- Miley Cyrus is facing a copyright lawsuit over similarities between her song 'Flowers' and Bruno Mars' 'When I Was Your Man'.
- The lawsuit was filed by Tempo Music Investments, which owns a share of the copyright in Mars' hit.
- The complaint alleges that 'Flowers' duplicates numerous elements of Mars' track.
- The lawsuit could potentially set a new precedent in copyright law within the music industry.
In a recent development that has sent shockwaves through the music industry, renowned singer-songwriter Miley Cyrus finds herself embroiled in a legal battle. The dispute centers around alleged similarities between her song 'Flowers' and Bruno Mars' chart-topping hit 'When I Was Your Man'. The lawsuit, initiated by Tempo Music Investments, was filed in a Los Angeles court.
Tempo Music Investments, a company that owns a share of the copyright in Mars' hit, set the legal wheels in motion. The company came into possession of the copyright after acquiring songwriter Philip Lawrence's music catalogue, as reported by 'People' magazine. The crux of the lawsuit lies in the claim that there are striking similarities between the two songs, a fact that many recognized upon the release of 'Flowers'.
The documents, as accessed by 'People', allege that 'Flowers' duplicates numerous melodic, harmonic, and lyrical elements of Mars' track. The lawsuit goes on to state, "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'".
Defendants and Allegations
The complaint further adds, Accordingly, Plaintiff brings this action for copyright infringement arising out of Defendants' unauthorized reproduction, distribution and exploitation of 'When I Was Your Man'". The lawsuit also names 'Flowers' songwriters Gregory Hein and Michael Pollack, who collaborated with Cyrus on the track, as defendants. Other defendants include Sony Music Publishing and Apple. Interestingly, Bruno Mars, the original artist of 'When I Was Your Man', is not named as a plaintiff in the filing.
Tempo Music Investments claims that it acquired the copyright interests of Mars' hit, which was penned by Mars, Lawrence, Ari Levine, and Andrew Wyatt, in or around 2020". The lawsuit specifically points out that the opening vocal line from the chorus of 'Flowers' begins and ends on the same chords as the opening vocal line in the verse of 'When I Was Your Man'".
Historical Precedents and Implications
This is not the first time that the music industry has witnessed such copyright infringement lawsuits. In fact, the history of music is riddled with similar legal battles. One of the most notable cases is the 'Blurred Lines' lawsuit, where Marvin Gaye's estate successfully sued Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams for copyright infringement, claiming that their hit song 'Blurred Lines' was too similar to Gaye's 'Got to Give It Up'.
Another case that made headlines was when Tom Petty's publishers accused Sam Smith of copying Petty's 'I Won't Back Down' in his song 'Stay With Me'. The case was settled out of court, with Petty and co-writer Jeff Lynne receiving writing credits on 'Stay With Me'.
These historical precedents underscore the seriousness of such allegations and the potential repercussions for the accused parties. As the lawsuit against Miley Cyrus unfolds, it will be interesting to see how the court rules and what impact this will have on the music industry at large.
The primary relief that Tempo Music Investments seeks from the lawsuit is for Cyrus and the other defendants to cease reproducing, distributing, or publicly performing 'Flowers'. The lawsuit against Miley Cyrus is a stark reminder of the fine line between inspiration and imitation in the music industry. As artists continue to push boundaries and experiment with new sounds, they must also ensure they respect the intellectual property rights of their fellow musicians. The outcome of this lawsuit could potentially set a new precedent in copyright law within the music industry, and it is a story that the world will be watching closely.
* This is a contributed article and this content does not necessarily represent the views of btin.co.in
