Hole, Soundgarden, Estates of Tupac and Tom Petty Sue Universal Music Group Over Recordings Lost in Warehouse Fire

Madison Bloom
Steve Earle has also joined the suit filed against UMG, according to a new report by The New York Times

On June 11, The New York Times posted an investigation revealing that a 2008 fire at Universal Studios Hollywood destroyed a massive quantity of master tapes by artists throughout the decades, including works by Nirvana, Eminem, John Coltrane, and many more.

Now, in a follow-up report, The Times claims that Hole, Soundgarden, and Steve Earle, as well as the estates of Tupac Shakur and Tom Petty, are suing UMG for losses. According to documents viewed by The New York Times, the lawsuit claims that it was never disclosed to artists that their master recordings had been destroyed in the fire.

The suit, filed in Los Angeles in Federal District Court, reportedly seeks class-action status. It marks the first legal case brought against UMG following the report of the destroyed archival recordings. According to The Times, the plaintiffs allege that Universal breached its contractual obligations to artists by failing to protect the masters. The suit also reportedly asserts that UMG should have shared any funds received as settlements from the fire, such as an insurance payment and a legal settlement from NBCUniversal. The claim seeks over $100 million in damages, according to The Times.

The 2008 fire reportedly destroyed over 100,000 audio recordings containing as many as 500,000 songs. Following the New York Times investigation, Universal released a statement playing down the damage that the fire caused. UMG claimed that the Times report included “inaccuracies, misleading statements, contradictions and fundamental misunderstandings.” Universal cited no evidence to corroborate their claims, however.

The new report by The Times also includes a quote from Universal chairman and chief executive Lucian Grange, who reportedly said that “we owe our artists transparency” about the 2008 fire.

Following the initial news of the destroyed master tapes, a representative for Hole told Pitchfork that they were not aware of the news until the New York Times report. Several other artists, including Questlove, R.E.M., and others affected by the fire, reacted to the news on social media.

Pitchfork has reached out to representatives for Hole and Steve Earle. When contacted by Pitchfork, UMG declined to comment.

Originally Appeared on Pitchfork