Los Lobos Sues Sony Over Allegedly Unpaid La Bamba and Desperado Soundtrack Royalties
Los Lobos has filed two lawsuits accusing Sony entities of failing to properly account for and pay royalties related to the band’s recordings for the films La Bamba and Desperado. The actions, quietly filed late last year, allege contract breaches and seek damages and a comprehensive global accounting that could total between $1.5 million and $2.75 million, or more.
The suits name Sony Pictures Entertainment and Sony Music Entertainment as defendants. One of the cases became public on Friday after being transferred to federal court. Los Lobos contends that despite the enduring success of the soundtracks, it has not received royalties commensurate with worldwide exploitation, particularly in the streaming era.
In the first lawsuit, the band focuses on the La Bamba soundtrack, released in 1987 alongside the Richie Valens biopic. The album achieved double-platinum status and featured Los Lobos’ rendition of “La Bamba,” which topped charts in at least 15 countries. According to the complaint, the soundtrack’s continued commercial performance has generated significant revenue over decades. However, Los Lobos alleges it has never been paid streaming royalties for uses of the recordings outside the United States and Canada.
The band says it identified what it calls a “massive deficiency” in royalty statements in March 2025. The filing estimates unpaid international royalties associated with the La Bamba soundtrack at between $1 million and $2 million, with Sony Pictures Entertainment alleged to be responsible for those payments under the relevant agreements.
The second lawsuit concerns music recorded for Desperado, the 1995 film directed by Robert Rodriguez. Los Lobos says it agreed in 1993 to record multiple tracks for the project, including “Canción del Mariachi,” which was performed with the film’s star, Antonio Banderas. The complaint states that Los Lobos guitarist César Rosas wrote the composition in full.
According to the filing, the song later appeared on a 2004 compilation released by Milan Entertainment titled Robert Rodriguez’s Mexico and Mariachis, with liner notes indicating the track was used courtesy of Columbia Pictures. In 2018, Milan allegedly released the recording again on Spotify and YouTube under the shortened title “Mexico and Mariachis.” The band claims the track has since amassed approximately 150 million streams on each platform.
The lawsuit further alleges that the recording experienced renewed global exposure after professional mixed martial artist Ilia “El Matador” Topuria adopted it as his walkout song, leading to additional broadcast use and licensing activity in multiple countries. Despite this, Los Lobos contends that Sony has never issued royalty statements reflecting streaming revenue or licensing income tied to the 2018 release or subsequent uses.
In 2019, Sony Music Masterworks acquired Milan. The band alleges that both companies were aware of the recording’s value, noting that the track’s title on Spotify was later updated to reference Topuria’s association with the song.
The band, which emerged from East Los Angeles in the 1970s, has won multiple Grammy Awards and remains a foundational figure in American rock music. The lawsuits underscore broader, ongoing disputes between legacy artists and rights holders over transparency and compensation in the global streaming marketplace.
Los Lobos is seeking damages, interest, and a full worldwide accounting of revenues generated by the disputed recordings.
