30 Seconds To Mars Sued For $30 Million By Virgin

30 Seconds To Mars has been hit by a lawsuit that claims the band owes its record label, Virgin Records America, three albums. The $30 million suit, filed August 15 in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleges the band "repudiated" its 1999 contract in July by refusing to deliver the albums, according to an Associated Press report.

The band, fronted by actor Jared Leto, sold a million copies of their last album, A Beautiful Lie and hit the mainstage at Warped in 2006.

A spokesperson for the band told TMZ that 30 Seconds To Mars has sold more than 2 million albums for Virgin and has not been paid accordingly.

Jared Leto has responded to the lawsuit. In his open letter, he explains:

"We had been signed to our record contract for 9 years. Basically, under California law, where we live and signed our deal, one cannot be bound to a contract for more than 7 years. [...] It is a law that protects people from lengthy, unfair, career-spanning contracts. [...] We have been sued because roughly 45 days ago we exercised our legal right to terminate our old, out of date contract, which, according to the law is null and void.

"If you think the fact that we have sold in excess of 2 million records and have never been paid a penny is pretty unbelievable, well, so do we. And the fact that EMI informed us that not only aren't they going to pay us AT ALL but that we are still 1.4 million dollars in debt to them is even crazier.

"We have lost many of the people that were near and dear to us at Virgin/EMI and crucial to the success of 30 Seconds to Mars. There is not a single employee at Virgin Records who was working at the company when we signed."

You can read the entirety of Jared's letter at Punknews.org.

Comments

[-Blue-]

Greedy record label ****s. They should at least pay 30 Seconds to Mars something. The fact that they haven't been paid anything says a lot about that record label.

If I ever get signed, it won't be with them, thats for sure.

[USCENDONE BENE]

Say what you like about the band, but this is just messed up.

[Rickmassacre]

Funny thing is they have 3 albums

30 Seconds To Mars
A Beautiful Lie.

And the other one was a AOL Sessions
i guess that wont count as it is just a Sessions and is not a proper studio album

[KevVin]

thats just silly. Fight Clubs a good movie though.

[soulflyV]

USCENDONE BENE wrote:

Say what you like about the band, but this is just messed up.

I agree.

[Dragon Master]

I don't like their sound, but I think that that's completely stupid to sue for $30 million! I'm never joining EMI.

[punk man dude]

omg this is totally screwed up wtf

[tbarrettl]

Their first 2 studio albums must have made as much as 3 mediocre studio albums or maybe more though I think that 30STM should take the NIN and Radiohead route and produce their own work in full because I imagine that they have the inspiration and ability to.

[cheaposhredder]

Record companies are getting desperate because they are dieing out. But this! This is ridiculous!

[_3Lm0_]

Its not about the band at all (I am definitely not a fan)- I just hate the record company.
Go download a ****ton of Virgin Records albums just to piss them off - never buy from the theiving bastards.

[harpcicle]

just release a greatest hits, live and b-sides album u greedy record company bastards if ur that pissy

[whatamidoinhere]

If that's what really happened, then there's no way legally around it, and I'm sure the band won't have to pay up...and they'll probably be paid their dues, and could probably sue for damages as well

[deadlyMETAL]

Saddening.... Record companies are brutal with contracts and such anymore.

[LewisMasonx]

is it just me, or is that image not them?

[Auldy001]

30 seconds of fame, 30 million price tag. But seriously, who would sign a 9 year (yet alone a 7 year) contract. Regardless, I think 30 seconds to mars have been really counter-productive, theyve had 2 albums in 7 years, thats pathetic. Its not like theyve been touring constantly for 7 years, whats their excuse? "oh our singer is an actor", too bad your singers only been in one good movie, Fight Club, and while hes away acting the rest of the band should be writing new songs.

[brentondig]

LewisMasonx wrote:

is it just me, or is that image not them?

I think it is them, maybe Jared is the one looking at the camera...I dunno.

This is crazy. Not only that the company is suing the band, but also that they had never payed the band a penny.

[Josh Shiells]

Good.

