Aqua scored a legal victory this week when a Federal judge refused Mattel's motion to stop the distribution of the band's song "Barbie Girl" [1.5MB QuickTime].

As we first reported last fall (see "Aqua Now Faces Lawsuit Over 'Barbie Girl'"), Mattel sued the band and its label claiming that the song associates its trademark with "sexual and other unsavory themes." The toy maker also moved to halt all distribution of the song and Aqua's album, "Aquarium."

The judge however ruled that the song is "a parody of the party girl image Barbie might already have among some members of the public." He also warned that unless Mattel produces stronger evidence that Barbie's image has been tarnished, it's likely to lose the case.