NEW YORK (REUTERS) – Swedish pop supergroup Abba have settled their lawsuit accusing a British cowl band of utilizing the identify Abba Mania with out permission.
Abba had sued on Dec 3 in the US District Court docket in Manhattan, accusing Abba Mania’s managers of “parasitic and bad-faith conduct” for buying and selling off their fame and goodwill and making followers assume Abba endorsed Abba Mania.
Additionally they accused the defendants of rejecting their demand to alter their identify and the abbamania.com web site, or else to make use of “Abba Tribute” in a manner that will not confuse folks.
Abba dismissed their trademark infringement lawsuit with prejudice after a settlement was reached, in keeping with a courtroom submitting on Thursday (Jan 20).
One of many band’s attorneys instructed Billboard journal that Abba Mania will cease utilizing that identify.
Attorneys for Abba and Polar Music Worldwide, which handles the group’s enterprise affairs, didn’t instantly reply on Friday to requests for remark.
The company defendants for Abba Mania, Handshake of Manchester, England, and TAL Leisure of Bicester, England, didn’t instantly reply to comparable requests.
Abba Mania have promoted themselves as “The Unique Tribute from London’s West Finish!”
Their web site consists of disclaimers that “Abba Mania is [
IN]no manner related, affiliated, or endorsed by Polar Music or Abba”.
Based in 1972, the Swedish quartet of Agnetha Faltskog, Bjorn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad have bought an estimated 385 million information, with songs together with Waterloo, Dancing Queen and The Winner Takes It All.
Abba’s songs had been the idea for successful Broadway musical and two films.
The group in November launched their first new album in 40 years, Voyage, and are planning a stage present that includes digital avatars of their members replicating their Seventies look.