Adele's hit pulled from platforms after Brazil court ruling
A Brazilian court has ordered the removal of Adele's song "Million Years Ago" from all radio stations and streaming platforms worldwide, ruling that the song plagiarizes the work of Brazilian artist Toninho Geraes.
According to The Guardian and The Times, the 62-year-old singer and songwriter Toninho Geraes claims that Adele's 2015 track copies his 1996 classic "Mulheres," performed by Martinho da Vila. Judge Victor Torres from Rio de Janeiro issued a preliminary injunction, requiring Sony Music Entertainment and Universal Music to immediately and globally cease using, reproducing, editing, distributing, or commercializing the song "Million Years Ago" in any form, whether on physical or digital media, through streaming platforms.
The plagiarism case was first filed in 2021. Adele's Brazilian label branches may face a fine of $8,000 for each violation of the order. Geraes's lawyer, Fredimio Trotta, described the decision as a milestone for Brazilian music, often copied to create international hits. "It is a landmark for Brazilian music, which has often been copied to compose successful international hits," he said.
Toninho Geraes is seeking compensation for lost royalties, $160,000 in damages, and recognition of his authorship in Adele's song. It is worth noting that earlier, fans in Turkey accused "Million Years Ago" of plagiarizing the 1985 song "Acilara Tutunmak," performed by Kurdish singer Ahmet Kaya.
