From Adele’s Million Years Ago to Ed Sheeran’s Photo: The Endless Saga of Plagiarism in Music

The music industry is no stranger to accusations of plagiarism, and the recent controversy surrounding British superstar Adele adds another chapter to this ongoing narrative. A judge in Rio de Janeiro has ordered the removal of Adele’s 2015 song “Million Years Ago” from all streaming platforms worldwide after ruling in favor of Brazilian musician Toninho Geraes. Geraes claimed Adele’s song copied his 1990s samba hit “Mulheres,” sparking a legal battle that captivated the global music community.

Toninho Geraes, whose compositions have long been celebrated in the Brazilian samba tradition, argued that “Million Years Ago” bore unmistakable similarities to Mulhere’s. His legal team even uploaded a YouTube comparison to support their claim. The court ruling requires Universal Music and Sony Music to immediately stop distributing the song on all platforms. A fine of 50,000 reais (approx ₹6,73,967) is threatened for non-compliance, although Universal Music is appealing the decision.

Although Adele’s case is currently making headlines, she is not alone. Over the decades, some of music’s biggest names have faced accusations that they – sometimes unconsciously, sometimes unintentionally – borrowed from other artists. Here are some notable cases that have shaped the discourse around plagiarism in music.

Led Zeppelin (Staircase to heaven)

Few songs are as iconic as Led Zeppelin’s Staircase to heavenbut its opening riff sparked controversy when the band was accused of stealing it from Spirit’s instrumental Taurus. A lengthy court battle ensued, with the jury ultimately ruling in Led Zeppelin’s favor, finding that the two songs were not substantially similar.

Coldplay (Viva La Vida)

Guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani claimed that Coldplay Viva La Vida adopted elements from his 2004 track If I could fly. Although Coldplay claimed that any similarity was purely coincidental, the case was settled out of court.

Ed Sheeran (photo)

Ed Sheeran suffered a major backlash when songwriters Thomas Leonard and Martin Harrington accused him of copying their song Great (sung by for his hit photo. The case ended with Sheeran agreeing to a hefty £13.8million settlement.

John Fogerty (The old man on the street)

In one of the strangest cases, John Fogerty was sued by Fantasy Records for allegedly plagiarizing Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR). Run through the jungle with his solo song The old man on the street. The twist? Fogerty had written both songs, as he was also a founding member of CCR. The court ruled in Fogerty’s favor, marking a victory for artistic self-expression.

John Lennon (Come together)

John Lennon’s “Come Together” was scrutinized by Chuck Berry’s publisher, who claimed it copied Berry’s 1956 hit You can’t catch me. The case was settled out of court, and Lennon agreed to record more of the publisher’s songs.

Katy Perry (Dark horse)

Christian rapper Flame accused Katy Perry of violating his 2008 track Joyful noise with her punch Dark horse. While Perry initially lost the case, the verdict was overturned on appeal.

Sam Smith (Stay with me)

Sam Smith’s Stay with me drew comparisons to Tom Petty I won’t give in. Rather than escalate the matter, both parties mutually agreed to credit Petty and co-writer Jeff Lynne as co-writers of Smith’s song.

For artists, these cases underscore the importance of understanding musical heritage – and for listeners, they are a reminder of how interconnected and globalized music has always been. Whether the courts side with Adele or Geraes, one thing is certain: the debate over originality in music is far from over.