They got all thier money writing shitty songs, riding on the wave of that goddamn pop-emo phase.

Recording companies and record labels are usually hugely biased - I know people in signed bands who receive 30% of all their sales, which, while not sounding large, may well be. Bands like Metallica, Aerosmith, Guns 'n' Roses, [insert well-known rock band here]...the odds are their receiving a very small amount of what they sell. Guns 'n' Roses, for example, have generated over a billion dollars.
At most, I'd say they make only a few million - I would not think Axl Rose would have any more than ten million.

But, I agree, Auldy001. You don't sign into a contract blindly without thinking of the deep ramifications, like, "Gee, I don't like this contract anymore."

These one-hit wonders should make like Michael Jackson and beat it - get of the music scene for a while. Take a break.

I bet, by 2050, they'll have released their next festering album.

[LewisMasonx]

Maybe.

And while they've only got two albums out, they have the third entirely written, and have played about four songs from it live already I think. They're just working around Jared doing Mr Nobody to record it I think...

[Auldy001]

Virgin should probably sue themselves for spending millions of dollars on this bands two ridiculous video clips for "From Yesterday" (cost $13million US, and was directed by Leto) and "The Kill" was overly exuberant too. And that other one for "A Beautiful Lie", they were playing on an iceberg, that couldnt of been cheap either. Virgin probably deserve that money back

[KISS-the-sky]

Aha! So this is the record companies' latest plan to salvage some money - sue the artists.

[jonathanonfire]

not a fan of them all but that's pretty ****ed up right there.

[boxcharles]

Anyone here seen Requiem For a Dream? I realized that he's a pretty phenomenal actor after seeing it.

[Moggan13]

boxcharles wrote:

Anyone here seen Requiem For a Dream? I realized that he's a pretty phenomenal actor after seeing it.

And Lord of War
He's ok, 30STM aint really my thing, but i agree with an above user, and most bands signed to shitty, greedy label should just do a Radiohead and produce their own albums.

[i_am_metalhead]

I hope they lose the case and have to fork over some cash - I think $30 million is a bit steep, but they knew what they were getting into when they signed on the dotted line.

[Josh Shiells]

i_am_metalhead wrote:

I hope they lose the case and have to fork over some cash - I think $30 million is a bit steep, but they knew what they were getting into when they signed on the dotted line.

+1

[ShadesOfNight]

****in hated virgin anyway.
loada money theivin lil bastards, as if they needed 30million anyway. thats like out of the back pocket for them, in which case they should of at least payed 30stm something.

Josh Shiells wrote:

Good.

They got all thier money writing shitty songs, riding on the wave of that goddamn pop-emo phase.

Recording companies and record labels are usually hugely biased - I know people in signed bands who receive 30% of all their sales, which, while not sounding large, may well be. Bands like Metallica, Aerosmith, Guns 'n' Roses, [insert well-known rock band here]...the odds are their receiving a very small amount of what they sell. Guns 'n' Roses, for example, have generated over a billion dollars.
At most, I'd say they make only a few million - I would not think Axl Rose would have any more than ten million.

But, I agree, Auldy001. You don't sign into a contract blindly without thinking of the deep ramifications, like, "Gee, I don't like this contract anymore."

These one-hit wonders should make like Michael Jackson and beat it - get of the music scene for a while. Take a break.

I bet, by 2050, they'll have released their next festering album.

I'm guessing you haven't heard any 30STM songs apart from 'The Kill' and 'From Yesterday'. They aren't even NEARLY emo.

Also checked.

[w0lfman207]

I like 30STM (not a big fan) but thats why other bands l Slipknot with their new album coming out did it on their own. Thats one of the reasons to not be in a record company that big because in the future, there might be a chance that they will come and stab you right in the back.

But seriously, thats screwed up.

[zekk]

Honestly Jared Leto should of stayed an actor (Requiem for a Dream was fantastic, A Beautiful Lie... not so much), but that's beside the point. This is bullshit, and shows another notch in the downfall of the major label.

