A Brazilian judge has issued a global injunction ordering the removal of Adele’s song “Million Years Ago” from streaming platforms and other distribution channels amid a plagiarism lawsuit by Brazilian composer Toninho Geraes.
The ruling threatens Sony Music Entertainment and Universal Music, Adele’s labels, with an $8,000 fine per violation.
The decision, handed down by Judge Victor Torres in Rio de Janeiro’s 6th Commercial Court, prohibits the use, reproduction, distribution, or commercialization of the song until further developments in the case. The labels have the right to appeal the ruling.
Geraes claims Adele’s 2015 song plagiarized his samba classic “Mulheres,” recorded by Martinho da Vila in 1995. He is seeking lost royalties, $160,000 in damages, and songwriting credit for the track.
Fredimio Trotta, Geraes’ lawyer, hailed the ruling as a significant victory for Brazilian music, which he claims has been frequently appropriated in international hits. Trotta plans to notify broadcasters and streaming services globally about the injunction, emphasizing that it may deter foreign artists from exploiting Brazilian music without permission.
This is not the first plagiarism allegation against “Million Years Ago.” In 2015, Turkish fans alleged similarities between Adele’s song and “Acılara Tutunmak” (“Clinging to Pain”), a 1985 track by Kurdish singer Ahmet Kaya. Kaya’s widow dismissed the possibility of intentional copying.
Brazil, a signatory to the Berne Convention, upholds international copyright protections for creative works. Neither Sony Music Brazil nor Universal Music Brazil has issued a comment on the ruling.
