The Backstreet Boys have applied for a sound mark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), seeking to register their spoken group introduction as a trademark to combat unauthorized AI-generated voice clones.
Filed on June 24, the application covers the phrase “Hi, we’re the Backstreet Boys.” If granted, the registration would provide an additional legal mechanism to challenge artificial intelligence platforms that create soundalike recordings without consent.
The move follows similar filings by Taylor Swift and Lionel Richie. Swift has pursued sound marks for “Hey, it’s Taylor Swift” and “Hey, it’s Taylor,” along with a visual mark. Richie is seeking protection for spoken-word snippets of his lyrics, including “Hello, is it me you’re looking for,” “Say you, say me,” “Easy like Sunday morning,” and “All night long.”
The legal strategy of trademarking a single spoken phrase to prevent AI-generated soundalikes has not yet been tested in court.