[tommyt]

"but that we are still 1.4 million dollars in debt to them is even crazier."

thats the number that the record label should sue for really, artists get paid when the label makes it's money back, thats the way it works

while i disagree with the 30 million lawsuit i can't see why 30STM seem to have trouble grasping a concept thats a mainstay in contracts for most bands ... they get money upfront, the record company pays for the recordings, then they recoup what they spend, THEN the artist gets paid and the record label makes some profit, it's fairly simple.

as far as their contract goes, that law might be valid with regards to time limit but the fact that the contract is out of date doesn't mean that their debt is.

[jetfuel495]

wow man thats pretty gay

[the_bear_shark]

Lol at title.

[5_Strings]

KevVin wrote:

thats just silly. Fight Clubs a good movie though.

+1

[Black Revolver]

These one-hit wonders should make like Michael Jackson and beat it

thats bad.

[McGelie]

I thought that this was gonna be some sex scandal thing.

[whitebluesboy]

Jared Leto should quit acting. Did you see chapter 27?

[GuilT]

Actually, Axl Rose did an interview for Rolling Stone back in the early 90's, where he stated that he quit counting his money after $100 million. The record company is suing for what they could have made if 30STM had released 3 full length studio albums. They were dumb enough to sign a 9 year contract, so they should at least honor that much. If they aren't getting paid then they should counter sue, but they're not because I think they know the violated the contract and are trying to weasel their way out of it.

Josh Shiells wrote:

Good.

They got all thier money writing shitty songs, riding on the wave of that goddamn pop-emo phase.

Recording companies and record labels are usually hugely biased - I know people in signed bands who receive 30% of all their sales, which, while not sounding large, may well be. Bands like Metallica, Aerosmith, Guns 'n' Roses, [insert well-known rock band here]...the odds are their receiving a very small amount of what they sell. Guns 'n' Roses, for example, have generated over a billion dollars.
At most, I'd say they make only a few million - I would not think Axl Rose would have any more than ten million.

But, I agree, Auldy001. You don't sign into a contract blindly without thinking of the deep ramifications, like, "Gee, I don't like this contract anymore."

These one-hit wonders should make like Michael Jackson and beat it - get of the music scene for a while. Take a break.

I bet, by 2050, they'll have released their next festering album.

[new_age_reject]

Josh Shiells wrote:
But, I agree, Auldy001. You don't sign into a contract blindly without thinking of the deep ramifications, like, "Gee, I don't like this contract anymore."

These one-hit wonders should make like Michael Jackson and beat it - get of the music scene for a while. Take a break.

First I thought, "hmmm I agree", then I just lol'd.

[joker_thief]

i guess this is why radiohead left EMI....among other reasons

[pucci6d6]

Auldy001 wrote:

30 seconds of fame, 30 million price tag. But seriously, who would sign a 9 year (yet alone a 7 year) contract. Regardless, I think 30 seconds to mars have been really counter-productive, theyve had 2 albums in 7 years, thats pathetic. Its not like theyve been touring constantly for 7 years, whats their excuse? "oh our singer is an actor", too bad your singers only been in one good movie, Fight Club, and while hes away acting the rest of the band should be writing new songs.

Yeah, he was also really terrible in that sucky movie Requiem For A Dream. Your ignorant. So what, the guy is multi-talented, and him and his bandmates can release an album whenever they see fit. You know, the Red Hot Chili Peppers release an album about every 4 years, but their one of the best selling bands in the world. Hardly pathetic. Not saying record sales have anything to do with anything, but you don't need to release an album every one or two years.

On topic, I think 30 Seconds to Mars should sue Virgin for not getting paid, unless it wasn't in their contract, and who would sign a contract that doesn't pay you??

[Toki Wartooth7]

did the guys in 30 seconds to mars even think they would make it 9 YEARS?! sorry, they blow, my opinion.

that does suck getting screwed like that from a record company though

[Toki Wartooth7]

forgot to say, if the contract was signed in cali. and there is a law prohibiting contracts over seven years then i would the case would be thrown out. but virgin does have a lot of money to throw around. jerks

[MXFNCK]

this is why I download music and buy concert tickets

[David_Bowie=GOD]

[quote]GuilT wrote:


At most, I'd say they make only a few million - I would not think Axl Rose would have any more than ten million.
quote]

If thats the case, then hes already spent all his money in the studio.

