Miley Cyrus Reportedly Settles Copyright Infringement Lawsuit
Miley Cyrus has reportedly settled a $300 million copyright infringement lawsuit over her 2013 single “We Can’t Stop.” Reuters reports the singer-songwriter’s legal team and record label has reached a settlement after being sued by Jamaican songwriter Michael May (AKA Flourgon) who initially sued Miley, claiming that her song sounded a lot like his 1988 track titled “We Run Things.”
The original lawsuit was filed in March 2018. At the time, Forbes reported that in addition to suing Miley, May also sued Sony Music, RCA Records, Miley’s manager, Larry Rudolph, and the song’s writers and producers.
CNN reported that the initial lawsuit alleged that Miley’s lyrics were extremely similar to May’s; a line in “We Run Things” goes “We run things / Things no run we,” while Miley sings, “We run things / Things don’t run we.” In addition to seeking $300 million in compensation, May also reportedly asked the courts to prohibit “We Can’t Stop” from ever being distributed or performed, claiming that Miley was heavily influenced by Caribbean music. May also claimed that, without his original song, “the entire theme of 'We Can't Stop' would be hollow in sound and impact.”
According to Reuters, all parties involved filed a joint stipulation in a New York federal court on Friday, January 3, ending the lawsuit entirely. In a letter last month, Miley’s lawyers reportedly confirmed that a settlement had been reached; however, the details of the agreement have not been specified.
At the time of writing, Miley has not commented on or addressed the lawsuit. On social media, the singer-songwriter has been busy celebrating the end of the decade, and teasing the next chapter of Miley: “New Year. New Era.”
Want more from Teen Vogue? Check this out: Miley Cyrus's “Sad Christmas Song” Is For People Who Feel Lonely During the Holidays
Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue
