Miley Cyrus 'Flowers' Lawsuit 2026: Tempo Music Copyright Case Status, Timeline & What's Next
The Miley Cyrus 'Flowers' copyright lawsuit (Tempo Music Investments v. Cyrus, C.D. Cal.) is still live: motion to dismiss denied, more dismissal bids rejected through February 2026. Full timeline, allegations, and what happens next.
Miley Cyrus "Flowers" Lawsuit: What's Happening in the Copyright Case (2026 Status)
If you've seen headlines about Miley Cyrus being sued over her Grammy-winning hit "Flowers," here is where things stand as of September 2026: the case is still live. A federal judge has repeatedly rejected attempts by Cyrus and her co-defendants to end the case early, meaning the copyright dispute over whether "Flowers" improperly echoes Bruno Mars' "When I Was Your Man" is moving toward an eventual trial or settlement. There is no settlement yet and nothing for consumers to claim — this is a copyright dispute between music-rights holders, not a class action.
Who Is Suing, and Why?
Tempo Music Investments, LLC v. Miley Cyrus et al. — filed September 16, 2024 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California (Judge Monica Ramirez Almadani), asserting federal copyright infringement (17 U.S.C. § 101).
Tempo Music Investments is a music-rights investment fund that acquired an interest in "When I Was Your Man" — the 2012 Bruno Mars ballad. The complaint alleges that "Flowers" (2023) copies protected elements of "When I Was Your Man":
- Melodic and harmonic parallels — most notably the verse progression and melodic contour
- Lyrical and structural echoes — "Flowers" opens with the self-sufficiency theme and, in its first verse, directly references "I can buy myself flowers," which critics of the suit argue interacts with "I should have bought you flowers" — a line from "When I Was Your Man"
Cyrus's legal team has argued the similarities are unprotectable "commonplace" musical building blocks — chord progressions and lyrical tropes that appear across pop music and belong to no one. That argument echoes defenses that succeeded for Ed Sheeran ("Thinking Out Loud") and Katy Perry ("Dark Horse," on appeal), and failed at first for Robin Thicke ("Blurred Lines").
Case Timeline (2024–2026)
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| September 16, 2024 | Tempo Music Investments files the copyright complaint in the C.D. Cal. |
| Early 2025 | Cyrus and co-defendants move to dismiss, arguing the shared elements are commonplace and unprotectable |
| March 2025 | The judge denies the motion to dismiss — the case proceeds past the pleading stage |
| Late 2025 | Renewed dismissal efforts are rejected; discovery and pretrial work continue |
| February 2026 | Cyrus's team files yet another bid to end the case, again calling the similarities "commonplace" and unprotectable |
| September 2026 | Case remains active. No trial date publicly announced, no settlement disclosed |
What Happens Next
- Pretrial rulings — the court will decide which musical elements are protectable and whether expert musicologists can testify (the centerpiece of modern music-copyright trials)
- Settlement window — most music-copyright cases settle before trial; any deal would be private and reported after the fact
- Trial — if no settlement, the case would go to a jury, which decides substantial similarity; verdicts can be appealed for years (see the multi-year "Shake It Off" and "Dark Horse" sagas)
For context on how these cases typically resolve — including ones that collapsed without any payment — see our roundup of high-profile lawsuits that ended without a settlement.
What This Means for You
- There is no settlement, no claim form, and no consumer fund connected to this case — and there never will be, because it is not a class action. It is a dispute over songwriting credits and royalties between rights holders.
- If the case settles, expect a private agreement (likely a credit-sharing arrangement or undisclosed payment), not public payouts.
- If Cyrus wins, expect an appeal — the losing side in music-copyright cases almost always appeals.
- Be skeptical of any site or ad offering "Miley Cyrus lawsuit compensation" — it has no basis. See our guide on how to spot class action scams.
FAQ
Q: Is there a Miley Cyrus "Flowers" settlement?
A: No. As of September 2026 the case is still being litigated, with no settlement announced and no trial verdict.
Q: Who owns "When I Was Your Man" and why are they suing?
A: Tempo Music Investments is a music-catalog investment company that acquired an ownership interest in the song's rights. Catalog investors frequently police potential infringements because new hit songs that echo an older work can reduce or redirect royalty value — and can be licensed for compensation after the fact.
Q: Could "Flowers" lose its Grammy?
A: A court ruling has no effect on Grammy awards or past releases. The realistic outcomes are money damages and/or a retroactive songwriting credit (which affects future royalties) — not chart or award changes.
This page is updated as the case develops. Last reviewed: September 8, 2026.
More in Consumer Protection guides · Latest class action filings · Upcoming claim deadlines