2008 Universal Studios fire
On June 1, 2008, a fire broke out on the backlot of Universal Studios Hollywood, an American movie studio and theme park in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles County, California, United States.
![]() The Courthouse facade is visible to the left of the smoke plume from the 2008 fire | |
Date | June 1, 2008 |
---|---|
Cause | Heated asphalt shingle |
Outcome | Destruction of three acres of Universal backlot, King Kong Encounter, original master tapes for popular music, and digital TV and movie backups |
Non-fatal injuries | 17 |
The fire began when a worker used a blowtorch to warm shingles.[1][2] He left before checking that all spots had cooled, and a three-alarm fire broke out.
Nine firefighters and a Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy sustained minor injuries. The fire ended after 12 hours.
Universal Pictures said that the fire destroyed a three-acre (1.2 ha) portion of the Universal backlot, including the ride King Kong Encounter and 40,000 to 50,000 archived digital video and movie copies.
A 2019 New York Times article said that the fire also destroyed 118,000 to 175,000 audio master tapes belonging to Universal Music Group (UMG).[3] This included original recordings belonging to some of the best-selling artists worldwide.[4]
List of artists affected
According to The New York Times Magazine, artists whose original master recordings were destroyed in whole or part in the 2008 fire include:[3]
- 38 Special
- 50 Cent
- Colonel Abrams
- Johnny Ace
- Bryan Adams
- Nat Adderley
- Aerosmith
- Rhett Akins
- Manny Albam
- Lorez Alexandria
- Gary Allan
- Red Allen
- Steve Allen
- Ames Brothers
- Gene Ammons
- Bill Anderson
- John Anderson
- The Andrews Sisters
- Lee Andrews & the Hearts
- Paul Anka
- Adam Ant
- Toni Arden
- Joan Armatrading
- Louis Armstrong
- Asia
- Asleep at the Wheel
- Audioslave
- Patti Austin
- Average White Band
- Albert Ayler
- Hoyt Axton
- Burt Bacharach
- Joan Baez
- Razzy Bailey
- Chet Baker
- Florence Ballard
- Hank Ballard
- Gato Barbieri
- Baja Marimba Band
- The Banana Splits
- Len Barry
- Count Basie
- Fontella Bass
- The Beat Farmers
- Sidney Bechet
- Beck
- Captain Beefheart
- Archie Bell & the Drells
- Vincent Bell
- Bell Biv DeVoe
- Louie Bellson
- David Benoit
- George Benson
- Berlin
- Elmer Bernstein
- Chuck Berry
- Nuno Bettencourt
- Stephen Bishop
- Blackstreet
- Art Blakey
- Hal Blaine
- Bobby "Blue" Bland
- The Blind Boys of Alabama
- Mary J. Blige
- Blink-182
- Blues Traveler
- Eddie Bo
- Pat Boone
- Boston
- Connee Boswell
- Eddie Boyd
- Jan Bradley
- Owen Bradley
- Oscar Brand
- Bob Braun
- Walter Brennan
- Jackie Brenston
- Teresa Brewer
- Edie Brickell & New Bohemians
- John Brim
- Willmer "Little Ax" Broadnax
- Lonnie Brooks
- Big Bill Broonzy
- Brothers Johnson
- Bobby Brown
- Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown
- Lawrence Brown
- Les Brown
- Marion Brown
- Marshall Brown
- Michael Brown
- Mel Brown
- Dave Brubeck
- Jimmy Buffett
- Carol Burnett
- T-Bone Burnett
- Johnny Burnette
- Terry Callier
- Cab Calloway
- The Call
- Glen Campbell
- Captain & Tennille
- Captain Sensible
- Irene Cara
- Belinda Carlisle
- Carl Carlton
- Eric Carmen
- Hoagy Carmichael
- Karen Carpenter
- Richard Carpenter
- The Carpenters
- Barbara Carr
- Benny Carter
- Betty Carter
- The Carter Family
- Peter Case
- Alvin Cash
- Rosanne Cash
- Bobby Charles
- Ray Charles
- Chubby Checker
- Cheech & Chong
- Checkmates, Ltd.
