Miley Cyrus Faces Legal Battle Over Alleged Similarities to Bruno Mars' 'When I Was Your Man' in 'Flowers'

In an unexpected twist in the music world, Miley Cyrus is now embroiled in a lawsuit, accused of borrowing heavily from Bruno Mars' beloved track, "When I Was Your Man," with her hit song "Flowers." Tempo Music Investments, which owns a stake in the copyright of Mars' music, has taken legal action, claiming that the two songs share "striking similarities."

According to court documents obtained by FOX Business, the lawsuit asserts that any fan of Mars’ work would recognize that Cyrus’ "Flowers" could not have achieved its success without its predecessor. The plaintiffs argue that the similarities between the two songs extend beyond mere coincidence, highlighting numerous melodic, harmonic, and lyrical elements that echo Mars' earlier hit. They note that the melodic pitch design, the sequence of the verses, and specific chord progressions are nearly identical.

The legal complaint was filed in Los Angeles federal court on September 16, and while Bruno Mars himself is not named as a plaintiff, co-writers Gregory Hein and Michael Pollack, as well as major music entities like Sony Music Publishing and Apple, are included among the defendants.

Notably, Mars' "When I Was Your Man," which peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in April 2013 and garnered a Grammy nomination, is said to have numerous musical elements that "Flowers" allegedly duplicates. Tempo Music Investments contends that the opening vocal line of "Flowers" mirrors the introductory vocal line in the verse of Mars' hit.

In their demand, the investment firm seeks to halt the reproduction and public performance of "Flowers" and is also pursuing unspecified damages. While representatives for Cyrus have refrained from commenting on the lawsuit, Mars' team has yet to respond to inquiries.

This lawsuit comes on the heels of Cyrus’ monumental success at the Grammy Awards, where she bagged her first wins for Record of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance in February 2024. "Flowers" not only dominated the charts, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, but also shattered records by becoming the fastest song to achieve one billion streams on Spotify.

As the case unfolds, it raises questions about artistic inspiration versus infringement in an industry where hits often draw on familiar melodies and motifs. The music community watches closely, as this legal battle could set significant precedents for future songwriting disputes. Will Cyrus' achievements be overshadowed by this legal challenge, or will she emerge victorious, proving her originality? Only time will tell.