Under thirty seconds remaining for Thirty Seconds to Mars - Transformed from Platinum Status to a Million-Dollar Lawsuit Filing
Jared Leto (52), discussing on "The Kyle and Jackie O Show", shared his band 30 Seconds to Mars' brush with financial ruin during their peak popularity. The musician amassed a substantial debt with his label and ended up in court - all while basking in the success of their second album's breakthrough.
$30 million Lawsuit
In spite of selling over three million copies of "A Beautiful Lie" in 2005, Jared Leto and the band, including his brother and drummer Shannon Leto (54), found themselves owing their label EMI a staggering $2.7 million. Matters further worsened as they were hit with a $30 million lawsuit for breach of contract due to delaying work on their third album.
As legend has it, the band documented this legal battle in "Artifact", a film that coincided with the birth of their third album "This Is War". The dispute was eventually settled, paving the way for the band to pen a new contract with EMI. Yet, Leto shows no enthusiasm recalling this era, summarizing, "We survived the craziest chapter of our lives, and it's enjoyable to have moved past it."
Here for the music, Leto affirms
Leto accepts that earning a living in the music industry isn't straightforward, even today. "You make money from gigs," he clarifies. However, that too faces hurdles due to inflation. Despite this, Leto asserts that money isn't the driving force behind his performances: "I'd do it for free. It's incredibly captivating to take the stage."
Despite the financial challenges they faced, including a $30 million lawsuit due to contract breach and a massive debt to their label EMI, the band 30 Seconds to Mars, including Jared Leto and his brother Shannon Leto, continued to create music, releasing their third album "This Is War" and documenting their legal battle in the film "Artifact".
Jared Leto, despite the financial struggles in the music industry, maintains that the love for music is what drives him, stating, "I'd do it for free. It's incredibly captivating to take the stage ♪ With 30 Seconds to Mars ♪."