Limp Bizkit proceeds with $200 million lawsuit against Universal Music Group
Limp Bizkit has been granted permission to continue its lawsuit against its record label for allegedly withholding $200 million in royalties from the band.
Limp Bizkit is proceeding with its $200 million lawsuit against Universal Music Group.
The rock-metal group sued UMG for allegedly intentionally withholding the large sum in unpaid royalties and the fight is on after a US federal court judge rejected the record label’s motion to dismiss the suit on Monday (17.03.25).
The legal battle began when the band filed a lawsuit against UMG in October 2024, claiming that the band did not receive their due royalties despite renewed popularity.
In a statement to Bloomberg in October, the band said UMG “designed and implemented royalty software and systems that were deliberately designed to conceal artists’ royalties and keep those profits for itself.”
Claims against the label include breach of contract, fraudulent business practices, and copyright infringement.
Judge Percy Anderson ruled this week that the band’s copyright infringement claims will proceed in federal court, rejecting a counter-motion UMG filed in November in an attempt to get the case thrown out. Anderson also ruled frontman Fred Durst will have to refile many of his claims in New York and California state court.
Limp Bizkit - completed by drummer John Otto, guitarist Wes Borland, turntablist DJ Lethal and bassist Sam Rivers - are best known for their popularity in the 1990s and early 2000s with songs ‘Behind Blue Eyes’, ‘Nookie’, 'Break Stuff', 'Rollin', and 'My Way' -
The band will have to rescind their UMG contracts and regain ownership of their copyrights in order to have the copyright claims assessed in court, per documents.
UMG has been asked to file a legal response to the copyright claims by April 7.
Meanwhile, Durst is set to play in the UK as part of Black Sabbath’s final gig, a charity concert called ‘Back To The Beginning’, on July 5 in Birmingham.
