1 month ago
31
December 19, 2024 | 07:00 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A judge in Rio de Janeiro has ordered the global removal of a 2015 song by British singer Adele due to a plagiarism claim by a Brazilian musician, which Universal Music is fighting on appeal.
The ruling, made public on Monday, came in a case filed this year by Toninho Geraes, whose compositions were made famous by some of Brazil's most acclaimed samba singers.
Geraes accused Adele of copying his song "Mulheres," a national hit since the 1990s. His lawyers uploaded to YouTube a comparison of that song and Adele's "Million Years Ago."
"The ruling shows that the Brazilian justice system is strong and that injuries to Brazilian artists won't be ignored," said Fredimio Biasotto Trotta, a lawyer for Geraes.
The decision orders Sony Music Entertainment (6758.T) and Universal Music (UMG.AS) to immediately cease "using, reproducing, editing, distributing, or commercializing" the song by any means on streaming or sharing platforms, without Geraes' consent. It set a fine of 50,000 reais ($8,080.94) if the companies fail to comply with the order.
The Berne Convention, an international treaty, orders other signatory countries, including the U.S., to comply with legal decisions regarding copyright, Trotta said.
Geraes' lawyers are now notifying streaming services, such as Spotify (SPOT.N) and Deezer (DEEZR.PA), to withdraw the song in Brazil and globally. On Wednesday morning, the song was still widely available.
Universal appealed the decision on Tuesday, arguing there was no plagiarism, only an "accidental melodic similarity" due to the use of "musical clichés."
Both Adele and Geraes have contracts with Universal, but the Brazilian musician has been trying to terminate his contract with the company due to his plagiarism claim, his lawyer said.
"I felt very disrespected," Geraes told Reuters. He is asking the courts for compensation of more than $150,000.
Lawyers representing Universal Music declined to comment, and Sony Music did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
Geraes learned of the similarities between the two songs after a friend, who is also a composer, heard Adele's "Million Years Ago" at a party in 2021.
($1 = 6.1874 reais)
REUTERS | Luciana Novaes Magalhaes and Manuela Andreoni
Editor’s Choice: Most Searched People on Google in 2024: From Trump to Taylor Swift
Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
British Historian Peter Carey Criticizes UGM for Not Taking Plagiarism Seriously
24 hari lalu
British historian Peter Carey believes that Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) is not serious in responding to the issue of plagiarism.
Prabowo Asserts Commitment to Tackle Hunger, Poverty at G20 Summit
30 hari lalu
At the G20 Summit, Prabowo underscored Indonesia's commitment to addressing hunger and poverty as national priorities.
Paraguay President 'Doing Well' After Hospitalization in Brazil While Attending G20 Summit
30 hari lalu
President of Paraguay Santiago Pena was in stable condition on Monday night after being hospitalized while attending the G20 Summit.
Prabowo Attends G20 Summit in Brazil, Focuses on Fighting Poverty
30 hari lalu
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto attended the G20 Summit at the Museum of Modern Art, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Monday, November 18, 2024.
Prabowo to Attend APEC and G20 Summit in Mid-November 2024
46 hari lalu
Indonesian President Prabowo, for 2 weeks, will attend APEC, which is held on Nov. 13-16 in Peru, & the G20 which take place on Nov. 18-19 in Brazil.
Top 5 Sugar-Producing Countries in the World
49 hari lalu
Brazil, India, Thailand, China, and the U.S. are named as the top sugar-producing countries, exporting a whacking amount of the sweetener good.
7 Sugar-Exporting Countries, Brazil and Australia Included
49 hari lalu
Discover the top 7 sugar-exporting countries, from Brazil to Australia. See which nations dominate the global sugar trade in 2023/2024.
Caiman-eating Jaguars Survive Fires in Brazil's Pantanal Wetlands
56 hari lalu
Bold and his fellow jaguars are surviving the worst fires to engulf the world's largest tropical wetlands in central-western Brazil, the Pantanal.
Brazil Drought Sinks Amazon Rainforest Port River Level to 122-year Low
5 Oktober 2024
The river port in the Amazon rainforest's largest city of Manaus, Brazil, on Friday, hit its lowest level since 1902, as a drought drains waterways.
Including Brazil, Here's 9 Countries that Ban Social Media Platform X
2 September 2024
Brazil recently banned the social media X (formerly Twitter).
