Brazil judge orders Adele song pulled globally over plagiarism
A Brazilian judge has ordered a song by British pop star Adele, Million Years Ago, be pulled worldwide over an ongoing plagiarism claim by a Brazilian composer.
A Brazilian judge has ordered a song by British pop star Adele, Million Years Ago, be pulled worldwide over an ongoing plagiarism claim by a Brazilian composer.
The injunction threatens the Brazilian subsidiaries of Sony Music Entertainment and Universal Music, Adele’s labels, with a fine of $US8000 ($12,600) “per act of non-compliance”.
Brazilian composer Toninho Geraes 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.
Geraes is suing for lost royalties, $160,000 in moral damages, plus songwriting credit on Adele’s track.
The injunction was made by judge Victor Torres, pending further activity in the continuing plagiarism case.
His preliminary injunction orders Sony and Universal to stop “immediately and globally, from using, reproducing, editing, distributing or commercialising the song Million Years Ago, by any modality, means, physical or digital support, streaming or sharing platform”.
“It is a landmark for Brazilian music, which … has often been copied to compose successful international hits,” said Geraes’s lawyer, Fredimio Trotta.
He said the injunction should have a chilling effect on foreign singers and labels looking to rip off Brazilian tunes.
“International producers and artists who … have Brazilian music ‘on their radar’ for possible parasitic use will think twice, given this decision,” the lawyer said.
Mr Trotta said his firm would work this week to ensure that radio and television broadcasters, and streaming services around the world, were alerted to the Brazilian ruling.
Sony Music Entertainment Brazil said it did “not have a statement at this time”, while Universal Music Brazil did not respond to a request for comment.
Adele was also accused in 2015 by Turkish music fans of plagiarism in Million Years Ago. They claimed its tune was similar to one in a 1985 song by Kurdish singer Ahmet Kaya, called Acilara Tutunmak (Clinging to Pain).
Kaya died in exile in France in 2000, and his widow said it was unlikely a global star like Adele would do such a thing.
AFP
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