[bs5538]

You would think that if a company was barely employed; a band would be very skeptical about their success through such a company. Second of all, Virgin has been slowly going out of business for years. They were dropping all over the place and it's probably for a good reason. 30 Seconds to Mars, I abhor the fact that you play it off like the record company's trying to screw you. If you do not have a binding contract, you're screwed!

[jdwilson223]

KevVin wrote:

thats just silly. Fight Clubs a good movie though.

yea he was in Panic Room also (another Fincher film, excellent director). does 30STM even have 30 million dollars? i guess Virgin is just makin bad buisness decisions, they signed korn for like 20 or 40 million dollars and they just broke up right after...

[jimRH7]

the_bear_shark wrote:

Lol at title.

i get it :P

[fiftysteps]

This sucks, but Virgin might even win this. They have their contract, they set their expectations on the band, and if 30 seconds to mars did not surpass them, well there is very little they can do.

[JaKeYM666]

that suck's ass big time

[guitaringnathan]

heres what i got out of reading the arcticle:

i knew that this was a 9 year, bnut i knew it wouldnt work, i let them pay for my ridiculous music videos in china and on that stupid ice berg thats melting, and i still need to be payed. virgin's a jerk, and i cant wait for my money.

wow for once, the band screwed the record company. but i dont know why they should be payed, they made those over the top music videos.

[zalant]

With the high-powered lawyers that Virgin (or any decent-sized corporation) would presumably have writing up contracts, how could a detail like California's limitation on length of contracts slip through the cracks? I mean, you'd think that the company/lawyers would have a folder labeled "Contract Forms - California Only", or something like that. On the other side of that coin, shouldn't 30STM's manager or someone pointed that detail out during contract negotiations? Sounds to me like mistakes were made on both sides.

[jambajews]

damn good band

[guitarplayer-k6]

god damn record companies

[HighPotency]

Just another case of corruption and greed by way of legal action. They sell 2 million records, don't get paid at all, and are now supposed to come up with 30 million dollars along with the 1.5 million that they're supposedly "in debt" from? I never did like Virgin...

[TDKshorty]

So, if they don't get paid, how do they earn money?

Shows and merchandise?

[GuitarJunkie]

Fuck record companies...not like thats already been said but still, **** record companies

[VORTEX3333]

i smell evil record label, they should be ashamed of themselves 30stm are a good band and the record label should take that into consideration and notthrow a wobbly because they are leaving, and don't even get me started on the money thing (how can you not pay a penny, greedy motherf****rs)

[Garci]

$1 million per second.

But really, this is just greedy, it's as if record companies were trying to be hated.

[MacDizzy]

Those contract limitations don't mean a thing if they knew before hand about it and still willingly signed the contract. And besides, companies always high ball a figure that they're going to sue for in hopes that the other party just settles. You always sue for some absurb amount so when it comes time to actually get money, you get the most you can.

And if these guys never got a cent from Virgin, obviously they weren't breaking even. Record companies seem to get a bad rep, but honestly, time in the studio doesn't pay for itself, and chances are the band isn't paying for it.

[EZLN libertad]

good for virgin.

beat those mainstream bands to death!

[BFMV fan]

i do like this band, i hope they don't get sued and if they can i hope they get paid too. Record companies seem like greedy bastards these days, or at least this record company they are signed to.

[xcmasta91]

wow this is retarded

[metfan09]

the second guy in the picture looks like edward norton

[tona_107]

Auldy001 wrote:

30 seconds of fame, 30 million price tag. But seriously, who would sign a 9 year (yet alone a 7 year) contract. Regardless, I think 30 seconds to mars have been really counter-productive, theyve had 2 albums in 7 years, thats pathetic. Its not like theyve been touring constantly for 7 years, whats their excuse? "oh our singer is an actor", too bad your singers only been in one good movie, Fight Club, and while hes away acting the rest of the band should be writing new songs.

actually he was in requiem for a dream as well as lord of war, all sweet movies. And Tool releases an album once every 5 years and they went multi-platinum in Canada alone with 10 000 days. You're ignorant.

