Miley Cyrus Moves To Get 'Flowers' Copyright Lawsuit Tossed: 'Only Owners Of Exclusive Rights May Sue'
Miley Cyrus has finally responded to the allegations of her exploiting Bruno Mars' song in creating her hit 2023 tune "Flowers."
Miley Cyrus has finally responded to the allegations of her exploiting Bruno Mars' song in creating her hit 2023 tune "Flowers."
The Disney alum was slammed with a copyright infringement lawsuit in September by a partial copyright holder of Mars' "When I Was Your Man." Surprisingly, only Tempo Music Investments had a bone to pick with the singer.
Miley Cyrus' legal reps jumped on the situation in a recent filing, arguing that Bruno Mars and the other co-writers had no problem with her song. They claimed the plaintiff had no right to sue for copyright infringement as a partial owner.
Miley Cyrus Denies All Allegations Of Exploitation And Copyright Infringement
In Cyrus' motion to dismiss the copyright infringement lawsuit, her lawyers stressed that Tempo Music Investments partially owned the copyrights to Mars' track. It gained this right after acquiring the catalog of the song's co-writer, Philip Lawrence.
However, Tempo Music Investments had no affiliations with the track's other co-writers, Ari Levine and Andrew Wyatt. On that note, Cyrus' attorneys implored the court to toss the allegations against her, noting:
"Only owners of exclusive rights may sue for copyright infringement. An assignee of only one co-author lacks exclusive rights and, therefore, also lacks standing to sue for infringement."
Additionally, the documents obtained by PEOPLE stated that Cyrus denied exploiting Mars' song and the copyright infringement claims. Her response to the lawsuit comes two months after Tempo Music Investments sued her in September.
The Plaintiff Called Out Cyrus For Similarities Between The Songs
The copyright infringement lawsuit, per The Blast, saw Tempo Music Investments slamming Cyrus for exploiting Mars' hit song to create her 2023 single ladies' anthem. They stressed that the multiple similarities between the tracks proved their claims about the singer.
According to the plaintiff, Cyrus' "Flowers" melody, harmony, and chorus originated from Mars' "When I Was Your Man." Her song allegedly copied the chord progressions and mirrored some of his lyrics.
Tempo Music Investments argued that Cyrus, her label, and her producers all had access to Mars' song, claiming, "It is undeniable based on the combination and number of similarities between the two recordings, that 'Flowers' would not exist without 'When I Was Your Man.'"
The Accuser Demanded Cyrus Stop Profiting Off 'Flowers'
The plaintiff repeatedly stressed that Cyrus' song would never have existed without Mars' catchy tune. Based on the argument, they demanded she stop profiting off "Flowers" through performances and distribution of the track.
The lawsuit came a year after Cyrus released the chart-topper, which continued to make waves in 2024. In June, sources reported that her song made history by holding the number-one spot on multiple music charts.
The "Hannah Montana" star became the first singer to reach the triple-digit mark atop the airplay lists. Her song was also the first viral song in American history to spend a cumulative 100 weeks at No. 1 on any of Billboard's radio charts.
The Disney Alum Topped Multiple Charts With Her Song
Cyrus' 2023 tune made history on several music charts, topping five radio lists. It maintained the top spot on one radio tally for several months and dominated the Adult Contemporary tally for 51 weeks.
Cyrus topped the all-genre Radio Songs chart for 18 weeks and the Adult Pop Airplay tally for just one frame less. Her single ladies' anthem also stole the number-one spot on the Pop Airplay roster for ten weeks.
Additionally, the remixes of "Flowers" earned the singer the highest spot on the Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart. As Cyrus succeeded in her career, her personal life enjoyed similar results, except for a particular activity with her mother.
Miley Cyrus Reveals The One Activity She Doesn't Do With Her Mom
The daughter of Billy Ray Cyrus and Tish Cyrus reflected on her sobriety earlier this year. She revealed she had stopped smoking weed, specifically, the type her mother used.
"I will randomly take one small puff off my mom's joint, pretty much never because it's way too strong," the singer explained, noting that she did not dare smoke with her mom after a terrifying experience. In her words:
"The last time I smoked her weed was a couple weeks ago, and I did walk in and take the smallest puff ever, and I couldn't drive for what felt like three days, and I didn't know who I was."
Can Miley Cyrus escape the copyright infringement lawsuit as easily as she avoided smoking with her mother?
