the complaint asserts that UMG has not been disbursing royalties due to the band's account being classified as “unrecouped.” This classification indicates that the royalties have not yet surpassed the advances provided for the recording and promotion of the album.
According to the complaint, when the band reached out to UMG, it was revealed that there were over a million dollars in unpaid royalties, which date back to the peak of the band's popularity in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The label allegedly “failed to notify” Limp Bizkit, asserting that UMG “intentionally” obscured the actual earnings of the band in order to "unjustly retain those profits." The assertion that the band has not yet recouped their advances is being challenged, with the complaint contending that "UMG should have commenced royalty payments on those albums immediately — not more than 20 years later."
The complaint additionally raises concerns that "hundreds" of artists associated with the label might be facing similar issues. The lawsuit highlights UMG's accounting methods, with legal representatives asserting that unexplained charges, including an extra $199,676, have been recorded on statements to "overdraft" the band's account. UMG ultimately disbursed $1.03 million to the band and an extra $2.3 million to Durst's Flawless Records; however, the complaint contends that further funds are owed.
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