Limp Bizkit has launched a $200 million lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG), claiming the label has withheld royalty payments for decades. Filed in Los Angeles federal court by the band’s frontman Fred Durst, the lawsuit accuses UMG of “systemic” and “fraudulent” practices that were allegedly designed to conceal royalties and keep profits from artists. Fred Durst’s legal team argues that the label’s actions not only deprived Limp Bizkit of their due earnings but also potentially affected hundreds of other artists.
The dispute reportedly began when Fred Durst, after hiring new representatives in April 2024, revealed that he had “never received any royalties” from UMG since the band’s inception. Despite Limp Bizkit’s massive success in the late 1990s and early 2000s — with millions of albums sold and significant streaming figures in recent years — Durst claims UMG continued to assert that the band had yet to recoup advances. According to the lawsuit, UMG maintained that the band’s account remained unrecouped, meaning no royalties would be paid until the initial advances were recovered.
However, Fred Durst’s team found evidence that UMG had been holding over $1 million in Limp Bizkit’s account without informing the band. This discovery, combined with allegations that UMG failed to issue royalty statements during key periods of the band’s career (such as between 1997 and 2004), raised further concerns about the label’s accounting practices. Durst’s attorneys argue that UMG intentionally concealed the band’s royalties, allowing the label to profit unfairly from record-breaking album sales while the band remained in the dark.
UMG has yet to comment on the allegations, though the label reportedly claims to have paid $43 million in advances to the band over the years. Limp Bizkit’s lawsuit seeks not only unpaid royalties but also a termination of their contract with UMG, the return of copyrights to their recordings, and damages for copyright infringement.
The lawsuit highlights broader concerns within the music industry regarding transparency in royalty payments and accounting practices. Many artists have historically expressed frustration over the opaque nature of such deals.