- Cher
- Don Cherry
- Mark Chesnutt
- The Chi-Lites
- El Chicano
- Eric Clapton
- Gene Clark
- Petula Clark
- Roy Clark
- Merry Clayton
- Jimmy Cliff
- Patsy Cline
- Rosemary Clooney
- Wayne Cochran
- Joe Cocker
- Gloria Coleman
- Ornette Coleman
- Mitty Collier
- Jazzbo Collins
- Judy Collins
- Alice Coltrane
- John Coltrane
- Colosseum
- Common
- Cookie and his Cupcakes
- Barbara Cook
- Rita Coolidge
- Stewart Copeland
- The Corsairs
- Dave "Baby" Cortez
- Bill Cosby
- Don Costa
- Clifford Coulter
- Counting Crows
- Coverdale•Page
- Warren Covington
- Deborah Cox
- Crazy Otto
- Marshall Crenshaw
- The Crew-Cuts
- Bing Crosby
- Bob Crosby
- David Crosby
- Crosby & Nash
- Sheryl Crow
- Rodney Crowell
- The Cuff Links
- Xavier Cugat
- Tim Curry
- The Damned
- Danny & The Juniors
- Rodney Dangerfield
- Bobby Darin
- Helen Darling
- David & David
- Billy Davis Jr.
- Mac Davis
- Richard Davis
- Sammy Davis Jr.
- Chris de Burgh
- Lenny Dee
- Jack DeJohnette
- The Dells
- The Del-Vikings
- Sandy Denny
- Sugar Pie DeSanto
- The Desert Rose Band
- Dennis DeYoung
- Neil Diamond
- Bo Diddley
- Difford & Tilbrook
- Dillard & Clark
- The Dixie Hummingbirds
- Willie Dixon
- DJ Shadow
- Fats Domino
- Jimmy Donley
- Kenny Dorham
- Jimmy Dorsey
- Lee Dorsey
- Tommy Dorsey
- Lamont Dozier
- The Dramatics
- The Dream Syndicate
- The Dream Weavers
- Roy Drusky
- Jimmy Durante
- Deanna Durbin
- Eagles
- Steve Earle
- Danny Elfman
- Yvonne Elliman
- Duke Ellington
- Cass Elliot
- Joe Ely
- John Entwistle
- Eminem
- Eric B. & Rakim
- Gil Evans
- Paul Evans
- Betty Everett
- Don Everly
- Extreme
- The Falcons
- Harold Faltermeyer
- Donna Fargo
- Art Farmer
- Freddy Fender
- Ferrante & Teicher
- Fever Tree
- The 5th Dimension
- Ella Fitzgerald
- The Fixx
- The Flamingos
- King Floyd
- The Flying Burrito Brothers
- John Fogerty
- Red Foley
- The Four Aces
- Four Tops
- Peter Frampton
- Franke and the Knockouts
- Aretha Franklin
- C. L. Franklin
- Frazier River
- The Free Movement
- Glenn Frey
- Lefty Frizzell
- Curtis Fuller
- Jerry Fuller
- Harvey Fuqua
- Nelly Furtado
- Hank Garland
- Judy Garland
- Erroll Garner
- Larry Gatlin
- Jimmy Garrison
- Gene Loves Jezebel
- Barry Gibb
- Georgia Gibbs
- Terri Gibbs
- Dizzy Gillespie
- Gin Blossoms
- Tompall Glaser
- Glass Harp
- Tom Glazer
- Whoopi Goldberg
- Golden Earring
- Paul Gonsalves
- Benny Goodman
- Dexter Gordon
- Rosco Gordon
- Eydie Gormé
- Lesley Gore
- Teddy Grace
- Grand Funk Railroad
- Amy Grant
- Earl Grant
- The Grass Roots
- Dobie Gray
- Buddy Greco
- Al Green
- Keith Green
- Jack Greene
- Robert Greenidge
- Lee Greenwood
