3 Count: Dembow Defeat

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1: Bad Bunny Scores Major Win in Copyright Suit, Judge Reverses Previous Ruling

First off today, Liza Esquibias at USA Today reports that a federal judge has reversed their previous decision in the “Dembow Rhythm” case, dismissing the lawsuit over the iconic reggaeton beat.

The lawsuit was filed by Cleveland “Clevie” Browne and the heirs of Wycliffe “Steely” Johnson. They allege that the famous beat came from their 1990s song Fish Market and was used in over 1,800 various songs without their permission. The lawsuit targeted a variety of artists, including Bad Bunny, Drake and more.

The judge initially ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, setting the stage for a potential trial. However, after the defendants requested a review of the decision, the judge reversed course and said that the plaintiffs, “have failed to identify the copyrighted work embodying the specific selection and arrangement they seek to enforce.” Other elements of the lawsuit are moving forward and it is unclear if the plaintiffs will appeal the decision.

2: Australia Bans AI-Generated Tracks From Official Music Charts to ‘Promote the Human Nature of Artistry’

Next up today, Corbin Bolies at Variety reports that the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) has announced it is barring AI-generated tracks from its weekly charts of popular music and from its music awards.

Recently, an AI-generated cover of the Madonna song Like A Prayer was released and rose to number four on the country’s charts. This sparked backlash from both musicians and fans, saying that AI-generated music should not be allowed to compete with human-made music for a slot on the charts.

The move also follows a similar set of guidelines issued by the IFPI in the regions that it runs the charts. That includes the Middle East, Africa and Southeast Asia. The change in Australia goes into effect tomorrow.

3: RCN Urges Judge to Toss the Major Labels’ ‘Last’ Piracy Liability Lawsuit

Finally today, Ernesto Van der Sar at TorrentFreak writes that the internet service provider (ISP) RCN has asked a federal court to dismiss its long-running copyright infringement lawsuit against the major record labels, saying that it is is the last such lawsuit that is still pending.

The lawsuit was filed by the record labels in 2019. It accused RCN of failing to take adequate action to prevent copyright infringement on its network. However, a recent Supreme Court decision in a similar case found that such ISPs do not have a legal obligation to take action against suspected infringers.

RCN notes that, in the wake of that decision, every other similar lawsuit has been dismissed. However, this case has been quagmired over the past few years, meaning that it is still technically pending despite the Supreme Court decision. RCN is hoping the court will remedy that.

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