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

Photo Credit: Lady Lotus / CC by 4.0

The injunction, issued by Judge Victor Torres in Rio de Janeiro's sixth commercial court, requires Sony and Universal's Brazilian subsidiaries to cease all distribution and commercialization of the song worldwide, with non-compliance resulting in an $8,000 fine per violation.

Geraes claims Adele's 2015 track from her album "25" plagiarizes his 1995 samba classic "Mulheres (Women)," recorded by Martinho da Vila. He seeks $160,000 in moral damages, lost royalties, and songwriting credit on Adele's work.

The song, which has garnered over 225 million Spotify streams since its release, remains available on U.S. streaming platforms as of now. Sony Brazil has not yet commented on the ruling.

This marks the first legal challenge to "Million Years Ago," though it previously faced informal plagiarism accusations from Turkish music fans who noted similarities to Kurdish singer Ahmet Kaya's 1985 song "Acilara Tutunmak (Clinging to Pain)."

Fredimio Trotta, Geraes's lawyer, calls the ruling "a landmark for Brazilian music," suggesting it will deter international artists from potentially misusing Brazilian musical elements in future compositions.

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