One of the most closely watched legal disputes in the music industry, involving artists such as Bad Bunny, Justin Bieber, Daddy Yankee, and Karol G, suffered a significant setback in the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles. A federal judge rejected a substantial portion of the action that accused these artists of improperly using the characteristic syncopated beat of reggaeton.
Judge André Birotte Jr. reversed an earlier decision and sided in favor of more than 150 artists and companies named as defendants in the case. The ruling dismissed the main points of the action brought against them, although the case has not yet concluded.
The lawsuit was filed in 2021 by producers and composers responsible for the song "Fish Market," from 1989, and two other songs released during that same period. The dispute centers on the rights to the beat that underpins reggaeton, a music genre that has become extremely popular globally over the past few decades.
