The legal action, led by frontman Fred Durst and the band’s label, Flawless Records, accuses UMG of breaching contract and deliberately concealing payments through fraudulent software practices.
The lawsuit follows the band’s discovery that despite a massive resurgence in popularity during 2024, they hadn’t received any royalty payments. According to Durst, they only started receiving payments after taking legal action.
The ‘Break Stuff’ singer claims that UMG stated that the royalties were withheld to offset approximately $45 million the company had previously invested in Limp Bizkit.
However, the band’s representatives discovered that more than $1 million in royalties was still owed, which UMG eventually paid. The company blamed the delay on technical issues caused by new software.
Despite these payments, the lawsuit alleges that UMG still owes much more. Whether $200m is a feasible outcome or if this was simply ‘the nuclear option’ to achieve a quick solution is yet to be seen.
Even so, the case could have wide-reaching implications, with Durst and his team suggesting that UMG's practices may have impacted hundreds of other artists who are also missing out on their rightful earnings.
UMG, a powerhouse in the music industry with a roster that includes Taylor Swift and The Weeknd, has not commented publicly on the lawsuit.
