A Brazilian judge has issued a global injunction to pull British pop star Adele’s song Million Years Ago from circulation, including streaming services, amidst an ongoing plagiarism dispute raised by a Brazilian composer.
The ruling, handed down by Judge Victor Torres on Friday in Rio de Janeiro’s 6th Commercial Court, comes with a penalty of $8,000 per violation for the Brazilian branches of Sony Music Entertainment and Universal Music, Adele’s record labels. Both companies retain the right to appeal the decision.
The injunction, revealed Monday through AFP, orders Sony and Universal to “immediately and globally cease the use, reproduction, editing, distribution, or commercialization” of the track in any format—physical, digital, streaming, or sharing platforms—until further legal proceedings in the plagiarism case are resolved.
Fredimio Trotta, legal representative for Brazilian composer Toninho Geraes, described the ruling as a “landmark for Brazilian music,” which, he stated, has often been a source of uncredited inspiration for international hits.
Trotta confirmed plans to notify radio and television broadcasters, as well as streaming platforms worldwide, about the injunction.
Adele
Geraes alleges that Adele’s 2015 track copied elements of his samba classic Mulheres (Women), a song recorded by Brazilian artist Martinho da Vila on a 1995 hit album. Geraes is seeking lost royalties, $160,000 in moral damages, and formal songwriting credit on Adele’s song.
In response to the controversy, Sony Music Entertainment Brazil declined to comment, while Universal Music Brazil did not immediately provide a statement.
Trotta emphasized that this ruling might deter international artists and producers from uncredited use of Brazilian music. “Foreign singers and labels with Brazilian music ‘on their radar’ for potential parasitic use will think twice after this decision,” he said.
This is not the first time Adele’s Million Years Ago has faced plagiarism accusations. In 2015, Turkish fans noted similarities between the song and Acılara Tutunmak (Clinging to Pain), a 1985 track by Kurdish singer Ahmet Kaya. Kaya’s widow, however, dismissed the likelihood of deliberate plagiarism by a global artist like Adele.
Brazil, a signatory of the 1886 Berne Convention, ensures international copyright protections for creative works under the treaty’s framework.
