Can you mention a brand or a famous person in your song? Usually yes in the lyrics, with more care in the title, and with the most care on the cover. The rules differ from country to country, and this is general information rather than legal advice. But a few simple distinctions will keep you out of trouble in most cases.
Mentioning a name inside a lyric
Songs have always named things: a car, a pair of trainers, a city, a footballer, a singer. A line like "I drove the old Zhiguli to the sea" or "she wore Nora Cola's red jacket" describes the world. Trademark law is mainly about stopping other businesses from confusing customers about who makes or endorses a product. A line in a song that simply names a product doesn't do that.
Risk starts to grow in a few situations:
- You say something false and damaging about a real person or a company. Insulting or making accusations about a named person can fall under defamation or insult laws, and in some countries that is a serious matter.
- A brand paid you, or gave you free products, to be mentioned. Then it is advertising, and in many places it has to be disclosed.
- You quote a slogan, a jingle or another song that is itself protected by copyright. A short mention is one thing, singing someone's jingle is another.
If none of these apply, a brand or a name in a lyric is usually low risk.
The title is a different matter
A title travels on its own. It appears in store listings, search results and playlists, away from the rest of the song. A title that is only a famous brand name, or only a famous person's name, can look like an official connection that doesn't exist, and that is where complaints come from.
Titles also have a search side. Never put another artist's name in your title, or "in the style of" plus a name, to catch their audience. Stores treat that as misleading metadata, and your release can be sent back.
If you really want a famous name in the title, make the song's relationship obvious and respectful, and think about whether you would be comfortable if that person or company read the title next to your artwork.
The cover is where people look first
The cover is the most visible part of a release, and it is the part that most looks like marketing. That's why logos, product shots and photos of real people on a cover are the usual source of rejections and complaints.
- Logos and brand designs: don't put them on a cover unless you have written permission.
- Photos of a celebrity: two things apply. The photographer owns the copyright of the photo, and in many countries a person also has rights over their own image, name and likeness, especially in commercial use.
- Incidental brands: a bottle in the corner of your own photo is a different case from a logo that is the main subject. When in doubt, reframe or blur.
The simplest cover is the one you made yourself: your photo, your drawing, your design, with fonts you are allowed to use. When you submit in the CULT portal you confirm that you own or have permission for all the audio, artwork and materials, and a cover with someone else's logo or face is exactly the kind of thing the review can ask you to change.
Tributes, parody and "it's just a fan song"
Fans often feel that a respectful tribute is safe. Sometimes it is, but the label doesn't decide it. What counts is what you actually do: do you use their name to describe, or to sell? Do you use their photo? Do you suggest they approved it?
Parody and criticism have more protection in some countries than in others, so don't rely on the word "parody" as a shield. If your project depends on a famous name, treat that as a reason to check.
When to ask a lawyer
A short consultation before release costs far less than a dispute after it. Talk to a lawyer in your country if:
- The title or the cover uses a brand, a logo or a real person's name or face.
- A brand is involved in the release in any paid or sponsored way.
- Your lyrics make claims about a named person or company that could be seen as harmful.
- You plan to sell merchandise using a name or a design that isn't yours.
- You have received a letter from a lawyer, a label or a brand. Don't ignore it, and don't reply angrily.
Bring the lyrics, the title and the artwork, and ask one clear question.
A quick check before you submit
- Does any brand or person appear in the title or on the cover?
- Could someone think this release is officially connected to them?
- Is anything I say about a real person or company untrue or insulting?
- Do I have permission for every photo, logo and font on the artwork?
If you answer "yes" to the first two or "I'm not sure" to the last two, pause and fix it before release, not after.