[kennyvspenny]

**** record labels! the internet owns us all

[Thienskater]

easy money.

[Vanox_1]

KevVin :
thats just silly. Fight Clubs a good movie though.

Fuck yeah! I'm becoming more and more aware that I am obssessed with that movie.

[pfc_mike]

i understand why everyone hates record labels but at the end of the day the music industry is a business and labels have a right to make music...

if they feel they've been cheated and have the legal opportunity to retrieve any damages then i say let them do so...

and i say 30STM live when they opened for Audioslave, and i personally didn't think much of them...but to each his own

[sottpwn]

Wow that's shit.

[[travis]]

What a coincidence that they have to pay $30 million when they have 30 in their name.

[mikko_9119]

why people even associate with Virgin in any way is beyond me

[guitaringnathan]

tona_107 wrote:

Auldy001 wrote:

30 seconds of fame, 30 million price tag. But seriously, who would sign a 9 year (yet alone a 7 year) contract. Regardless, I think 30 seconds to mars have been really counter-productive, theyve had 2 albums in 7 years, thats pathetic. Its not like theyve been touring constantly for 7 years, whats their excuse? "oh our singer is an actor", too bad your singers only been in one good movie, Fight Club, and while hes away acting the rest of the band should be writing new songs.

actually he was in requiem for a dream as well as lord of war, all sweet movies. And Tool releases an album once every 5 years and they went multi-platinum in Canada alone with 10 000 days. You're ignorant.

tools on a different level of 30stm, im not trying to sound like a fanboy, but tool writes better guitar riffs and parts, and much much better lyrics. if 30stm put out a cd every now and then that was as good as a tool cd, that would be different

[jacksonwarrior1]

why would this article be seen at Punknews? thats just retarded, but then again so is what people see as Punk and stuff like that.

[DieYouBastard]

I really, really hate this band. But this news makes me sick.

[2mins2midnite]

no matter who is the artist or the band is, this is just ghey.
it dissapoints me that the music industry has turned out like this, back in the day- black sabbath, hawkwind, iron maiden times most of the industry was good, why did it have to change

[verona_bassist]

damn, when i read the title, i actually believed that a virgin (like..person) sued them...

[PapaDelicious]

I agree with 2mins2midnite; it doesn't matter who the band is or whether they're good or not, this is another case of a record company raping one of their acts.

[Tin_man]

Kinda off-topic, but has anyone seen Chapter 27? Leto plays Mark David Chapman... and it looks really good.

[WhereArtEsteban]

Tin_man wrote:

Kinda off-topic, but has anyone seen Chapter 27? Leto plays Mark David Chapman... and it looks really good.

I've heard mixed things about it. I'm interested to see it though!

Yeah record labels prove every day that they don't care about music...

[Megadeth2011]

Hm... I don't like the band's music, but this is rediculous! Virgin doesn't need the money anyway. There are starving/homeless people in the world, and Virgin's gonna bend the law so THEY can get extra cash?

[aaciseric]

Virgin are just too big now, sueing an artist is just out of line, I never cared much for their music but it seems they have a dedicated fanbase and trying to put them under (which is probably what losing 30m would do to them as thats a hard hit to come back from if you lose) is just not cool.

[tincho729]

stop saying "OMGZ EVIL RECORD LAVELZZ"

this is about virgin, it has nothing to do with any other label

[chaoticchild555]

whitebluesboy wrote:

Jared Leto should quit acting. Did you see chapter 27?

He did an excellent job! He acted in that manner because that's how the character was to be portrayed. Did you see Requiem? Lord of War? Fight Club? Come ON man.
Back on subject, this is ****ing rediculous. But, I must admit, I did chuckle at the sum of $30M, but in reality, that's bull titties! I think 30STM will come out of this clean, and it's VIRGIN'S fault for signing them to the 9 year contract, not 30STMs, I think it was a smart move on their part, They did what they needed (maybe not, haha) in their 7 years, and then they said, Hey, idiots, we are out of here, you bound us for 9 years when it's illegal, we are peacing, later!
Virgin shot themselves in the foot, 30 STM wins, fin.

