In a rare move reversing his own decision, a judge says he discovered a major flaw in a lawsuit that accuses hundreds of reggaeton songs of infringement.

Bad Bunny performs during a concert at Merkur Spiel-Arena on June 20, 2026 in Duesseldorf, Germany.

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A federal judge has sided with Bad Bunny and struck down a large portion of a massive copyright lawsuit targeting hundreds of artists over the origins of reggaeton.In a rare move that overturns his own earlier decision, Judge André Birotte Jr. ruled Tuesday (Sept. 1) that reggae duo Steely & Clevie had failed to show that they own valid copyright control over the dembow rhythm — the boom-ch-boom-chick beat heard in almost every reggaeton song.