A Rio de Janeiro judge has ordered the global removal of Adele’s 2015 song “Million Years Ago” following a plagiarism claim by Brazilian musician Toninho Geraes. Universal Music, Adele’s label, has appealed the decision, which came to light on Monday.
Geraes, whose samba compositions are widely celebrated in Brazil, alleges that Adele’s song copied his 1990s hit “Mulheres”. In support of his claim, Geraes’ legal team shared a side-by-side comparison of the two tracks on YouTube, highlighting the similarities.
Fredimio Biasotto Trotta, Geraes’ lawyer, praised the ruling as a testament to Brazil’s robust justice system, emphasising the importance of protecting Brazilian artists from copyright violations. “The ruling shows that the Brazilian justice system is strong and that injuries to Brazilian artists won’t be ignored,” said Trotta.
The court’s order demands that Sony Music and Universal Music immediately cease all forms of reproduction, distribution, or commercialisation of Adele’s song, imposing a fine of 50,000 reais (approximately $8,080) if the companies fail to comply with the order.
The Berne Convention, an international treaty, orders other signatory countries, including the U.S., to comply with legal decisions regarding copyright, Trotta said. Geraes’ legal team is now notifying streaming platforms like Spotify and Deezer to remove the song globally. However, as of Wednesday, it remained widely available.
Universal Music, in its appeal, argued that the alleged similarities are “accidental” and the result of common musical elements, or “clichés.”
Complicating the matter, both Adele and Geraes are under contract with Universal Music. Geraes, who has expressed frustration with the label, is seeking to terminate his contract and is demanding compensation exceeding $150,000.
The plagiarism claim arose in 2021 when a friend who is also a fellow composer alerted Geraes to the resemblance between his song and Adele’s after hearing “Million Years Ago” at a party. Universal has not commented on the case, and Sony Music has yet to respond.
Melissa Enoch
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