Taylor Swift files countersuit after Evermore Park press infringement on use of name
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Named Evermore, the park had sued Taylor Swift for the use of the ‘Evermore’ trademark for the name of her latest album -- ninth studio album that released December 11.
After we last told you about Taylor Swift re-recorded hit songs making a chatter at the top charts, the singer is now in news for taking action against an immersive fantasy theme park in Pleasant Grove, Utah. Taylor’s intellectual property management company is taking action against the park after the Utah park filed a lawsuit against the singer.
Named Evermore, the park had sued Taylor Swift for the use of the ‘Evermore’ trademark for the name of her latest album -- ninth studio album that released December 11. In response to that, a new lawsuit has been filed by Taylor Alison Swift (TAS) Rights Management. According to the lawsuit, the Evermore Park willfully used Taylor Swift’s songs without the proper licenses for sometime before filing its lawsuit.
Taylor Swift’s attorneys claim that more than a year before the park filed its lawsuit, TAS had been tipped off that the singer’s songs were being performed and played there without the requisite licenses. In fact, in 2019, the performing rights organization which protects and collects revenue for the works, began informing the park that they were infringing on Swift’s copyrights by playing the songs and provided a contract for legal usage. They sent letters to the park with a draft music license agreement for the songs, asking for the agreement to be signed and returned to BMI’s Nashville location.
These letters were reportedly ignored by Evermore Park and they continued using these songs -- by the park's musician character actors for visitors.
Then n their lawsuit earlier, Evermore Park, which bills itself as providing an immersive experience where performers portray fantasy characters in an interactive world, argued in court papers that it has been the registered owner of the Evermore trademark since 2015.
The park is also reportedly playing, without licenses, the works of Katy Perry, Abba, The Beatles, Billy Joel, Britney Spears, Green Day, Gotye, Journey, Nirvana, Semisonic, Third Eye Blind, Tom Petty, Queen, Weezer and Whitney Houston, among others, according to court papers filed by Swift’s legal team.
Taylor Swift is asking the court to order that the park pay damages and be refused to play her works at the park in the future.