Tempo Music is demanding that Miley Cyrus’s song Flowers be recognized as a copyright infringement. According to the lawsuit, the track noticeably mirrors the structure and sound of When I Was Your Man, a hit by Bruno Mars. The claim refers to the verse melody, bass line, certain chords, and even some individual lyrics. Tempo Music obtained the rights to When I Was Your Man by purchasing a share from one of the co-writers.
Cyrus’s legal team attempted to dismiss the case, arguing that a buyer cannot file a lawsuit if they acquired rights from only one co-author. In response, Tempo maintained that such a transfer of rights is lawful and has been upheld in prior cases. The court heard both sides and ultimately found the defense’s arguments unconvincing.
Judge Pregerson explained that co-owners of copyright can exercise their rights independently. Each one has the authority to transfer their share — along with the right to protect it in court. Banning such transfers, he noted, would discourage investors from acquiring music rights and would make co-authorship less profitable. The very concept of exclusive rights doesn’t imply that only one person can own them.
The list of defendants includes not only Cyrus, but also Sony Music and Apple. While Bruno Mars himself is not involved, some of his co-writers are among the plaintiffs. Tempo Music is seeking to ban the performance, distribution, and public reproduction of Flowers, citing copyright infringement.
It’s worth recalling that Bruno Mars himself was recently at the center of a controversy. News outlets reported that the famous singer had lost over $50 million gambling in a Las Vegas casino. Fans believed it, given that gambling is once again booming — this time in the form of virtual entertainment. Online casinos are attracting millions of new users with a variety of bonuses and benefits. All review platforms are talking about it. A no deposit bonus casino list curated by experts features many major brands, each offering thousands of games. So it’s no surprise that gambling is appealing not just to regular users, but also to celebrities.
However, Bruno Mars soon denied the report. He does, in fact, have a performance contract with a well-known casino in Nevada’s largest city. Las Vegas continues to draw massive crowds — not only because of the games, but thanks to performances by the world’s top artists. Still, according to Mars, his connection with the city is purely professional.