- Patty Griffin
- Nanci Griffith
- Dave Grusin
- Guns N' Roses
- Buddy Guy
- Buddy Hackett
- Charlie Haden
- Merle Haggard
- Bill Haley & His Comets
- Aaron Hall
- Lani Hall
- Chico Hamilton
- George Hamilton IV
- Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds
- Marvin Hamlisch
- Jan Hammer
- Lionel Hampton
- John Handy
- Slim Harpo
- Richard Harris
- Freddie Hart
- Dan Hartman
- Johnny Hartman
- Coleman Hawkins
- Dale Hawkins
- Richie Havens
- Roy Haynes
- Head East
- Heavy D
- Bobby Helms
- Don Henley
- Clarence "Frogman" Henry
- Woody Herman
- Milt Herth
- John Hiatt
- Al Hibbler
- Dan Hicks
- Monk Higgins
- Jessie Hill
- Earl Hines
- Roger Hodgson
- Hole
- Billie Holiday
- Jennifer Holliday
- Buddy Holly
- The Hollywood Flames
- Eddie Holman
- John Lee Hooker
- Stix Hooper
- Bob Hope
- Paul Horn
- Shirley Horn
- Big Walter Horton
- Thelma Houston
- Rebecca Lynn Howard
- Jan Howard
- Howlin' Wolf
- Freddie Hubbard
- Humble Pie
- Engelbert Humperdinck
- Brian Hyland
- The Impressions
- The Ink Spots
- Iron Butterfly
- Burl Ives
- Janet Jackson
- Joe Jackson
- Milt Jackson
- Ahmad Jamal
- Etta James
- Elmore James
- James Gang
- Keith Jarrett
- Jason & The Scorchers
- Jawbreaker
- Garland Jeffreys
- Beverly Jenkins
- Gordon Jenkins
- The Jets
- Jimmy Eat World
- Jodeci
- Johnnie & Joe
- The Joe Perry Project
- Elton John
- J. J. Johnson
- Al Jolson
- Booker T. Jones
- Elvin Jones
- George Jones
- Hank Jones
- Jack Jones
- Marti Jones
- Quincy Jones
- Rickie Lee Jones
- Tamiko Jones
- Tom Jones
- Louis Jordan
- The Jordanaires
- Jurassic 5
- Bert Kaempfert
- Kitty Kallen
- Kalin Twins
- Bob Kames
- Kansas
- Boris Karloff
- Sammy Kaye
- K-Ci & JoJo
- Toby Keith
- Gene Kelly
- Chaka Khan
- Andy Kim
- B.B. King
- Martin Luther King Jr.
- The Kingsmen
- The Kingston Trio
- Roland Kirk
- Eartha Kitt
- John Klemmer
- Klymaxx
- Baker Knight
- Chris Knight
- Gladys Knight & the Pips
- Krokus
- Steve Kuhn
- Joachim Kühn
- Rolf Kühn
- Patti LaBelle
- L.A. Dream Team
- Frankie Laine
- Lambert, Hendricks & Ross
- Denise LaSalle
- Yusef Lateef
- Steve Lawrence
- Vicki Lawrence
- Lafayette Leake
- Brenda Lee
- Laura Lee
- Leapy Lee
- Peggy Lee
- Danni Leigh
- The Lennon Sisters
- J.B. Lenoir
- Jerry Lee Lewis
- Jerry Lewis
- Meade Lux Lewis
- Ramsey Lewis
- Liberace
- Lifehouse
- Enoch Light
- The Lightning Seeds
- Limp Bizkit
- Lisa Loeb
- Little Milton
- Little River Band
- Little Walter
- Lobo
- Nils Lofgren
- Lone Justice
- Guy Lombardo
- Lord Tracy
- The Louvin Brothers
- Love
- Patty Loveless
- Lyle Lovett
- Love Unlimited
- Loretta Lynn
- L.T.D.
