Why Don’t We members lose rights over band name after legal battle with former management

nme.com:

Why Don’t We have lost the use of the band name after a lengthy legal battle with their former management.In 2022, the Los Angeles five-piece announced their hiatus in the middle of a legal battle with Signature Entertainment, to whom they signed upon forming in 2016.Why Don’t We released two studio albums under their guidance – 2018’s ‘8 Letters’ and last year’s ‘The Good Times And The Bad Ones’, both of which landed on Atlantic Records – but in the months leading to the announcement, they had been fighting to break away from their contract.Per Rolling Stone, last night (February 27), a jury in an Orlando courtroom ruled that four of the band’s members – Zach Herron, Corbyn Besson, Jonah Marais, and Jack Avery – must each pay a sum of US$1 to their former manages in Signature Entertainment over breach of contract.As a result of this, the band members are barred from using the band’s name in the future.

The fifth Why Don’t We member, Daniel Seavey, filed for bankruptcy at an undisclosed time years ago, and thus his name was removed from the contract.In the lawsuit, Herron, Besson, Marais and Avery had accused their former manager David Loeffler of abuse.

They lost this defamation aspect of the lawsuit, thus owing Signature US$400,000.The fine was canceled out as Signature themselves were also fined US$400,000 for breach of fiduciary duty in the case.

Rolling Stone noted that Signature had originally filed to sue for US$50million.A statement from the band members – who signed off as “Formerly known as Why Don’t We” – was issued on social media via Herron’s Instagram account.“Finally, this lawsuit nightmare is over, and we’re excited to put this behind us and continue our solo careers,” they wrote.