Judge orders Adele’s ‘Million Years Ago’ be removed from streaming after plagiarism claim

A judge in Brazil has ordered Adele’s 2015 track ‘Million Years Ago’ to be removed from streaming services globally after a plagiarism claim.

Brazilian composer Toninho Geraes has sued Adele for lost royalties, over £100,000 in “moral damages” and a songwriting credit on the track, which he claims plagiarises 1995 samba track ‘Mulheres (Women)’.

The Guardian report that the judge’s order demands that Sony and Universal stop “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”.

Any “act of non-compliance” will be met with a fine of $8,000 (£6,300) for the Brazilian divisions of the labels.

Geraes’ lawyer said (via The Independent): “It is a landmark for Brazilian music, which … has often been copied to compose successful international hits.”

‘Million Years Ago’ was the subject of another plagiarism case upon its release in 2015, with Adele accused by Turkish music fans of copying the Kurdish song ‘Acilara Tutunmak (Clinging to Pain)’.