- Lynyrd Skynyrd
- Moms Mabley
- Willie Mabon
- Warner Mack
- Dave Mackay
- Miriam Makeba
- The Mamas and the Papas
- Melissa Manchester
- Barbara Mandrell
- Chuck Mangione
- Shelly Manne
- Wade Marcus
- Mark-Almond
- Pigmeat Markham
- Steve Marriott
- Wink Martindale
- Groucho Marx
- Hugh Masekela
- Dave Mason
- Jerry Mason
- Matthews Southern Comfort
- The Mavericks
- Robert Maxwell
- John Mayall
- Percy Mayfield
- Lyle Mays
- Les McCann
- Delbert McClinton
- Robert Lee McCollum
- Marilyn McCoo
- Van McCoy
- Jimmy McCracklin
- Jack McDuff
- Reba McEntire
- Gary McFarland
- Barry McGuire
- The McGuire Sisters
- Duff McKagan
- Maria McKee
- McKendree Spring
- Marian McPartland
- Clyde McPhatter
- Carmen McRae
- Jack McVea
- Meat Loaf
- John Mellencamp
- Memphis Slim
- Sergio Mendes
- Ethel Merman
- Pat Metheny
- Mighty Clouds of Joy
- Roger Miller
- Stephanie Mills
- The Mills Brothers
- Liza Minnelli
- Charles Mingus
- Joni Mitchell
- Bill Monroe
- Vaughn Monroe
- Buddy Montgomery
- Wes Montgomery
- The Moody Blues
- The Moonglows
- Jane Morgan
- Russ Morgan
- Ennio Morricone
- Mos Def
- Martin Mull
- Gerry Mulligan
- Milton Nascimento
- Johnny Nash
- Nazareth
- Nelson
- Jimmy Nelson
- Oliver Nelson
- Ricky Nelson
- Aaron Neville
- Art Neville
- The Neville Brothers
- New Edition
- New Riders of the Purple Sage
- Olivia Newton-John
- Night Ranger
- Leonard Nimoy
- Nine Inch Nails
- Nirvana
- Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
- No Doubt
- Ken Nordine
- Red Norvo
- Terri Nunn
- The Oak Ridge Boys
- Ric Ocasek
- Phil Ochs
- Hazel O'Connor
- Chico O'Farrill
- Oingo Boingo
- The O'Jays
- Spooner Oldham
- One Flew South
- Yoko Ono
- Orleans
- Jeffrey Osborne
- The Outfield
- Jackie Paris
- Leo Parker
- Junior Parker
- Ray Parker Jr.
- Dolly Parton
- Les Paul
- Freda Payne
- Peaches & Herb
- The Peppermint Rainbow
- The Persuasions
- Bernadette Peters
- Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
- John Phillips
- Webb Pierce
- Poco
- The Pointer Sisters
- The Police
- Doc Pomus
- Jimmy Ponder
- Iggy Pop
- Billy Preston
- Lloyd Price
- Louis Prima
- Primus
- Red Prysock
- Puddle of Mudd
- Leroy Pullins
- The Pussycat Dolls
- Quarterflash
- Queen Latifah
- Sun Ra
- The Radiants
- Gerry Rafferty
- Kenny Rankin
- The Ray Charles Singers
- The Ray-O-Vacs
- The Rays
- Dewey Redman
- Della Reese
- Martha Reeves
- R.E.M.
- Debbie Reynolds
- Emitt Rhodes
- Busta Rhymes
- Buddy Rich
- Emil Richards
- Dannie Richmond
- Riders in the Sky
- Stan Ridgway
- Sam Rivers
- Max Roach
- Howard Roberts
- Marty Roberts
- The Roches
- Chris Rock
- Tommy Roe
- Jimmy Rogers
- Sonny Rollins
- The Roots
- Rose Royce
- Doctor Ross
- Jackie Ross
- Rotary Connection
- Roswell Rudd
- Rufus
- Otis Rush
- Brenda Russell
- Leon Russell
- Pee Wee Russell
- The Russian Jazz Quartet
- Mitch Ryder
- Buffy Sainte-Marie
- Joe Sample
- Pharoah Sanders
- The Sandpipers
- Shirley Scott
- Tom Scott
- Dawn Sears
- Neil Sedaka
- Jeannie Seely
- Semisonic
- Charlie Sexton
- Tupac Shakur
- Georgie Shaw
- Marlena Shaw
- Archie Shepp
- Dinah Shore
- Ben Sidran
- Silver Apples
- Shel Silverstein
- The Simon Sisters
- Ashlee Simpson
- The Simpsons
- Zoot Sims
- P.F. Sloan
- Smash Mouth
- Kate Smith
- Keely Smith
- Tab Smith
- Patty Smyth
- Snoop Dogg
- Valaida Snow
- Jill Sobule
- Soft Machine
- Sonic Youth
- Sonny & Cher
- The Soul Stirrers
- Soundgarden
- Eddie South
- Southern Culture on the Skids
- The Sparkletones
- Spinal Tap
- The Spokesmen
- Squeeze
- Jo Stafford
- Chris Stamey
- Joe Stampley
- Michael Stanley
- Kay Starr
- Stealers Wheel
- Steely Dan
- Gwen Stefani
- Steppenwolf
- Cat Stevens
- Billy Stewart
- Sting
- Sonny Stitt
- Shane Stockton
- George Strait
- Strawberry Alarm Clock
- Strawbs
- Steve and Eydie
- Styx
- Sublime
- Sum 41
- Yma Sumac
- Andy Summers
- The Sundowners
- Supertramp
- The Surfaris
- Sylvia Syms
- Gábor Szabó
- The Tams
- Grady Tate
- t.A.T.u.
