30 Seconds to Mars and the Music Business

Performances

Electric Factory (2010)
Church of Mars Photo Gallery
Church of Mars Video Gallery

About the Music Business

For many years I’ve been conducting research and development into the music industry. There are a few prime case studies, such as Prince being contractually prevented from using his own name by Warner Music. Jared Leto and 30 Seconds to Mars provide another powerful example.

Jared Leto built a unique music-business model and succeeded creatively, but at the same time he had to battle his record label simply to survive. My interest was first piqued in 2008 when I saw a member of 30 Seconds to Mars performing with Angels & Airwaves. That member was Matt Wachter. He had been the bassist for 30 Seconds to Mars from 2001 to 2007. After leaving the band, Wachter joined Angels & Airwaves in April 2007 and remained with them through the touring and album cycle that included I-Empire and beyond. His move between bands was shaped by the broader record-label conflicts surrounding 30 Seconds to Mars at the time.

Since then, Thirty Seconds to Mars has become well known in the music industry for a landmark legal battle with their former record label, EMI/Virgin Records—a fight that became a defining moment in the band’s business identity.

The $30 Million Lawsuit (2008–2009)
In 2008, EMI sued the band for $30 million, alleging a breach of contract for failing to deliver three of five required albums.

• The Band’s Defense: Lead singer Jared Leto argued that the contract was void under the “De Havilland Law” (California Labor Code Section 2855), which prohibits personal-service contracts from lasting more than seven years. The band had been signed for nine years at the time.
• Royalties and Debt: Despite selling millions of copies of their second album, A Beautiful Lie, the band claimed they had never received royalties and were instead $1.4 million in debt to the label due to recoupment and “creative accounting.”
• Resolution: The lawsuit was settled in April 2009. The band signed a more favorable new deal with EMI and released their third album, This Is War.

Artifact Documentary
The entire dispute was chronicled in the 2012 documentary Artifact, directed by Leto under the pseudonym Bartholomew Cubbins. The film offers a critical look at the “broken” state of the modern music industry and the power imbalance between artists and major corporations.

Current Business Status (2026)

• Label Transitions: After their contract with EMI/Universal ended, the band moved through several labels, including Interscope for the 2018 album America.
• Current Partner: Their most recent work, including the 2023 album It’s the End of the World but It’s a Beautiful Day, was released through Concord Records.
• 2026 Anniversary Release: In late 2025, the band announced special 20th-anniversary physical editions of A Beautiful Lie, scheduled to ship in March 2026.
• Entrepreneurial Approach: The legal battle pushed the band toward a more entrepreneurial model. They now retain greater control over their creative output and own certain assets, including the Artifact documentary.