Brazilian judge orders Adele song be pulled from streaming services worldwide over plagiarism lawsuit

Adele has been accused of plagiarism after a Brazilian judge ordered one of her songs Million Years Ago to be pulled from streaming services around the world.

The decision comes after Brazilian composer Toninho Geraes filed a lawsuit.

Geraes, 62, claims Adele’s 2015 song, featured on her hit album 25, plagiarized the music of his samba classic Mulheres (Women), recorded by Brazilian singer Martinho da Vila on a 1995 hit album.

It is claimed that after expert analysis and overlapping of the two melodies, it is clear that there is an ‘undisguised symmetry’ between the artists’ songs.

The order was issued on Friday (December 13) by Judge Victor Torres in Rio de Janeiro’s Sixth Commercial Court, pending further activities in the ongoing plagiarism case.

The court order threatens the Brazilian subsidiaries of Sony and Universal, Adele’s labels, with a fine of $8,000 (£6,300) ‘per act of non-compliance’.

Both music labels can appeal the decision.

“It is a milestone for Brazilian music, which has often been copied to compose successful international hits,” said Fredimio Trotta, Mr. Geraes’ lawyer.

Mr Trotta said his company would work to ensure radio and television broadcasters and streaming services around the world were notified of the Brazilian ruling.

As soon as the streaming services receive legal notice, Adele’s song, which has more than 223 million streams on Spotify, will be removed.

A specific date has not yet been set, NeedToKnow reports.

Mr Geraes is suing for lost royalties, $160,000 (£127,000) in moral damages, plus songwriting credit for Adele’s track.

The lawsuit was filed in February. Mr. Geraes has also asked for compensation for producer Greg Kurstin.

A representative for Adele has been contacted by MailOnline for comment.

A lawsuit was filed by composer Toninho Geraes, who claims Adele plagiarized the music of his song Mulheres, recorded by Brazilian singer Martinho da Vila (pictured) on a 1995 hit album

It is not the first time that Adele has been accused of plagiarism on her song Million Years Ago.

When it was released in 2015, Turkish music lovers claimed that the song was a rip-off of Kurdish musician Ahmet Kaya’s 1985 song Acilara Tutunmak.

The song’s release caused a storm in Turkey, with some social media users accusing Adele of ‘stealing’ the melancholy tune from Kaya, who died in exile in France in 2000.

Kaya’s widow Gulten Kaya also said that it is unlikely that a world star like Adele would do something like that. “However, if she did it consciously, it would be theft,” she told Turkish daily Posta. No lawsuit was ever filed.

Adele has an estimated net worth of $220 million, which comes from her concerts, music sales and streaming rights, as well as merchandise and investments.

Last month she completed her two-year residency in Las Vegas.

Million Years Ago is featured on Adele’s hit album 25. When it was released in 2015, Turkish music lovers claimed the song was a rip-off of the 1985 song Acilara Tutunmak.

During her last show, she addressed the speculation that she would retire, as she admitted she wasn’t sure when she would next release new music or go on tour.

“I just don’t know when I want to go on stage next,” she admitted. “And it’s time to move on.”

“It’s time for the next chapter and it’s time for the next season of my life.”

The star also gave a nod to her family, son Angelo and fiancé Rich Paul in her tear-jerking speech.

At the end of her performance, Adele recalled the beginning of her time in Sin City as “f****** rocky” and described 2022, which saw her cancel performances less than 24 hours before the first show, as the “worst ‘. year of her life’.

Her entire 24-day residency was scrapped at the eleventh hour after claims half her team had Covid and they ‘ran out of time’ to get the show ready.