Miley Cyrus is facing a new lawsuit alleging that she and her songwriters copied portions of a Bruno Mars single when they wrote her Grammy-winning song “Flowers.” The lawsuit, filed by Tempo Music Investments in Los Angeles federal court, claims that “Flowers” includes unauthorized use of elements from Mars’ 2013 hit song “When I Was Your Man.” Tempo Music acquired a portion of the U.S. copyrights to “When I Was Your Man” from co-writer Philip Lawrence.
The lawsuit also names Sony Music Publishing, Apple, Target, Walmart, and other companies as defendants for distributing “Flowers.” Tempo Music alleges that “Flowers” replicates many melodic, harmonic, and lyrical elements from “When I Was Your Man,” including the verse structure, bass-line, chorus bars, music elements, lyrics, and chord progressions. The complaint asserts that “Flowers” could not have been created without the influence of “When I Was Your Man.” The lawsuit also names Cyrus’ co-songwriters Gregory Hein and Michael Pollack as co-defendants.
Cyrus, Hein, and Pollack are accused of creating a derivative work of “When I Was Your Man” without authorization. Representatives for Cyrus have not yet responded to the allegations. “Flowers” was released as a single from Cyrus’ eighth album, “Endless Summer Vacation,” and won her first Grammy award. The song, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for eight weeks, was inspired by Cyrus’ divorce from actor Liam Hemsworth and was viewed as a declaration of independence.
Tempo Music is seeking damages to be determined at trial and is requesting a court order to prevent Cyrus and the other defendants from reproducing, distributing, or performing “Flowers.” The lawsuit highlights the similarities between the two songs and claims that “Flowers” would not have achieved its success without the influence of “When I Was Your Man.” The legal battle between Tempo Music and Cyrus sheds light on the complexities of copyright infringement within the music industry.
This lawsuit adds another layer of controversy to Cyrus’ career, which has been marked by both musical success and public scrutiny. As a prominent figure in the entertainment industry, Cyrus has faced criticism and praise for her music, performances, and public persona. The allegations of copyright infringement in the creation of “Flowers” raise questions about artistic integrity, originality, and the legal responsibilities of songwriters and music publishers.
In the midst of this legal battle, Cyrus’ Grammy win for “Flowers” is now overshadowed by the accusations of unauthorized use of Bruno Mars’ work. The outcome of this lawsuit will not only impact Cyrus and her co-songwriters but also raises important issues about creativity, inspiration, and intellectual property in the music industry. As the case unfolds, the music world will be watching closely to see how this dispute over “Flowers” and its alleged similarities to “When I Was Your Man” will be resolved.
