Bad Bunny and music stars want reggaeton copyright lawsuit thrown out

Bad Bunny and some of the music industry's biggest stars want a lawsuit that alleges copyright infringement of a 1989 song thrown out of court.

Lawyers from Freundlich Law representing Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, known as the superstar Bad Bunny, last Thursday filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing the musical elements in question don't fall under copyright protection.

A lawsuit filed by lawyers for Jamaican reggae producers Steely & Clevie claimed more than 100 artists and labels infringed copyright on a rhythm in their song "Fish Market."

Bad Bunny's lawyers argue the plaintiffs are attempting to "monopolize practically the entire reggaeton musical genre for themselves" by claiming copyright ownership of musical compositions sampled by over 100 artists in more than 1,600 songs. Bad Bunny himself is accused in the lawsuit of copyright infringement for 77 songs.

The foundational drum beats come from Jamaican dancehall duo Steely & Clevie, composed of Wycliffe Johnson and Cleveland Browne, who co-wrote "Fish Market" in 1989.

The lawsuit was originally filed in 2021.

Bad Bunny's lawyers claim the characteristics cited by the plaintiffs, including rhythm, instrument choices and parts of synthesized sounds and timbre, are the building blocks of the entire genre, and that potentially copyrightable elements, such as melody and lyrics, are not included in the plaintiffs' case.