A Brazilian judge has ordered the worldwide removal of Adele's song "Million Years Ago" amid allegations that the track plagiarizes a Brazilian samba classic.
Judge Victor Torres of Rio de Janeiro's commercial court issued an injunction demanding the immediate global withdrawal of the song from all platforms, including streaming services. The order targets the Brazilian branches of Sony Music Entertainment and Universal Music, Adele's record labels, with potential fines of $8,000 for each violation.
The legal action stems from a 2021 lawsuit filed by Brazilian composer Toninho Geraes, who claims Adele's 2015 track copies elements from his song "Mulheres," performed by Martinho Da Vila in 1995.
"The decision interrupts this harmful, criminal act," said Fredimio Trotta, Geraes' attorney, who pledged to ensure the song stays off radio, television, and streaming platforms worldwide. Geraes is seeking $160,000 in damages and songwriting credit.
This isn't the first time "Million Years Ago" has faced scrutiny. When released in 2015, fans of Kurdish singer Ahmet Kaya noted similarities between the track and Kaya's 1985 song "Acilara Tutunmak," though no legal action resulted from those claims.
The order comes just weeks after Adele concluded her successful Las Vegas residency at Caesars Palace. Representatives for the 16-time Grammy winner have not yet commented on the ruling.
The case highlighting the complexities of global music copyright continues as the industry watches to see how the ban will be implemented across international platforms.