Miley Cyrus Strikes Back: The Legal Battle Over “Flowers” Blooms

Artistic rendering of colorful tulips in abstract style

Miley Cyrus is fighting back against claims that her Grammy-winning hit "Flowers" copied Bruno Mars' "When I Was Your Man," filing a motion to dismiss a massive lawsuit that targets not just her but also major retailers, streaming platforms, and entertainment companies. The legal battle centers on specific lyrical parallels between the two songs, such as "I can buy myself flowers" versus "I should've bought you flowers," though Cyrus's team challenges Tempo Music's legal standing as only a partial rights holder of Mars' song.

by
November 25, 2024

Miley Cyrus has mounted a legal defense against copyright infringement allegations regarding her Grammy-winning hit “Flowers,” filing a motion to dismiss the lawsuit on November 20, 2024.

Legal Details
  • Filed by Tempo Music Investments in September 2024.
  • Defendants include Cyrus, songwriters Gregory Hein and Michael Pollack, Sony Music Publishing, and Apple.
  • Seeking undetermined damages and cessation of “Flowers” distribution.

Core Arguments
  • Tempo Music Investments acquired Philip Lawrence’s catalog rights around 2020.
  • Cyrus’s legal team argues Tempo lacks standing as a partial rights holder.
  • The motion states only owners of exclusive rights may sue for copyright infringement.

Song Comparisons
“Flowers” (Cyrus) “When I Was Your Man” (Mars)
“I can buy myself flowers” “I should’ve bought you flowers”
“Talk to myself for hours” “Should’ve gave you all my hours”
“I can take myself dancing” “Take you to every party”

Original Creation Context
  • Cyrus initially wrote “Flowers” with different lyrics: “I can buy myself flowers, write my name in the sand, but I can’t love me better than you can.”
  • The song was originally composed as a melancholic 1950s-style piece.

Legal Background
  • Ownership Structure: Tempo owns partial rights through Philip Lawrence’s catalog.
  • Bruno Mars is not named in the lawsuit.

Claims
  • Tempo alleges “Flowers” duplicates melodic, harmonic, and lyrical elements.
  • The complaint argues “Flowers” would not exist without “When I Was Your Man.”
  • Claims include unauthorized reproduction and distribution.

Timeline
Event Date
“When I Was Your Man” released December 2012
Tempo acquired rights Around 2020
“Flowers” released January 2023
Lawsuit filed September 2024

Stay tuned for the latest updates on this developing copyright lawsuit.

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