Judge Reverses Decision, Sides with Bad Bunny in Reggaeton Copyright Case

A federal judge has reversed his prior decision and dismissed much of a copyright lawsuit against Bad Bunny and other reggaeton artists. The judge ruled that plaintiffs Steely & Clevie did not prove they own valid copyright over the dembow rhythm. The case had accused nearly 2,000 songs of infringement.

EXPANDED:

The lawsuit, initiated in 2021, named a vast roster of performers including Pitbull, Drake, Daddy Yankee, Luis Fonsi, and Justin Bieber alongside Bad Bunny and Karol G. Plaintiffs claimed their 1989 track "Fish Market" originated the dembow rhythm that underpins countless reggaeton compositions, and critics had warned the case effectively sought a monopoly over an entire musical genre.

Judge Birotte's reversal stemmed from recognizing that the allegedly protected beat