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Reggaeton Rhythm Lawsuit Struck Down by Judge
2 Sep
Summary
- Judge reversed his own decision on a reggaeton copyright lawsuit.
- The lawsuit accused hundreds of artists of infringing on the dembow rhythm.
- The judge found the dembow rhythm was not properly copyrighted.
A federal judge has overturned a prior ruling, significantly curtailing a massive copyright lawsuit that targeted hundreds of reggaeton songs. Judge André Birotte Jr. declared on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, that the reggae duo Steely & Clevie failed to prove ownership of a valid copyright for the dembow rhythm, the signature beat of reggaeton music.
This ruling is a major victory for defendants like Bad Bunny, Karol G, and Daddy Yankee. The lawsuit, filed in 2021, claimed Steely & Clevie's 1989 song "Fish Market" originated the dembow beat, alleging infringement in nearly 2,000 songs by over 150 artists. Critics argued the suit sought to monopolize an entire musical genre.
Previously, the judge had sent the case to trial, stating a jury would decide the copyrightability of the dembow rhythm's arrangement. However, he reversed this, admitting he overlooked a critical flaw: the alleged proprietary beat did not exist entirely within any single song owned by the plaintiffs. U.S. copyright law, he clarified, does not protect abstract amalgamations of elements from multiple works.
Future litigation may still occur concerning songs that allegedly directly sampled Steely & Clevie's sound recordings. However, these claims are far more limited than the central dispute over the "compositional" elements that were dismissed by Tuesday's decision. Bad Bunny's attorney praised the ruling, stating copyright protects what an artist created, not a litigation-assembled collage.
