Miley Cyrus has found herself at the center of a legal storm, facing allegations of copyright infringement over her hit single “Flowers.” The lawsuit claims the song, which earned Cyrus a Grammy, bears striking similarities to Bruno Mars’ 2013 track “When I Was Your Man.”
The legal action was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California earlier this week. According to the lawsuit, Cyrus, along with her fellow “Flowers” songwriters, allegedly borrowed elements from Mars’ song without proper authorization. Tempo Music Investments, which owns part of the rights to “When I Was Your Man” through a purchase from one of the song’s co-writers, Philip Lawrence, initiated the lawsuit. The lawsuit specifically points to the alleged “unauthorized reproduction, distribution, and exploitation” of the song’s material.
Philip Lawrence, along with Mars, Ari Levine, and Andrew Wyatt, collaborated in writing “When I Was Your Man.” Notably, Bruno Mars himself is not a plaintiff in the case, and his representatives have yet to provide a comment on the situation, as per NBC News. In addition to Cyrus, over 24 other companies involved in the distribution of “Flowers” have also been named in the lawsuit.
What Are the Claims Made in the Lawsuit?
Tempo Music Investments, represented by a legal team, argues that the alleged similarities between the two tracks were not coincidental but rather the result of deliberate copying. According to Tempo’s attorneys, “Any fan of Bruno Mars’ ‘When I Was Your Man’ can immediately recognize that Miley Cyrus’ ‘Flowers’ achieved its success by borrowing key elements from the original.”
The lawsuit claims that “Flowers” replicates several core musical and lyrical elements of “When I Was Your Man.” This includes similarities in the verse’s melodic pitch design, the connecting bass-line, and parts of the chorus. Tempo also alleges that certain theatrical music elements, chord progressions, and even some of the lyric patterns in the two songs are too similar to be a coincidence.
For instance, in Mars’ song, the lyrics go: “That I should’ve bought you flowers/And held your hand/Should have gave you all my hours …/Take you to every party, ’cause all you wanted to do was dance.” These lines, the lawsuit claims, bear a resemblance to Cyrus’ lyrics: “I can buy myself flowers/And I can hold my own hand/Talk to myself for hours/I can take myself dancing.”
In addition to the lyrics, Tempo’s legal team highlights similarities in the chord progression, melodic arrangement, and a distinctive “dramatic pause” that appears in the chorus of both tracks. The lawsuit asserts that the combination of these elements strongly suggests that “Flowers” would not have been possible without drawing from “When I Was Your Man.”
Seeking Damages and a Ban
The lawsuit is seeking monetary compensation for the alleged copyright infringement, with the exact amount to be determined at trial. Additionally, Tempo Music Investments is asking the court to prohibit Miley Cyrus and the other defendants from continuing to reproduce, distribute, or publicly perform “Flowers.”
The controversy surrounding “Flowers” comes at a time when the song has been a massive commercial success. In February 2024, Miley Cyrus performed the track at the Grammy Awards, marking her first Grammy win in her nearly two-decade career. The song also enjoyed a six-week reign at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 2023, further solidifying its place in popular culture.
As the legal battle unfolds, it remains to be seen how the court will rule on the matter. With such high-profile artists and hit songs involved, this lawsuit is sure to garner significant attention in the music industry and beyond.
