British superstar Adele has been accused of plagiarism.
A Brazilian judge has ordered for one of the singing sensation’s songs, Million Years Ago, which features on her hit album 25, to be pulled from streaming services worldwide.
The decision comes after a lawsuit was filed by Brazilian composer Toninho Geraes.
Mr Geraes, 62, claims Adele’s 2015 song plagiarised the music of his samba classic Mulheres (Women), recorded by Brazilian singer Martinho da Vila on a 1995 hit album.
It has been alleged that after expert analysis and overlapping of the two melodies, it is evident that there is an “undisguised symmetry” between the artists’ tracks.
The injunction was made by judge Victor Torres on Friday (December 13) in Rio de Janeiro’s sixth commercial court, pending further activity in the continuing plagiarism case.
The injunction 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 will be able to appeal the decision.
“It is a landmark for Brazilian music, which…has often been copied to compose successful international hits,” Fredimio Trotta, Mr Geraes’ lawyer, said.
Mr Trotta said his firm would be working to ensure that radio and television broadcasters, and streaming services around the world, were alerted to the Brazilian ruling.
As soon as the streaming services are judicially notified, Adele’s song, which has over 223 million streams on Spotify, will be removed.
A specific date has not yet been set, as reported by Need To Know.
Mr Geraes is suing for lost royalties, $160,000 (£127,000) in moral damages, plus songwriting credit on Adele’s track.
The lawsuit was filed in February.
Mr Geraes has also asked that the producer Greg Kurstin be compensated.
