FAQ
Contact:
How do I change my user name or password?
All usernames and passwords can be changed by sending an email to [email protected], you must include your band name and current username or password along with your new change(s).
How do I change my band/artist information?
Login at Band Login, once logged in click on the edit button located in the update edit column. Then make your edit and click update.
What do I get if I register?
Registering your name will be the first step towards establishing your interest in "The Name" you have chosen to represent your musical endeavours. Your intention to establish "Prior Usage" and "Goodwill" will be archived in perpetuity and featured in the following:
- The Worldwide Band and Artist Directory (a printed directory) This three-volume publication featuring your "Name" is lodged with the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. and the British Reference Library in London.
- The Online Database archive at Bandname.com This unique database displays historical records of prior usage of a name and displays data for Music Industry members wishing to clarify the active or passive status of a given name.
Bandname.com is the largest online database of recorded band and artist name usage in the world. We are not a government-based organization, but we are recognized as a historical registry.
A registered record of prior usage is an important factor in defending your name.
Why is there more than one registrations of my band name listed? Who has rights to the name?
Bandname.com is an historical registry of name usage. Multiple registrations of the same name may exist and some may be passive and abandoned. What really matters is the date of the registration, which can give you a record of "prior usage" of the name. A record of prior usage is an important factor in defending a claim; however this can be complicated when viewed within the context of an international claim. Each case has its own peculiarities, which only a trademark lawyer can advise upon. Our role is to give a guide to name activity around the world and attempt to avoid such conflicts.
Does registering on Bandname.com give me exclusive ownership to the names I register?
Registering on bandname.com will not give you exclusive ownership of the name, but will give you an audit trail of prior usage, which is crucial if you ever find yourself in a legal dispute over name ownership and prior usage.
Can I change my band name?
We will not be able to change or delete your band name, as all band names are archived by their registration date to ensure the integrity of the data. However you may mark that name as dormant and register another name under your account, but you will have to pay for the second registration.
How can I change my password?
Please log into your account at http://www.bandname.com, then click on the 'Edit My Profile' link in the left hand menu. Enter a new password and click the 'submit' button at the bottom of the form.
Is registering with Bandname.com the same as trademarking?
Registering your band’s name is not the same as trademarking, but would certainly help when trying to register a band name as a trademark and/or if you ever found yourself in a legal dispute over name usage and ownership.
Naturally each country has its own legal jurisdiction and only a qualified lawyer can advise on the unique issues surrounding a potential name conflict.
Can I move my band name to another account?
Unfortunately we are unable to move your band name, as all band names are archived by their registration date to ensure the integrity of the data. However you may mark that name as dormant and register another name under your account. Your audit trail of prior use will still exist on both accounts and you will still be covered by your original entry. However, you will have to pay for the second registration.
Do I need to update my information by logging in?
Yes. It is important that your details are up-to-date and that we know you are active and continuing to build good will around the band name attributed to you. The Yearly Directory monitors activity on your account and publishes active or passive status accordingly. This service is free of any charges.
How can I update my account?
Login at: http://bandname.com and enter your username and password in the fields in the top left of the page. Once logged in, select 'My Account'. Then click ‘Edit' next to the details you wish to change. Make any required edits and then click the 'Save changes' button at the bottom of the page.
I have found another Band outside of bandname.com that is using the same name as me. How is this possible?
Registering on bandname.com will not give you exclusive ownership of the name, but will give you an audit trail of prior usage, which is crucial if you ever find yourself in a legal dispute over name ownership and prior usage.
A record of prior usage is an important factor in defending your name, which is what we provide with our registration.
Registering with bandname.com would certainly help when trying to register a band name as a trademark and/or if you ever found yourself in a legal dispute over name usage and ownership.
We endeavour to maintain an up to date guide for the Industry and recommend multiple searches via the web search engines and on-line trademark sites in addition to bandname.com.
Each country has its own distinct laws relating to prior usage and it is quite common to find multiple names being used across different territories where the artists’ commercial interests do not conflict. The situation becomes more complex when artists spread their careers beyond their home boundaries where they may have established a reputation and prior usage and encounter another artist who has achieved a similar status in their own domicile.
Naturally each country has its own legal jurisdiction and only a qualified lawyer can advise on the unique issues surrounding a potential name conflict.
I am in dispute with ex band members over the use of the band name that I registered. Who owns the name?
The person(s) who are marked as Admin within the Account would be the person(s) who has/have control over the Bandname registration.
How can I prove to a lawyer, business and/or government agency that I’ve registered with Bandname.com?
Although we cannot advise you on legal matters we can inform you that:
Each country has its own distinct laws relating to prior usage and it is quite common to find multiple names being used across different territories where the artists’ commercial interests do not conflict. The situation becomes more complex when artists spread their careers beyond their home boundaries where they may have established a reputation and prior usage and encounter another artist who has achieved a similar status in their own domicile.
With all this in mind, it would be reasonable to assume that a band could ask you to stop using their name if they can prove that they were using it before you.
Naturally each country has its own legal jurisdiction and only a qualified lawyer can advise on the unique issues surrounding a potential name conflict.
I am currently in a dispute with another band of the same name that has trademarked their band name. Our registration with bandname.com was made before their trademark. What can I do?
Multiple registrations of the same name may exist and some may be passive and abandoned. What really matters is the date of the registration, which can give you a record of "prior usage" of the name.
A record of prior usage is an important factor in defending a claim; however this can be complicated when viewed within the context of an international claim.
Each case has its own peculiarities, which only a trademark lawyer can advise upon.
Our role is to give a guide to name activity around the world and attempt to avoid such conflicts.
In view of this, we recommend contacting a trademark lawyer and explaining that your registration was made with bandname.com before the other band registered the trademark. As we've previously stated, only a qualified trademark lawyer can advise you here, but we can certainly confirm the date that you registered on bandname.com with your lawyer and hopefully support your case.
What countries will the registration be valid in and what countries the band name is protected in?
A Bandname.com registration is recognised worldwide.
Still have a question?
Please contact [email protected].