Miley Cyrus has failed to dismiss a lawsuit accusing her of copyright infringement, as her 2023 hit Flowers is alleged to bear similarities to Bruno Mars’ 2013 song When I Was Your Man.
On Tuesday, March 18, a judge rejected Cyrus’ request to have the case thrown out, according to court documents obtained by PEOPLE. The lawsuit was filed by Tempo Music Investments, which holds a stake in the copyright for Mars’ song after acquiring rights from co-writer Philip Lawrence.
In the ruling, the judge pointed out that Cyrus’ legal team misinterpreted the legal concept of “exclusivity” in copyright law. “Exclusive exploitation rights do not equate to exclusive ownership,” the document states.
The Copyright Dispute
The lawsuit was initially filed in September 2024, with Tempo Music Investments claiming that Flowers copies “multiple melodic, harmonic, and lyrical elements” from Mars’ song. The complaint alleges “unauthorized reproduction, distribution, and exploitation” of the 2013 track.
The case also names Flowers co-writers Gregory Hein and Michael Pollack, as well as Sony Music Publishing and Apple, as defendants. However, Bruno Mars himself is not listed as a party in the lawsuit.
Tempo Music Investments is seeking a court order preventing the defendants from continuing to reproduce, distribute, or publicly perform Flowers, in addition to financial damages, the amount of which has yet to be determined.
Miley Cyrus’ Response
In November 2024, Cyrus firmly denied the plagiarism allegations and filed a motion to dismiss the case. Her legal team argued that only exclusive copyright holders have the authority to sue for infringement and that Tempo Music Investments, as a co-owner, lacks the legal standing to pursue legal action.
Following the judge’s ruling, Tempo Music Investments expressed satisfaction with the decision to allow the case to proceed. “Our client looks forward to moving forward with this case and is extremely confident in a favorable outcome,” said the company’s attorney, Alex Weingarten.
So far, representatives for Miley Cyrus have not responded to requests for comment. The case remains ongoing, but it has already sparked widespread debate in the music industry over the fine line between creative inspiration and copyright infringement.