[recliner33]

Josh Shiells wrote:

Good.

They got all thier money writing shitty songs, riding on the wave of that goddamn pop-emo phase.

Recording companies and record labels are usually hugely biased - I know people in signed bands who receive 30% of all their sales, which, while not sounding large, may well be. Bands like Metallica, Aerosmith, Guns 'n' Roses, [insert well-known rock band here]...the odds are their receiving a very small amount of what they sell. Guns 'n' Roses, for example, have generated over a billion dollars.
At most, I'd say they make only a few million - I would not think Axl Rose would have any more than ten million.

But, I agree, Auldy001. You don't sign into a contract blindly without thinking of the deep ramifications, like, "Gee, I don't like this contract anymore."

These one-hit wonders should make like Michael Jackson and beat it - get of the music scene for a while. Take a break.

I bet, by 2050, they'll have released their next festering album.

The reason why Axl Rose won't have more then 10 million is because he spent over 15 million (and still counting)making "Chinese Democracy".

[Serial Rocker]

30 seconds, 30 millions ... Gee, the "time is money" thing is taken a bit too seriously.

[paddypadman]

Holy crap!
They havent seen a penny!?
Thats pretty bad like since they are quite the huge!

[LSPapercutAP]

30 Seconds to Mars Rule!!! : ) Sux about the money issue though.

[Audio-of-Being]

So these guys sign a legal contract, try to worm their way out of it, get sued for it while owing the label money(probably due to poor judgement at the time of the contract signing?), and the label are the bad guys for it?

It sounds like it's more than likely 30 Seconds To Mars' fault, and regardless of their stature in the music community and whatever excuses they conjure up, they need to own up to this.

[theotherguy7145]

I've already seen several comments like this but oh well;

Although 30STM isn't my sort of band, i think that its crap that the company is sueing them. They make enough money anyway! Why do they need to bother sueing? unless they plan to get more profit from other bands this way

[grungeisdead312]

hate their music but that is just wrong

[SG6578]

This is so messed up Leto is an amazing writer. I hope they end up under Geffen records....they actually work with the artists.

[pickSlidin]

MXFNCK wrote:

this is why I download music and buy concert tickets

+1,000,000,000!!!!

[iplayguitar0001]

i am very confused about what this means but from what i understand they signed a 9-year, 3-album contract why is it both?!?!

I love 30STM they are my favorite band.. in fact i just heard a version of the kill that was just jared, guitar chords, and 1 or 2 violins

[Annoyance134]

ugh...
this will only delay the new album!

[CapnKickass]

They should've just made another album, do it half assed with a shitty live studio recording all in one day. Making up silly choruses and subliminal messages making fun of the record company. Kinda like what Futurama did in their movie. (The 'making fun of' part)

[Stratogibson]

This is just some more proof of how the music industry is going to hell. Record companies don't care what the music souds like they just want a big chunk of change.
Hopefully by 2050 rock music will have a redemption and go back to making "music."

[Spagettios12]

i dont even like 30 seconds to mars and this blows....i will NEVER buy anything from virgin records again. they dont pay them, then they try suing for $30m? thats ridiculous. record comapnies are retarded

[blue_strat]

It's sad that this doesn't spark more outrage, really. If someone of any other profession in the world was sued for $30m by the company who supposedly signs their paycheques, there would be an uproar. But as it's the entertainment industry, a lot of people will just shrug it off as "well, everyone on MTV is a millionaire, so no big problem for them".

Very untrue. Check out this link in my sig for an analysis of the average band's finances:

http://www.petdance.com/actionpark/albini/the-p roblem-with-music.html

[cloud041089]

you know what? this label pissed me off when "a beautiful lie" came out in 2005. because of some protection sh*t on the cd, we had a hell of a time ripping it to my computer. and a bunch of fans complained about problems getting the cd on their ipods. and now this? we should just f*ck virgin records by downloading all their albums, so that then they will just be "records."

