Los Lobos Pursues $2.75 Million in Royalties from Sony

The renowned rock band Los Lobos has initiated legal action against Sony Pictures Entertainment and Sony Music Entertainment over claims of unpaid royalties linked to soundtrack recordings for the films La Bamba and Desperado. The lawsuits, filed in late 2022 and recently moved to federal court, contend that the band has not received proper accounting for global royalties, totaling an estimated $1.5 million to $2.75 million.

In the first lawsuit, Los Lobos asserts that the La Bamba soundtrack achieved double platinum status, with their cover of “La Bamba” reaching number one in at least 15 countries. Despite this commercial success, the band claims they have not received any streaming royalties for the song’s performance outside the United States and Canada. They discovered a “massive deficiency” in royalty statements back in March 2023, and the lawsuit indicates that unpaid royalties related to the soundtrack could range from $1 million to $2 million, with Sony Pictures responsible for these payments.

Details of the Desperado Lawsuit

The second lawsuit pertains to the film Desperado, directed by Richard Rodriguez. Los Lobos alleges that in 1993, they agreed to provide several songs for the film’s soundtrack, including “Canción del Mariachi,” which featured the lead actor, Antonio Banderas. According to the lawsuit, Cesar Rosas, a member of Los Lobos, wrote the entire composition.

In 2004, an independent label, Milan Entertainment, released a compilation album titled *Robert Rodriguez’s Mexico and Mariachis*, featuring the band’s song with liner notes indicating it was included “courtesy of Columbia Pictures.” The lawsuit also claims that in 2018, Milan re-released the song on streaming platforms such as Spotify and YouTube, where it reportedly garnered over 150 million streams each.

The song’s popularity surged after mixed martial arts fighter Ilia “El Matador” Topuria adopted it as his walkout anthem. This exposure has led to significant use in various television programs globally. Despite the song’s extensive streaming and licensing activities, Los Lobos argues that they have never received a royalty statement from Sony detailing any of the song’s uses since the 2018 re-release.

The band describes the lack of accounting as “egregious.” In 2019, Sony Music Masterworks purchased Milan, marking a significant change in the distribution of the song. The lawsuit asserts that both Sony entities were aware of the song’s value due to Topuria’s endorsement, as evidenced by the alteration of its title on Spotify to “Canción del Mariachi (Ilia Topuria ‘El Matador’ Anthem).”

Los Lobos claims that the total streams of the song have exceeded 600 million, and based on their contractual agreement, they are entitled to a revenue share estimated between $500,000 and $750,000. They are seeking a court determination of the exact amount owed through discovery, and if necessary, a trial. Additionally, the band requests a 24 percent share of net revenues from any licensing deals involving the song.

Lawyers representing both Los Lobos and Sony did not respond to requests for comment on the ongoing legal matters. Formed in East Los Angeles in 1973, Los Lobos has been nominated for 12 Grammy Awards and has won four, solidifying their status as a significant force in the music industry.