You see, Limp Bizkit, who, let’s face it, are one of the best nu-metal bands from the ’90s, just filed a massive lawsuit, like, for real, against Universal Music Group (UMG) for a whopping 200 million dollars in court. The band claims that UMG is holding back the royalties, which they are entitled to, by the way, the ones that they have worked hard for. Though, the accusations come directly from the band and their frontman Fred Durst, who are saying that UMG has now and then powerfully held back millions in payments for royalties that are supposed to be the reward the band got from the plays, sales, and licensing of their music, you know? All in all, the members of Limp Bizkit argue that UMG is not releasing the funds that belong to them. So, let’s just go over this Limp Bizkit Universal Lawsuit, and try to understand what is really going on.
A Little Bit Background Of Limp Bizkit’s Record Deal Journey
So, as almost all of you know Limp Bizkit is a famous rock metal and hip-hop fusion band that took off in the second half of the 90s with songs like Break Stuff and Rollin. The group became largely known for hip-hop and metal music. They started their own music career in 1996 when they signed with Flip Records. It was in 2000 they could also be found in UMG’s Interscope records where they went into the global stratosphere along with their music, you know?
Though it was a bit slow on albums, Limp Bizkit’s greatest hits are now on everyone’s playlists, thanks to the many streaming platforms that have popped up. For sure, the fans both old and new had tuned in to the classic tunes and created streams said to have gone into the millions. Though, according to UMG, the label seems to have shifted the focus from the production of fresh music for a long time now, the band managed to remain relevant in the music world.
Key Allegations in the Lawsuit
The claims made in the lawsuit touch on the issue of unpaid royalties. Like, according to Limp Bizkit, UMG has kept at least $200 million in royalties, and they accuse the label of even designing systems that obscured artists’ earnings. The group believes this was not a mistake but a plot by UMG to make the biggest profit possible. As part of UMG’s defense, they claimed that Limp Bizkit had their royalties held back in order to “recoup” the funds that were initially put into their career, which is around $43 million.
Yet, after the company was informed by Limp Bizkit’s legal team of the code of royalty payment portal, they came up with documents indicating the band is owed more than $1 million. Limp Bizkit maintains that this evidence shows that UMG has deliberately withheld funds that belong to the band.
What About UMG’s Response and Legal Process?
Though, yet, UMG has not made any public statements on the lawsuit, likely due to its high-profile nature and potential impact on the label’s reputation. Legal analysts predict the case could end in a private settlement, avoiding ongoing cases against them and negative publicity.
But keep in mind, Limp Bizkit has set forth a request for a jury trial, sending a clear signal that they intend to take the case to court if that is necessary. This process is called discovery in the legal world, where the parties will first share evidence and information before the trial, you know? All in all, the legal team of Limp Bizkit believes that discovery will bring out new evidence of UMG’s royalty practices that may help determine how other artists have been affected.
