Lionel Richie Files Application to Trademark his Voice
Follows similar moves by Taylor Swift and Matthew McConaughey
Legendary singer Lionel Richie has filed an application with the US Patent and Trademark Office to trademark the sound of his voice.
Why it matters:
Richie’s application follows similar claims by Taylor Swift and Matthew McConaughey.
The move aims to safeguard his voice from AI-produced soundalikes.
The details:
As per Digital Music News, Richie is seeking sound marks for snippets of his song lyrics: “Hello, is it me you’re looking for?”; “Say you, say me”; “Easy like Sunday morning”; and “All night long.”
Each application refers to “a man saying” the lyrics in connection with various uses, including entertainment information services, live performances, interviews, and related websites.
Enforceability:
As mentioned in our coverage of Swift’s trademark move, Gerben Law says registering a celebrity’s spoken voice “is a new use of trademark registration that has not been tested in court before.”
👋 Disclosures & Transparency Block
This story was written with information from Digital Music News.
We covered it because it’s news of a high-profile artist protecting themselves against potential AI threats.
