A Brazilian judge has ordered Adele's song "Million Years Ago" to be removed from all streaming platforms worldwide due to plagiarism allegations from Brazilian composer Toninho Geraes.

The injunction, issued by Judge Victor Torres in Rio de Janeiro's sixth commercial court, threatens Sony and Universal's Brazilian subsidiaries with an $8,000 fine per violation. Geraes claims the 2015 track from Adele's album "25" plagiarizes his 1995 samba classic "Mulheres (Women)," recorded by Martinho da Vila.

The legal action seeks:

• Immediate global removal from all streaming platforms
• Lost royalties compensation
• $160,000 in moral damages
• Songwriting credit on Adele's track

The song, which has garnered over 225 million Spotify streams since its release, remains available on U.S. streaming platforms while the case continues. This marks the first successful legal challenge to the song, though it previously faced unofficial plagiarism accusations from Turkish music fans who compared it to Ahmet Kaya's 1985 song "Acilara Tutunmak."

Fredimio Trotta, Geraes' lawyer, calls the ruling "a landmark for Brazilian music," suggesting it will deter international artists from potentially misusing Brazilian compositions. Sony Brazil has not yet commented on the injunction.

Related Articles

Previous Articles