- Billy Taylor
- Koko Taylor
- Charlie Teagarden
- Temple of the Dog
- Clark Terry
- Tesla
- Sister Rosetta Tharpe
- Robin Thicke
- Toots Thielemans
- B.J. Thomas
- Irma Thomas
- Rufus Thomas
- Hank Thompson
- Lucky Thompson
- Big Mama Thornton
- Three Dog Night
- The Three Stooges
- Tiffany
- Mel Tillis
- Tommy & the Tom Toms
- Mel Tormé
- The Tragically Hip
- The Trapp Family Singers
- Ralph Tresvant
- Ernest Tubb
- The Tubes
- Tanya Tucker
- Tommy Tucker
- The Tune Weavers
- Ike Turner
- Stanley Turrentine
- Conway Twitty
- McCoy Tyner
- Phil Upchurch
- Michael Utley
- Leroy Van Dyke
- Gino Vannelli
- Van Zant
- Billy Vaughan
- Suzanne Vega
- Veruca Salt
- The Vibrations
- Bobby Vinton
- Voivod
- Porter Wagoner
- The Waikikis
- Rufus Wainwright
- Rick Wakeman
- Jerry Jeff Walker
- The Wallflowers
- Joe Walsh
- Wang Chung
- Clara Ward
- Warrior Soul
- War
- Washboard Sam
- Was (Not Was)
- Baby Washington
- The Watchmen
- Muddy Waters
- Jody Watley
- Johnny "Guitar" Watson
- The Weavers
- Ben Webster
- Weezer
- We Five
- George Wein
- Lenny Welch
- Lawrence Welk
- Kitty Wells
- Mae West
- Barry White
- Michael White
- Slappy White
- Whitesnake
- White Zombie
- The Who
- Whycliffe
- Kim Wilde
- Don Williams
- Jody Williams
- John Williams
- Larry Williams
- Lenny Williams
- Leona Williams
- Paul Williams
- Roger Williams
- Sonny Boy Williamson
- Walter Winchell
- Kai Winding
- Johnny Winter
- Wishbone Ash
- Jimmy Witherspoon
- Bobby Womack
- Lee Ann Womack
- Phil Woods
- Wrecks-N-Effect
- O. V. Wright
- Bill Wyman
- Rusty York
- Faron Young
- Neil Young
- Young Black Teenagers
- Y&T
- Rob Zombie
Later legal documents filed by Universal Music Group in February 2020 cited four additional artists not included in the New York Times list: And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, David Baerwald, Michael McDonald, and Slayer.
References
- ↑ "USH 2008 Fire". The Studio Tour. Archived from the original on 2010-08-03. Retrieved July 9, 2010.
- ↑ "Universal Studios blaze burns sets, video vault". CNN. June 1, 2008. http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/06/01/studio.fire/index.html. Retrieved 2008-06-13.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Rosen, Jody (June 25, 2019). "Here Are Hundreds More Artists Whose Tapes Were Destroyed in the UMG Fire". The New York Times. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
- ↑ "Universal Music Group Chief Lucian Grainge Addresses Vault Fire: 'We Owe Our Artists Transparency'". Billboard. https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/8516565/universal-music-group-lucian-grainge-vault-fire-owe-artists-transparency. Retrieved June 19, 2019.