The Court of Justice of Rio de Janeiro (TJ-RJ) determined, last Friday (13), that the song “Million Years Ago”, by singer Adele, cannot be used, reproduced, edited, distributed or sold without the authorization of singer and composer Toninho Geraes. The information is from UOL and from CNN Brazil.
The decision is the result of a copyright lawsuit filed by Geraes, who claims that the song is a plagiarism of his work “Mulheres”, a song made famous by Martinho da Vila.
Although the decision did not establish a definitive sentence on plagiarism, judge Victor Agustin Cunha Jaccoud Diz Torres recognizes an “undisguised similarity” between the two songs and imposes a fine of R$50,000 for each act of non-compliance, valid for any means , whether physical, digital, streaming or sharing platforms.
To the portal UOLGeraes’ lawyer, Fredimio Biasotto Trotta, who says that the sentence is a “historic victory not only for the case, but for Brazilian music”. Sony Music, which represents Adele in Brazil, has not yet commented.
The lawsuit includes not only Adele, but also the song’s producer, Greg Kurstin, and the record companies that represent the artist, such as Sony and Universal. Geraes is asking for compensation of R$1 million, in addition to copyright with interest and monetary correction, although the court’s decision has not yet addressed this issue.
According to Trotta, the Court must now subpoena the owners of the rights to “Million Years Ago”: Adele, producer Greg Kurstin and the record companies Sony, Universal and Beggars Group. The TJ-RJ decision can still be appealed.
