Music Folks

Limp Bizkit: The Nu Metal Giants Who Refused to Go Away

October 14, 2026 · by Music Folks

Limp Bizkit were the loudest, brashest and most argued-over band of the nu metal boom. Formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1994, they fused rap vocals, heavy riffs and turntable scratches into a sound that sold millions at the turn of the millennium, then drew as much scorn as praise. More than three decades on, the band is still recording, still headlining festivals and, after a chart-topping single in 2025, enjoying a fresh burst of attention.

Quick Facts

Formed: 1994, Jacksonville, Florida
Members: Fred Durst (vocals), Wes Borland (guitar), John Otto (drums), DJ Lethal (turntables); founding bassist Sam Rivers (died 2025)
Genre: Nu metal, rap metal, rap rock
Key albums: Significant Other (1999), Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water (2000)
Key songs: “Nookie,” “Break Stuff,” “Rollin’ (Air Raid Vehicle),” “My Way,” “Behind Blue Eyes”
Awards: Three Grammy nominations

A Bar in Jacksonville

The band began when Fred Durst saw bassist Sam Rivers playing a five-string bass in a Jacksonville bar and suggested they start a group together. Rivers brought in drummer John Otto, and after a couple of short-lived guitarists, Wes Borland became the permanent fixture. DJ Lethal added turntables and hip-hop texture. Durst picked the deliberately off-putting name to weed out casual listeners, and the band refused when labels later pushed them to change it.

Their debut, Three Dollar Bill, Y’all, arrived in July 1997 on Flip Records with Interscope distribution and made little impact at first. A cover of George Michael’s “Faith” changed that, becoming a major radio hit in 1998 and putting the band in front of a much wider audience.

The Peak Years

Significant Other (1999) went to No. 1 on the Billboard 200, selling more than 640,000 copies in its first week on the strength of “Nookie” and “Re-Arranged.” That summer the band played Woodstock ’99 to a crowd of around 200,000. Violence and destruction broke out during and after their set, with fans tearing plywood from the walls during “Break Stuff.” Durst said he did not see anyone get hurt and blamed the promoters, but the show has followed the band ever since.

Then came Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water, released on October 17, 2000. It sold 1,054,511 copies in its first week in the US, a record for a rock album, topped the Billboard 200 and was eventually certified six times platinum. “Rollin’ (Air Raid Vehicle),” “My Generation” and “My Way” kept the band on radio and MTV, and their cover of The Who’s “Behind Blue Eyes” later became another hit.

Splits, Reunions and Lawsuits

Borland left in October 2001, and Results May Vary (2003) reached No. 3 but drew largely unfavorable reviews. He returned in 2004 for the 2005 EP The Unquestionable Truth (Part 1), after which the band went on hiatus. A full reunion in 2009 led to Gold Cobra (2011), a short and turbulent stint with Cash Money Records, and years of teasing a seventh album, Stampede of the Disco Elephants, which has never appeared. Instead, the band surprised fans with Still Sucks on Halloween 2021, preceded by the single “Dad Vibes.”

In October 2024 the band, Durst and his label Flawless Records sued Universal Music Group, claiming more than $200 million in unpaid royalties. A federal judge dismissed most of the claims in March 2025, sending contract disputes to state courts while a copyright claim continued. In September 2025, “Making Love to Morgan Wallen,” recorded for the Battlefield 6 soundtrack, topped several Billboard charts.

Losing Sam Rivers

Sam Rivers stepped away in 2015 because of health problems and rejoined in 2018. He played his last show with the band at the Leeds Festival in August 2025 and died on October 18, 2025, at age 48. The band, which did not give a cause of death, called him “a once-in-a-lifetime kind of human.” Richie Buxton played bass when they returned to the stage in Mexico City that November.

Where They Are Now

As of October 2026, Limp Bizkit remain active with Durst, Borland, Otto and DJ Lethal at the core. They were booked to headline Louisville’s Louder Than Life festival in September 2026, and studio photos shared in August 2026 suggested new music is on the way. Whatever critics made of them in 2000, the band has outlasted the genre it helped define.

Sources

Tagged: 1990s, American, Nu Metal