Some of you are likely wondering why we're reporting on a fire that happened over a decade ago. A disaster that has been called the "most devastating" moment in the history of the music business occurred in 2008 when flames burned down several areas inside Universal Studios in Los Angeles. The fire was said to have destroyed one park attraction and a video vault but it was only revealed a few weeks ago that the flames actually took down way more than that. Universal had tried to cover up the damages but thousands of master recordings from UMG artists were destroyed as well. Masters from iconic artists like Tupac Shakur, Eminem, 50 Cent, The Roots, and more. After further research from the New York Times, a list of 700 more artists has been revealed, painting a more accurate picture.
The new report names seven-hundred artists that had their master recordings destroyed in the fire, adding to the already extensive list that was distributed earlier this year. Famed acts like Weezer, Blink-182, Neil Young, Common, Limp Bizkit, and even Dr. Martin Luther King Jr were added, who had one of his speeches burned down.
As more information continues to leak out about the devastating aftermath of the fire, we're sure even more artists will be added to the growing list soon. As reported by Pitchfork, UMG is being sued by Soundgarden, Hole, the estate of Tupac Shakur, and more.
