Miley Cyrus is facing legal trouble as a result of her smash hit “Flowers.” A new lawsuit claims that elements of her song bear too close a resemblance to Bruno Mars’ popular track “When I Was Your Man,” leading to allegations of copyright infringement. This lawsuit, filed by Tempo Music Investments in a Los Angeles court, suggests that Cyrus’ song may have copied several key aspects of Mars’ hit single, sparking debate over originality and creative inspiration in the music industry.

The Lawsuit: Allegations Against Miley Cyrus

The lawsuit, brought by Tempo Music Investments, accuses Miley Cyrus of copying multiple elements from Bruno Mars’ 2013 song “When I Was Your Man.” Tempo Music, which acquired a portion of the copyright from the song’s co-writer, Philip Lawrence, claims that Cyrus borrowed significant components for her song “Flowers.”

According to the lawsuit, “Flowers” incorporates specific melodic, harmonic, and lyrical elements from Mars’ song. The similarities cited include the melodic pitch design, the sequence of the verse, bass-line connections, certain bars of the chorus, theatrical music elements, lyrical parallels, and chord progressions that are integral to both songs. Tempo Music asserts that Cyrus’ track didn’t achieve its widespread success independently, suggesting that the copied elements contributed to its popularity.

Comparing ‘Flowers’ and ‘When I Was Your Man’

Released ten years apart, “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus and “When I Was Your Man” by Bruno Mars both share emotional themes of love, loss, and personal reflection. However, it’s the specific parallels in the lyrics and musical composition that are at the heart of this lawsuit.

In “When I Was Your Man,” Bruno Mars reflects on regrets in a past relationship with lines like:
“I should’ve bought you flowers and held your hand, shoulda gave you all my hours when I had the chance; Take you to every party, ’cause all you wanted to do was dance, now my baby’s dancin’, but she’s dancin’ with another man.”

In contrast, “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus strikes a more self-empowered tone:
“I can buy myself flowers, write my name in the sand; Talk to myself for hours, say things you don’t understand; I can take myself dancing and I can hold my own hand, yeah, I can love me better than you can.”

Both songs center on themes of reflection and self-love, but the lawsuit claims that the structural and thematic similarities go beyond mere inspiration. According to Tempo Music, these elements are more than coincidental, and they believe the creative overlaps between the two tracks constitute a copyright violation.

Why the Lawsuit Matters: Copyright and the Music Industry

This lawsuit brings up a critical issue that has long existed in the music industry: the fine line between inspiration and imitation. Musicians often draw inspiration from the works of others, and there are only so many chord progressions and themes that can be used in songwriting. However, when similarities become too close—especially in melody, structure, or lyrics—it can lead to legal disputes over copyright infringement.

Tempo Music’s lawsuit highlights how ownership of intellectual property, such as a song, extends beyond the primary artist to co-writers and rights holders. In this case, Tempo Music acquired its stake in “When I Was Your Man” through the catalog of Philip Lawrence, one of the song’s original co-writers, giving them the legal standing to pursue this case.

The outcome of this lawsuit could have a significant impact on future cases of copyright disputes in music. As more artists face scrutiny over similar-sounding tracks, the case will likely contribute to the ongoing discussion of what constitutes fair use and what crosses the line into plagiarism.