A Brazilian judge has ordered the worldwide removal of Adele’s hit song “Million Years Ago” from streaming platforms and other commercial outlets following a plagiarism claim by Brazilian composer Toninho Geraes.
The injunction, issued by Judge Victor Torres in Rio de Janeiro’s 6th Commercial Court, mandates that Sony Music Entertainment and Universal Music halt the use, reproduction, editing, distribution, and commercialization of the song globally. The two music giants face a fine of $8,000 for each act of non-compliance.
Geraes, who claims Adele’s 2015 track plagiarized his samba classic “Mulheres” (“Women”), recorded by renowned Brazilian singer Martinho da Vila, is suing for $160,000 in moral damages and demanding songwriting credit on the song. His lawyer, Fredimio Trotta, hailed the ruling as a significant victory for Brazilian music, asserting it sends a strong message to international artists and labels regarding the use of Brazilian music.
This ruling comes amid ongoing legal proceedings, and the music companies have the option to appeal. Sony Music Entertainment Brazil declined to comment, and Universal Music Brazil did not respond immediately to requests for statements.
The case has drawn attention to similar past claims, as Adele faced accusations of plagiarism from Turkish music fans in 2015, who noted similarities between “Million Years Ago” and a 1985 song by Kurdish singer Ahmet Kaya.
