Miley Cyrus sued for copyright infringement over hit single “Flowers”

Miley Cyrus is reportedly being sued for alleged copyright infringement related to her 2023 hit single “Flowers” by a company that claims to own a share of the copyright to pop singer Bruno Mars' “When I Was Your Man.”

Released as the title track of Cyrus' eighth studio album, Endless summer holidays,“Flowers” is one of the pop star's most successful songs to date. It stormed the charts worldwide and won two Grammys at the 2024 awards ceremony, for Record of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance. The song was also nominated for Song of the Year.

“When I Was Your Man” from 2012 was also a number one hit in the US and received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Solo Performance.

Accordingly TMZ, Tempo Music Investments has filed a lawsuit claiming that Cyrus' song copies the chord progressions and some lyrics of Mars' ballad and that there are significant similarities in melody, harmony and chorus.

“Given the combination and numerous similarities between the two recordings, there is no denying that 'Flowers' would not exist without 'When I Was Your Man,'” the court documents apparently state.

Tempo Music is reportedly seeking undisclosed damages and a ban on 31-year-old Cyrus from distributing “Flowers” ​​and performing the song live.

Mars, 38, is not named as a plaintiff in the lawsuit.

The Independent has contacted representatives from Cyrus and Mars for comment.

In 2019 diversity reported on plans by Warner Music Group and Providence Equity Partners to invest $650 million (£482 million) in recorded music and publishing catalogues through the then newly founded platform Tempo Music Investments.

Three years later, Billboard that Mars had sold part of its catalogue to the music publisher Warner Chappell Music, a subsidiary of the Warner Music Group.

Around the time “Flowers” came out, Cyrus' fans noticed obvious similarities to “When I Was Your Man,” which her ex-husband, actor Liam Hemsworth, was rumored to have dedicated to her.

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In her song, Cyrus seems to flip the lyrics of Mars' song on their heads: “I should have bought you flowers/ And held your hand/ I should have given you all my hours/ When I had the chance/ Took you to every party/ 'Cause all you wanted to do was dance/ Now my baby's dancing/ But she's dancing with another man.”

The lyrics of Flowers include the chorus: “I can buy myself flowers/ Write my name in the sand/ Talk to myself for hours/ Say things you don't understand/ I can dance with myself/ And I can hold my own hand/ Yeah, I can love myself better than you.”

Fans also noticed that Cyrus seemed to use a similar melody in her chorus as in Mars' song.

Cyrus is credited as co-writer of “Flowers” ​​along with songwriter and producer Aldae (real name Gregory Hein) and songwriter/producer Michael Pollack.

“When I was Your Man” was written by Mars, Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine and Andrew Wyatt.