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Miley Cyrusis facing a copyright infringement lawsuit over her 2023 hit songFlowers. The pop star is facing allegations of copying parts of Bruno Mars’ 2013 trackWhen I Was Your Man.
This lawsuit, however, isn’t coming from Mars himself but from Tempo Music Investments, a company that owns part of the rights to Mars’ song.
This case has raised important questions about music copyright, especially since both songs were major chart-toppers. In this article, we’ll explore the details of the lawsuit, what Tempo Music is claiming, and what the outcome could mean for Miley Cyrus and the music industry.
The Lawsuit: What Are the Claims?
In September 2023, Miley Cyrus was hit with a copyright infringement lawsuit filed by Tempo Music Investments. The company claims that Cyrus’Flowersborrows heavily from Bruno Mars’When I Was Your Man.
They argue that the two songs share too many similarities, particularly in their melodies, harmonies, and chord progressions.
According to Tempo Music, these similarities are significant enough to suggest thatFlowerswas deliberately copied from Mars’ earlier hit. The company is asking for financial damages, although the exact amount has not been disclosed.
Beyond financial compensation, Tempo Music is also requesting thatFlowersbe pulled from digital platforms like Spotify and Apple Music, as well as physical copies of Miley’s albumEndless Summer Vacation. Even more severely, they want Miley to be barred from performingFlowersin the future.
There are several key players named in the lawsuit:
Miley Cyrus: The lead defendant, as she co-wrote and performedFlowers.
Co-Writers: Miley teamed up with Gregory Hein (aka Aldae) and Michael Pollack to co-write the song.
Producers: The producers Kid Harpoon and Tyler Harper, who helped shape the sound of the song, are named as well.
Record Label: Miley Cyrus’ record label is included in the lawsuit since they distributed and promoted the song.
Tempo Music’s argument hinges on the fact that all these people had access to Mars’When I Was Your Man, a song that has been widely available since 2013.
The Similarities Between the Songs
Tempo Music’s lawsuit is built around what it claims are strong similarities betweenFlowersandWhen I Was Your Man. These alleged similarities include:
Melody and Harmonies: Tempo Music argues that the melodies and harmonies inFlowers, especially in the verses and chorus, closely resemble those in Mars’ song.
Chord Progression: They also claim that the sequence of chords inFlowersmimics that ofWhen I Was Your Man.
Lyrics: While the lawsuit mainly focuses on musical composition, it also mentions that some of the lyrics inFlowersecho themes and sentiments found in Mars’ song.
Both songs discuss heartbreak and moving on, but the case is more focused on the similarities in their sound than their words.
Comparing the Two Songs
Why Isn’t Bruno Mars Involved?
One of the more surprising details in this case is thatBruno Marshimself isn’t suing Miley Cyrus. Instead, Tempo Music Investments, the company that now controls part of the rights toWhen I Was Your Man, is leading the lawsuit.
In 2021, Mars sold a portion of his music catalog to Warner Music Group, which in turn sold some of the rights toWhen I Was Your Manto Tempo Music. This gives Tempo Music the legal standing topursuea copyright claim.
This practice of artists selling their music catalogs has become increasingly common in recent years. Big names like Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and Neil Young have sold large portions of their song catalogs to companies like Tempo Music in exchange for significant payouts.
In these deals, artists get paid upfront, while the companies profit from the long-term royalties that these songs generate.
If Tempo Music wins this lawsuit, the financial and professional consequences for Miley Cyrus could be substantial.
Beyond paying damages, Tempo Music is seeking to removeFlowersfrom streaming platforms and prevent Miley from performing the song live again. This would be an unprecedented move, especially consideringFlowershas been one of Miley’s biggest hits in recent years.
Here are the key possible outcomes if the court rules in favor of Tempo Music:
Financial Damages: Miley and her team could be ordered to pay damages to Tempo Music. Given the song’s success, this could result in a significant payout.
Song Removal:Flowersmight be pulled from all major digital platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube. It could also be removed from future physical copies ofEndless Summer Vacation.
Live Performance Ban: Tempo Music is asking that Miley be prevented from ever performingFlowerslive, a move that would affect her ability to promote the song on tour or during other performances.
Copyrightlawsuitsare not new to the music industry, and cases like this one have become more common in recent years. Artists and their teams must walk a fine line between being inspired by existing music and creating something original enough to avoid legal issues. However, proving copyright infringement in music is often difficult because many songs share similar structures, melodies, and chord progressions.
Some famous recent copyright lawsuits include:
Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams: They faced a lawsuit over their songBlurred Lines, which was ruled to have copied Marvin Gaye’sGot to Give It Up.
Led Zeppelin: The band faced a lawsuit over claims that their famous guitar riff inStairway to Heavencopied a song by the band Spirit. Led Zeppelin ultimately won the case after years of legal battles.
Ed Sheeran: Sheeran has confronted different claims, including one forThinking Out Loud, which was blamed for duplicating Marvin Gaye’sLet’s Get It On.
These cases often take years to resolve and can be extremely expensive for the artists involved.
Conclusion: What’s Next for Miley Cyrus?
This lawsuit could have major implications for Miley Cyrus and the music industry as a whole. If Tempo Music wins, it could set a precedent for future cases, making it more difficult for artists to create songs without facing legal action for unintentional similarities.
Miley Cyrus is being sued for allegedly copying elements of Bruno Mars’When I Was Your Manin her songFlowers.
Because they hold a portion of the rights to Bruno Mars’s song, Tempo Music Investments, not Mars, filed the lawsuit.
The lawsuit focuses on similarities in melody, harmonies, and chord progression between the two songs.
If the court rules in favor of Tempo Music, Miley could face financial damages and potentially seeFlowersremoved from streaming platforms and live performances.
As the lawsuit moves forward, both the music industry and fans will be paying close attention to see how it unfolds and what impact it might have on future music copyright cases.
Last Updated: September 17, 2024
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