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Lionel Richie<\/strong> has applied to trademark the sound of his voice.<\/p>\n The four-time Grammy<\/strong> winner filed four applications on Thursday (June 11) at the US Patent and Trademark Office<\/strong> (USPTO).<\/p>\n Each application covers audio of Richie<\/strong> saying a phrase drawn from one of his songs, including Hello, is it me you\u2019re looking for?<\/strong><\/a> as well as: Say You, Say Me, <\/strong><\/a>Easy Like Sunday Morning, <\/strong><\/a><\/em>and All Night Long.<\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n The applications list an entity called RichLion Holdings, LLC <\/strong>as the owner.<\/p>\n The filings were first spotted<\/a> by intellectual property attorney Josh Gerben<\/strong> of Gerben IP<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Gerben notes that they were filed on an \u201cintent-to-use basis, meaning [Richie]<\/strong> is not yet using the phrases as trademarks in commerce\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cUltimately, these applications are less about protecting individual song lyrics and more about seeking new legal tools to protect celebrity voices in the AI<\/strong> era,\u201d Gerben<\/strong> wrote.<\/p>\n Sounds can be registered as trademarks, with Gerben IP<\/strong> citing the \u201ctu-dum\u201d that Netflix<\/a><\/strong> plays when its app launches as a common example.<\/p>\n Trademark filings over lyrics have historically been rare, because a lyric standing alone does not qualify for protection as a mark, according to Gerben IP.<\/p>\n A sound qualifies for registration only if it operates as a \u2018source identifier,\u2019 meaning listeners tie it to a specific product or service, Gerben added.<\/p>\n A registered mark could give Richie grounds to challenge imitations that merely resemble his voice, reaching beyond what copyright law and publicity rights already provide, according to Gerben IP<\/p>\n The blog post notes that the applications indicate \u201cthe sounds will eventually be used in connection with providing music and entertainment information, videos, and news about a musical artist\u201d, Gerben IP<\/strong> said.<\/p>\n \u201cFrom a technical trademark perspective, these filings will be challenging because the USPTO<\/strong> will expect evidence that the sounds function as trademarks rather than simply famous lyrics.\u201d<\/p>\n Josh Gerben, Gerben IP<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n \u201cWhether Richie<\/strong>\u2018s applications ultimately succeed remains an open question,\u201d Gerben<\/strong> wrote.<\/p>\n \u201cFrom a technical trademark perspective, these filings will be challenging because the USPTO<\/strong> will expect evidence that the sounds function as trademarks rather than simply famous lyrics.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf successful, these filings could become an important test case for how trademark law adapts to the AI<\/strong> era,\u201d Gerben<\/strong> wrote.<\/p>\n Richie<\/strong> is not the first music star to pursue the strategy.<\/p>\n Taylor Swift<\/strong> in April applied to register<\/a> her voice saying \u201cHey, it\u2019s Taylor\u201d and \u201cHey, it\u2019s Taylor Swift,\u201d along with her likeness, listing TAS Rights Management, LLC<\/strong> as the owner.<\/p>\n Actor Matthew McConaughey<\/strong> has sought protection for audio of him saying \u201cAlright, alright, alright,\u201d his line from the 1993 film Dazed and Confused<\/em>.<\/p>\n Talk-show host Jimmy Kimmel<\/strong> has filed similar applications this year, according to Gerben IP<\/strong>.<\/p>\n In the US<\/strong>, name, likeness, and voice have traditionally been protected by right-of-publicity laws, which vary from state to state and carry limitations.<\/p>\n Lawmakers have moved to address that gap with the federal NO FAKES Act<\/strong>, which would establish an intellectual property right in a person\u2019s voice and likeness for the first time.<\/p>\n The bill was reintroduced in Congress<\/strong><\/a> on May 20, the third time it has been brought before lawmakers, after failing to advance out of committee on two prior occasions.<\/p>\n In 2023, an AI track that mimicked the voices of Drake<\/strong> and The Weeknd<\/strong> drew more than 250,000<\/strong> plays on Spotify<\/a><\/strong> before it was pulled from streaming services<\/a>.<\/p>\n Sony Music<\/a><\/strong> in March asked streaming platforms<\/a> to take down more than 135,000<\/strong> tracks it said were created by fraudsters using generative AI to impersonate artists on its roster.<\/p>\n The fakes cause \u201cdirect commercial harm to legitimate recording artists,\u201d Sony Music<\/strong>\u2018s Dennis Kooker<\/strong> said at the time, adding that in the worst cases they \u201cpotentially damage a release campaign or tarnish the reputation of an artist.\u201dMusic Business Worldwide<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n