A judge in Brazil has ordered Adele’s song Million Years Ago to be removed globally from streaming services due to a plagiarism claim by Brazilian composer Toninho Geraes.
Geraes alleges that the song plagiarized the music of his 1995 song Mulheres (Women), which Brazilian artist Martinho da Vila sang on his album Tá Delícia, Tá Gostoso.
The composer is suing for lost royalty and seeking $160,000 in moral damages. He also wants songwriting credits for the samba track, which he believes the Hello singer copied.
A judge in Brazil has ordered a 2015 Adele song to be withdrawn from streaming platforms due to a plagiarism claim
Image credits: adele
Judge Victor Torres has ordered the Brazilian subsidiaries of Sony and Universal to halt “immediately and globally, from using, reproducing, editing, distributing or commercializing the song Million Years Ago, by any modality, means, physical or digital support, streaming or sharing platform,” AFP reported Monday (December 16).
“It is a landmark for Brazilian music, which … has often been copied to compose successful international hits,” Fredimio Trotta, Geraes’ attorney, was quoted as saying by AFP.
“International producers and artists who … have Brazilian music ‘on their radar’ for possible parasitic use will think twice, given this decision.”
Image credits: adele
Judge Torres’s injunction threatens Sony and Universal, the singer’s labels, with an $8,000 fine “per act of non-compliance.”
The major music companies can, however, appeal the Judge’s decision.
Trotta said his firm would work to notify streaming services, radio, and television broadcasters of Judge Torres’ ruling.
Martinho da Vila, 86, is regarded as one of the main representatives of samba music and MPB (música popular brasileira, or Brazilian popular music) and considered as one of the top exponents of samba to have ever lived. Throughout his career, he has released over 40 studio albums.
Composer Toninho Geraes alleges that Adele’s Million Year Ago plagiarized his 1995 song Mulheres, performed by Martinho da Vila
The song Million Years Ago was included on Adele’s third studio album, 25, which sold over three million copies in a week in the US and earned her five Grammy awards, including Album of the Year.
The acoustic tune was written by Adele and Greg Kurstin, with production of the song provided by the latter.
Toninho Geraes processa oficialmente Adele por suposto plágio e pede R$ 1 milhão.
A cantora está sendo acusada de copiar a melodia de “Mulheres”, de Martinho da Vila, em “Million Years Ago”. pic.twitter.com/C6xLy90TeQ
— ACERVO (@AcervoCharts) June 19, 2024
On her 2015 Adele at the BBC special with Graham Norton, the performer said the song expressed the nostalgia she felt for her pre-fame days.
“It’s kind of a story about … I drove past Brockwell Park, which is a park in South London I used to live by. It’s where I spent a lot of my youth,” she explained.
“It has quite monumental moments of my life that I’ve spent there, and I drove past it and I just literally burst into tears. I really missed it, for no other reason than we’ve all got different things going on…”
The track was featured on the singer’s Grammy-winning album, 25
Image credits: Adele
Image credits: adele
Reacting to a clip of the two songs, many netizens agreed that Adele’s and da Vila’s melodies sounded similar.
“I like Adele, but it’s obvious that the melody is the same. And for those who don’t know, Brazilian music has a lot of influence all over the world,” one user wrote.
“The melody is identical… I don’t know if it was intentional, but it’s the same,” another added.
“What are the chances that Adele knows who Toninho Geraes is?” a third wrote, referencing the composer.
A separate user said: “I just listened to Million Years Ago, and it’s undeniable: it basically changes 1 note and the instrumental part. But the chorus is the same thing! Same notes and melodies.”
Brazil has signed the Berne Convention that agrees international protection for copyrighted works. Adopted in 1886, the convention is the primary international treaty governing copyright law.
The British star said the song is about the places where she “spent a lot of [her] youth”
Image credits: adele
Adele also faced accusations regarding A Million Years Ago in 2015 when Turkish fans claimed the song was similar to a 1985 tune by Kurdish singer Ahmet Kaya, titled Acilara Tutunmak (Clinging to Pain).
Fans accused the British star of plagiarizing the song from Kaya, who passed away in 2000. Kaya’s wife reportedly dismissed the allegations, asserting that it was unlikely for a superstar like Adele to plagiarize a local singer.
Bored Panda has contacted Adele’s representatives for comment.
Many people agreed that both songs sounded similar
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