Miley Cyrus has been hit with a copyright infringement lawsuit, sparking widespread debate in the music industry.
The lawsuit claims that Cyrus’ Grammy-winning hit song, “Flowers”, borrows heavily from Bruno Mars‘ 2013 track, “When I Was Your Man.”
The lawsuit, filed by Tempo Music Investments, has raised questions over the originality of Cyrus’ music and how closely it resembles Mars’ work.
Tempo Music Investments, which owns a portion of the copyright of “When I Was Your Man,” filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Central District of California.
According to the lawsuit, the similarities between the two songs are more than coincidence, and Cyrus and her crew intentionally copied components from Mars’ song.
The suit cites similarity between the two tracks’ melody, harmony, lyrics, and chord sequence. Tempo’s attorneys claim that “Flowers” mimics the melodic pitch design and sequence of “When I Was Your Man,” as well as certain theatrical music components.
They also believe that the dramatic pause in the choruses of both songs are strangely similar.
Key similarities lie in the lyrics. Mars’ song features the lines: “That I should’ve bought you flowers / And held your hand,” while Cyrus responds with: “I can buy myself flowers / And I can hold my own hand.”
The lawsuit emphasizes that both songs share not only the same themes of love and regret but also strikingly similar lyrical patterns.
The legal team further pointed out the connecting bass-line and musical progression as being nearly identical in both songs. They argue that this is evidence of intentional copying, claiming that without Mars’ song, “Flowers” wouldn’t have achieved its massive success.
The lawsuit is asking for damages, the amount of which will be decided at trial, as well as a request to prevent further distribution and public performance of Cyrus’ song.
So far, neither Miley Cyrus nor Bruno Mars has issued public comments on the lawsuit. Mars, who is not listed as a plaintiff, has remained silent on the matter, while Cyrus’ team has yet to release an official statement.
The absence of their responses has only fueled speculation about the outcome of the case.
Tempo Music Investments believes that these similarities are too significant to be overlooked and has called for justice in their claim.
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They also named more than two dozen companies involved in the distribution of “Flowers” as defendants in the case.
Cyrus won her first Grammy for “Flowers” at the 2024 Grammy Awards, after nearly 20 years in the industry.
The song dominated the Billboard Hot 100, spending six weeks at the top in 2023. However, with the lawsuit looming, the song’s future remains uncertain as legal battles continue.
If Tempo’s claims are upheld in court, it might have a significant influence on Cyrus’ career while also sending a strong message to the music industry about the limits of innovation and inspiration. Until then, the music industry waits to watch how this legal fight plays out.
