Neil Young’s backing band has been hit with a lawsuit by a luxury fashion brand.
The folk-rock icon and The Chrome Hearts are being sued by the brand of the same name in a trademark infringement case.
The lawsuit, filed in California federal court, accuses Young and his bandmates – Micah Nelson, Corey McCormick, Anthony Logerfo, and Spooner Oldham – of unlawfully using the Chrome Hearts name, a moniker long associated with high-end jewellery, apparel, and accessories worn by everyone from Rihanna to Timothée Chalamet. Also named in the suit is Young’s production company, The Other Shoe Productions.
According to the complaint seen by Rolling Stone, Chrome Hearts claims it never granted Young or his team permission to use its trademarked name and alleges that the band’s use of “Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts” (NYTCH) is a deliberate attempt to “exploit Chrome Hearts’ reputation in the market”. The brand is now seeking an injunction to stop Young from using the name altogether, with damages yet to be specified.
While Young’s merchandise reportedly avoids copying Chrome Hearts’ stylised logos, the brand argues that confusion is already taking root. Third-party vendors have allegedly begun marketing NYTCH gear as if it were part of an official collaboration, blurring the lines between the rock outfit and the luxury label.
The legal drama comes just months after Young and The Chrome Hearts released their debut album Talkin to the Trees and embarked on a global tour that included headline slots at Glastonbury and BST Hyde Park. The band’s name was reportedly inspired by a lyric from Young’s 1976 track Long May You Run.
Chrome Hearts says it first raised concerns with Young’s team back in July, but the band continued to perform and sell merchandise under the disputed name. The brand argues that its long-standing presence in both fashion and music – having collaborated with artists like Madonna, Drake, and The Rolling Stones – makes the overlap with Young’s band name especially problematic.
As of yet, Young has yet to publicly respond to the lawsuit.