A Brazilian judge has ordered that Adele’s 2015 hit “Million Years Ago” be removed from streaming services globally after a composer claims it plagiarizes his samba classic

A Brazilian court has ordered that Adele’s 2015 song “Million Years Ago” be removed worldwide over allegations of plagiarism. The ruling, issued on Friday by Judge Victor Torres in Rio de Janeiro, affects Adele’s music across all platforms, including streaming services. The injunction orders Sony and Universal, Adele’s record labels, to cease the song’s distribution, reproduction, and commercialization globally.

The lawsuit was filed by Brazilian composer Toninho Geraes, who claims that Adele’s track copied elements of his 1995 samba song “Mulheres” (Women), performed by Martinho da Vila. Geraes is seeking $160,000 in moral damages and royalties, as well as songwriting credit on the track.

Fredimio Trotta, Geraes’s lawyer, hailed the ruling as a victory for Brazilian music, stating that the injunction would serve as a deterrent to international artists and producers who might seek to appropriate Brazilian music without credit. “This decision should make foreign artists think twice before using Brazilian music in their work,” Trotta commented.

While the ruling impacts streaming and commercial platforms globally, the music labels have the option to appeal. Sony Brazil and Universal Music Brazil have yet to comment on the case.

This is not the first time Adele’s song has faced accusations of plagiarism. In 2015, Turkish music fans raised similar concerns, alleging that the song mirrored a 1985 track by Kurdish singer Ahmet Kaya, though those claims did not result in legal action.

Brazil’s status as a signatory to the 1886 Berne Convention means that its copyright laws are internationally recognized, giving Geraes and other Brazilian artists legal recourse against perceived infringements of their works.