Oh shiz…this can├óΓé¼Γäót be good!
Looks like Brit boy band, One Direction, may just have to change routes!!
Simon Cowell’s record label, Syco Entertainment, and Sony Music have just been served a $1 million lawsuit from ANOTHER band named One Direction, based in the U.S.!!!
The U.S. group claims they’ve been using the name since 2011 and selling music on iTunes under it since last February.
Interesting, seeing as the U.K. 1D was formed under the group’s name on X Factor back in 2010! Although, that was in England and America is a whole other ballgame!
The lawsuit reads:
“One Direction (U.K.) can’t navigate itself into U.S. jurisdiction without causing consumer confusion and destroying the goodwill of the U.S.-based doppelganger.”
While the unsigned U.S. One Direction has barely seen as enormous of success as the U.K. group, they are no unknowns, either! The American band has gotten over 100,000 views for their music video 2012 on Youtube and has sold pretty well on iTunes!
The attorney for the American band says the U.K. group is FULLY aware of their existence and that the name conflict was brought to their attention when they tried to trademark it in the States.
The U.S. band’s attorney says:
“Rather than change their name or do anything to create confusion or avoid damage to our goodwill, they chose to press ahead and come on their tour.”
With the recent amount of success the U.K. boys have been seeing here in America, we don’t think we’d want to change our name, either!!!
Many bands in the past have had the same issue and have either sucked it up and changed their names completely or added prefixes or suffixes to their existing names.
Maybe the Brit One Direction will just have to be called One Direction UK while in America??? Or simply 1D?
Hey, it worked for Wham!
[Image via WENN.]