Drake was denied a trademark for the title of his forthcoming album due in part to a veteran Canadian band.
According to an April 22 notice from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), there is a “likelihood of confusion” between “Certified Lover Boy” and Loverboy – a band best known for ‘80s hits like “Working for the Weekend” and “Turn Me Loose.”
The USPTO also cited confusion with Lover’s Lane, a Detroit area company that trademarked the word “Loverboy” for “clothing, namely, underwear, thongs, [ bath robes, T-shirts, ] sleepwear, shorts [ and adult theme costumes ].”
Drake’s lawyer Robert Kleinman applied to the USPTO in February for the “Certified Lover Boy” trademark to cover music, visual media and apparel. The decision does not impact the rap star’s ability to use the title for his album or on merchandise.
Drake is likely to have the same problem in his native Canada, where an application to trademark “Certified Lover Boy” was filed on March 20. According to public records, Loverboy registered the trademark in 1984 and holds it until 2029.
Loverboy renewed the trademark on its name in the U.S. in 2018.