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# LimeWire Settles With RIAA, Labels For $105 Million, Artists Get Nothing
- URL: https://www.hypebot.com/limewire-settles-with-riaa-labels-for-105-million-artists-get-nothing/
- Published: 2011-05-13T07:12:00.000Z
- Updated: 2011-05-13T07:12:00.000Z
- Description: LimeWire has settled a long running court battle with the RIAA for $105 million. The court had already shut LimeWire down. But during the award phase of the trial, labels. Continue reading [https://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2011/05/limewire-settles-with-riaa-labels-for-105-million-artists-get-nothing.
- Author: Bruce Houghton
- Tags: Major Labels, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-01-21 10:55

[![image from www.google.com](http://hypebot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b36c69e2015432473f25970c-120wi "image from www.google.com")](http://hypebot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b36c69e2015432473f25970c-popup?ref=hypebot.com)

LimeWire has settled a long running court battle with the **RIAA** for **$105 million.** The court had already shut LimeWire down. But during the award phase of the trial, labels continued to blame the company for the dramatic multi-year sales drop. LimeWire countered that **label ineptness** caused the decline and used [damaging statements](https://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2011/05/limewire-trial-documents-show-label-execs-knew-they-got-p2p-all-wrong-.html) from label execs to make their case. The[ court award](https://www.hypebot.com/limewire-in-settlement-talks-with-riaa-labels/) could have ranged as high as **$1.4 billion** or been cut far lower if the jury saw RIAA tactics as heavy handed. **How much of the $105 million are artists likely to see?**

Exact details have not been released, but traditionally awards have been used to fight piracy rather than to remunerate damaged artists. In fact, RIAA spokesman Jonathan Lamy recently told [TorrentFreak](http://torrentfreak.com/limewire-pays-riaa-105-million-artists-get-nothing-110513?ref=hypebot.com) that damages from piracy lawsuits never go to artists. **“Any funds recouped are re-invested into our ongoing education and anti-piracy programs,”** he said.

Uncompensated artists meant nothing to an **RIAA** ready to **declare victory** yesterday. "The resolution of this case is **another milestone** in the continuing evolution of online music to a legitimate marketplace that appropriately rewards creators,” RIAA Chairman Mitch Bainwol said in a statement.

On that point, **many artists agree with the RIAA.** It is the "marketplace" in the form of fans; and not the RIAA, major labels or a $105 million settlement that "rewards" them. It sounds like the RIAA just inadvertently endorsed the **direct to fan movement**. Too bad, the $105 million won't go to help fund it.