[Bunyip]

seriously. who needs a record label anymore any way

[archangelseren]

best news all day! thanks

[Auldy001]

tona_107 wrote:

Auldy001 wrote:

30 seconds of fame, 30 million price tag. But seriously, who would sign a 9 year (yet alone a 7 year) contract. Regardless, I think 30 seconds to mars have been really counter-productive, theyve had 2 albums in 7 years, thats pathetic. Its not like theyve been touring constantly for 7 years, whats their excuse? "oh our singer is an actor", too bad your singers only been in one good movie, Fight Club, and while hes away acting the rest of the band should be writing new songs.


actually he was in requiem for a dream as well as lord of war, all sweet movies. And Tool releases an album once every 5 years and they went multi-platinum in Canada alone with 10 000 days. You're ignorant.

you cant compare Tool to 30 seconds to mars! You have sullied Tools esteemed name, now thats being ignorant

[the_extremist00]

greedy bastards, they should be thrown out of business for exploiting musicians

i really dont like their music but its their work, i would be as pissed as humanly possible if this happened to me

[brentondig]

McGelie wrote:

I thought that this was gonna be some sex scandal thing.

+1,000,000,002

[Fatally Jon]

I really feel like Virgin is lashing out because all of their big-name bands are leaving them.

I do think, however, that all of 30STM's videos were unnecissaryily long and drawn out, and probably cost the label huge chunks of money, which may contribute a lot to the $30 million price tag on the lawsuit.

As for Jared Leto in "Fight Club", you people need to get over yourselves. He had, what...five lines in "Fight Club"? Come on.
Read the book; it's a lot better.

[ready2breakdown]

guitaringnathan wrote:

tona_107 wrote:

Auldy001 wrote:

30 seconds of fame, 30 million price tag. But seriously, who would sign a 9 year (yet alone a 7 year) contract. Regardless, I think 30 seconds to mars have been really counter-productive, theyve had 2 albums in 7 years, thats pathetic. Its not like theyve been touring constantly for 7 years, whats their excuse? "oh our singer is an actor", too bad your singers only been in one good movie, Fight Club, and while hes away acting the rest of the band should be writing new songs.

actually he was in requiem for a dream as well as lord of war, all sweet movies. And Tool releases an album once every 5 years and they went multi-platinum in Canada alone with 10 000 days. You're ignorant.

tools on a different level of 30stm, im not trying to sound like a fanboy, but tool writes better guitar riffs and parts, and much much better lyrics. if 30stm put out a cd every now and then that was as good as a tool cd, that would be different

Hey I'm not gonna continue to repeat what's already been said, but I will say that maybe if they had released another album like their self-title, they may be able to sell as much as Tool.

And in all honesty dude, that statement you made(and mine also) really has no validity to it. YOU PERSONALLY feel that Tool is a much better band and they may in fact sell more albums, but that does not make them a better band by any means. The demographic that prefers either band would most likely agree or disagree with you but that's all a matter of preference, neither side is right or wrong.

Someone could turn the blade and say the exact same thing you said with 30 seconds to Mars in place of Tool.

[cerveza]

Josh Shiells wrote:

Good.

They got all thier money writing shitty songs, riding on the wave of that goddamn pop-emo phase.

Recording companies and record labels are usually hugely biased - I know people in signed bands who receive 30% of all their sales, which, while not sounding large, may well be. Bands like Metallica, Aerosmith, Guns 'n' Roses, [insert well-known rock band here]...the odds are their receiving a very small amount of what they sell. Guns 'n' Roses, for example, have generated over a billion dollars.
At most, I'd say they make only a few million - I would not think Axl Rose would have any more than ten million.

very good point.

Josh Shiells wrote:
I would not think Axl Rose would have any more than ten million.

which he has now likely spent trying to make "Chinese Democracy"

[Regression]

ready2breakdown wrote:

Hey I'm not gonna continue to repeat what's already been said, but I will say that maybe if they had released another album like their self-title, they may be able to sell as much as Tool.

