The $72 Trillion LimeWire Lawsuit, Explained
In 2006 the major record labels sued LimeWire in Arista Records LLC v. Lime Group LLC (S.D.N.Y., 06 Civ. 5936). On 29 September 2026 the official LimeWire account reminded the internet of the number the music industry once put on the table: $72 trillion.
What was LimeWire?
LimeWire launched in 2000 as a Java client for the Gnutella network: no account, no central catalogue, no server to switch off. At its peak in 2007 it was reportedly installed on about 36% of the world's personal computers, which made it both the most widely installed file-sharing application and the most sued.
Why did the music industry sue LimeWire?
The labels argued that LimeWire induced its users to infringe copyright on a massive scale. On 11 May 2010 Judge Kimba Wood agreed and granted summary judgment. On 26 October 2010 an injunction forced the client offline, and installations around the world showed a message saying the software had been disabled by court order.
How did the damages reach $72 trillion?
The labels counted statutory damages per infringement rather than per work. Multiplied across every song and every download, the figure reached about $72 trillion — more than the size of the world economy at the time. The court rejected that reading and limited damages to one award per work.
How much did LimeWire actually pay?
LimeWire settled in May 2011, two days into the damages trial, for $105 million: about 0.00015% of the amount the labels had sought.
What happened to the people who used it?
Alongside the case against the software, the industry pursued individual users between 2003 and 2008 — tens of thousands of letters and settlement demands sent to students, parents and people who had never heard the word Gnutella. Most paid a few thousand dollars rather than face a courtroom.
Is LimeWire back?
The LimeWire name returned in 2022. Follow @limewire or visit limewire.com.
See the interactive timeline →