Linkin Park faces legal battle over hybrid theory anniversary box

Linkin Park finds itself in the crosshairs of a lawsuit from ex-bassist Kyle Christner.

The legal tussle revolves around the band's 2020 anniversary re-release of their iconic 2000 debut album, Hybrid Theory, boasting rare and unreleased tracks.

He contends that despite his significant role in creating many of these songs during his stint with the band in the late 1990s, he has neither received due credit nor any royalties for his contributions.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court, outlines Christner's claim that his involvement in the creative process has been expunged, leaving him without compensation for his instrumental role. 

His legal team states emphatically, "Christner has never been paid a penny for his work with Linkin Park, nor has he been properly credited, even as defendants have benefitted from his creative efforts."

He alleges that he was a part of Linkin Park for several months in 1999 until an abrupt dismissal just before the band secured a record deal with Warner Records.

Despite his departure, Christner asserts that he played bass on a self-released EP and contributed to multiple demo recordings, some of which he actively helped compose. 

Shockingly, he claims that around 20 of these recordings surfaced on the 2020 re-release, positioning him as a joint creator of numerous tracks featured in the box set.

The dispute between Linkin Park and former bassist has reached a pivotal moment. 

The correspondence, allegedly stating, "You get mechanical royalties for 3 demos and the 6-song Hybrid Theory EP that you performed on," prompted Kyle to seek a more detailed breakdown of his entitled royalties.

The lawsuit seeks a declaratory judgment, asking the court to affirm Christner's status as a co-author and co-owner of the copyrights involved. 

Additionally, it requests the court to adjudicate the "rights and obligations of the parties," determining whether the band owes him a share of royalties and the amount owed.