Linkin Park moves to dismiss ex-bassist’s copyright dispute

Legal representatives for Linkin Park have filed a motion to dismiss a copyright dispute brought against them by their former bassist Kyle Christner. Christner, who briefly played with the band from 1998 to 1999, filed a lawsuit last year against the band, their label, and other associated parties.

He alleged that he was improperly left uncredited for his contributions and performances on certain songs created by the band during their early years, resulting in him not receiving the financial compensation he believes he is entitled to.

Central to the dispute are several rare and early demo tracks included in the 20th-anniversary deluxe edition of Linkin Park‘s debut album “Hybrid Theory,” released in 2020. Christner claimed involvement in various tracks, including those from the “Hybrid Theory” EP, forgotten demos, LPU rarities, and B-Side rarities.

According to Christner, he was only acknowledged for his contributions to nine of the tracks mentioned, and he alleges that he was ignored by the band’s representatives after expressing his grievances. Billboard.com reports that Linkin Park filed a motion to dismiss the case on March 5th, citing concerns about the statute of limitations and questioning the nature of Christner’s involvement on several tracks.

The band’s legal team contests Christner’s purported ownership of the works mentioned in the lawsuit, stating that they had denied his claims of ownership more than three years prior to the lawsuit being filed, and for over two decades.

Christner intends to challenge the motion and seeks proper credit and financial compensation for his alleged contributions to the songs in question.