And in all honesty dude, that statement you made(and mine also) really has no validity to it. YOU PERSONALLY feel that Tool is a much better band and they may in fact sell more albums, but that does not make them a better band by any means. The demographic that prefers either band would most likely agree or disagree with you but that's all a matter of preference, neither side is right or wrong.

Someone could turn the blade and say the exact same thing you said with 30 seconds to Mars in place of Tool.

Someone with sense.

$30 million is really over the top, although, I think 30stm should stick to there contract.

I liked the idea of them making an album in one day with stupid choruses and subliminal messages mocking the label.

I'd really like to see them release an album like there first though. I havn't heard any other bands with that sort of sound.

I have a feeling people who criticise them havn't heard it.

[ticklemeemo]

Josh Shiells wrote:

Good.

They got all thier money writing shitty songs, riding on the wave of that goddamn pop-emo phase.

Recording companies and record labels are usually hugely biased - I know people in signed bands who receive 30% of all their sales, which, while not sounding large, may well be. Bands like Metallica, Aerosmith, Guns 'n' Roses, [insert well-known rock band here]...the odds are their receiving a very small amount of what they sell. Guns 'n' Roses, for example, have generated over a billion dollars.
At most, I'd say they make only a few million - I would not think Axl Rose would have any more than ten million.

But, I agree, Auldy001. You don't sign into a contract blindly without thinking of the deep ramifications, like, "Gee, I don't like this contract anymore."

These one-hit wonders should make like Michael Jackson and beat it - get of the music scene for a while. Take a break.

I bet, by 2050, they'll have released their next festering album.

If you actually read the article, you would know that they didn't get any money "riding on the wave of that goddamn pop-emo phase". They "sold in excess of 2 million records and have never been paid a penny".
If you think 30STM is emo, you obviously need to check out something other than their singles.

[akhimakhi93]

i don like em...good they got sued

[cloud041089]

Regression wrote:
I'd really like to see them release an album like there first though. I havn't heard any other bands with that sort of sound.

I have a feeling people who criticise them havn't heard it.

+1

[civilunrest]

You can all belt out the whole 'Damn greedy execs' rant, but the fact of the matter is that 30 Seconds to Mars failed to deliver what they promised to deliver.

[Langerz1991]

lol i dont think anyone knows how record companys work, they pay for the studio time n all the videos (which in 3stm's case would be a hell lotta money due to their Wayy too OTT videos)etc n then the record company takes all the money made from album sales untill all the bands debts are payed off...then they get payed
So fair enough virgin =)

[Toxtoth_O_Grady]

Fuck (the) Virgin(s)!

[shadow__666]

DieYouBastard wrote:

I really, really hate this band. But this news makes me sick.

+1. Most of the people telling them to pay the money are just haters. I bet if it were Megadeth or Slayer in this position, you'd all be running to the record offices with torches and pitchforks. Why do Virgin even need 30 million anyway? Fuck them.

[Mootallica]

This is stupid. Really, it doesn't matter about the quality of the work. If law states they can terminate the contract, then they should be free to. If I was a member of 30 Seconds to Mars, or a member of any band in the same situation, I would sue Virgin for the contract which breached the law in the first place.

Also, don't contracts of this nature need to be checked by some form of legal representation to ensure that it isn't unfair and both parties agree?

Makes you think that money is stronger than the laws now-a-days, and it's sad because it's true.

[edrobbrit]

Toxtoth_O_Grady :
Fuck (the) Virgin(s)!

XD!

[nick_b]

so theyre suing them for....
not giving them money they arent legally binded to give them?
somethings wrong here..

[Zell182]

lol owned?

[captainperoxide]

I met the band a year or so ago and they are some of the nicest people I've met, really friendly. So I feel awful that they've been screwed out of this amount of money.

[lukegjpotter]

harpcicle wrote:

just release a greatest hits, live and b-sides album u greedy record company bastards if ur that pissy

Green Day did that with Bullet In A Bible.

I love 30 STM