After one listen of each song, I hear similar chord progressions and melodies with similar contours, possibly emphasizing the same scale degrees (I'd have to do more analysis to be sure). IMO......
After one listen of each song, I hear similar chord progressions and melodies with similar contours, possibly emphasizing the same scale degrees (I'd have to do more analysis to be sure). IMO... meh? The chord progression is not unique - they never are - and there's only so many ways of constructing a melody over a specific progression such that it lays in a way that feels good to the ear of the popular listener. Off the top of my head, the incredibly-well-known jazz standard "Autumn Leaves" has a similar progression and melody that emphasises a very similar set of descending scale degrees (albeit with a very different contour).
I think I'd be surprised if the composer of "Million Years" had never heard "Mulheres" even once, they're similar enough that I can imagine the Brazilian tune was an inspiration (maybe only on a subconscious level). But I think it being outright plagiarism is unlikely.
Edit: Yeah it's totally the A section of Autumn Leaves, even in the Turkish song @lou posted. Chord progression and emphasized scale degrees in the melody.
Edit 2: Okay so Tidal says the composers of "Million Years" are Adele and Greg Kurstin. It has a bio for Kurstin which says after high school he "continue[d] his piano studies at the New School ... immersing himself in the jazz scene ... while also exploring hip-hop and Brazilian music ...". I would put money on Kurstin having personally played Autumn Leaves at one point or another, and it sounds possible that he would have been familiar with "Mulheres" too. So could they have copied the song? Sure. Are there loads of other places Kurstin likely came into contact with similar musical ideas and practices? Absolutely.
So this isn't the only accusation for the song. Not a music expert, but I wonder if there's just some common musical element between them that can crop up naturally.
Adele was also accused by Turkish music fans of plagiarism in Million Years Ago in 2015. They claimed its tune was similar to one in a 1985 song by a 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.
So this isn't the only accusation for the song. Not a music expert, but I wonder if there's just some common musical element between them that can crop up naturally.
Yes, I understand it sounds ridiculous for a Brazilian judge to order the world to comply. I'm not a lawyer but there's probably some technicality or something out of context in these headlines,...
Yes, I understand it sounds ridiculous for a Brazilian judge to order the world to comply. I'm not a lawyer but there's probably some technicality or something out of context in these headlines, Brazilian judges know they cannot order the world to do anything. The decision came from the Rio de Janeiro state justice. The Brazilian song was a very popular hit in 1995. Most Brazilians are familiar with it. Martinho da Vila is a very popular, very rich sambista. I can see a similarity between the two songs, but I am neither a musician nor a judge.
I suppose companies that don't comply may be barred from doing business in Brazil, and people involved might be unable to go to Brazil if they don't pay the fine?
I suppose companies that don't comply may be barred from doing business in Brazil, and people involved might be unable to go to Brazil if they don't pay the fine?
Didn't know which songs this was about. Clicked the Adele link first and holly shit! Maybe it's just coincidence because of how many times we Brazilians have heard this song, but it instantly felt...
Didn't know which songs this was about. Clicked the Adele link first and holly shit! Maybe it's just coincidence because of how many times we Brazilians have heard this song, but it instantly felt like a cover song to me.
After one listen of each song, I hear similar chord progressions and melodies with similar contours, possibly emphasizing the same scale degrees (I'd have to do more analysis to be sure). IMO... meh? The chord progression is not unique - they never are - and there's only so many ways of constructing a melody over a specific progression such that it lays in a way that feels good to the ear of the popular listener. Off the top of my head, the incredibly-well-known jazz standard "Autumn Leaves" has a similar progression and melody that emphasises a very similar set of descending scale degrees (albeit with a very different contour).
I think I'd be surprised if the composer of "Million Years" had never heard "Mulheres" even once, they're similar enough that I can imagine the Brazilian tune was an inspiration (maybe only on a subconscious level). But I think it being outright plagiarism is unlikely.
Edit: Yeah it's totally the A section of Autumn Leaves, even in the Turkish song @lou posted. Chord progression and emphasized scale degrees in the melody.
Edit 2: Okay so Tidal says the composers of "Million Years" are Adele and Greg Kurstin. It has a bio for Kurstin which says after high school he "continue[d] his piano studies at the New School ... immersing himself in the jazz scene ... while also exploring hip-hop and Brazilian music ...". I would put money on Kurstin having personally played Autumn Leaves at one point or another, and it sounds possible that he would have been familiar with "Mulheres" too. So could they have copied the song? Sure. Are there loads of other places Kurstin likely came into contact with similar musical ideas and practices? Absolutely.
So this isn't the only accusation for the song. Not a music expert, but I wonder if there's just some common musical element between them that can crop up naturally.
It's very common. This honestly has no legs to stand on.
It is possible that the two claims are about two different segments
Maybe it is this song? https://youtu.be/Bj5ZkCdEH38
Yes, I understand it sounds ridiculous for a Brazilian judge to order the world to comply. I'm not a lawyer but there's probably some technicality or something out of context in these headlines, Brazilian judges know they cannot order the world to do anything. The decision came from the Rio de Janeiro state justice. The Brazilian song was a very popular hit in 1995. Most Brazilians are familiar with it. Martinho da Vila is a very popular, very rich sambista. I can see a similarity between the two songs, but I am neither a musician nor a judge.
Here's Adele's song.
Here's the Brazilian song.
I suppose companies that don't comply may be barred from doing business in Brazil, and people involved might be unable to go to Brazil if they don't pay the fine?
Interestingly, the Adele link you posted is no longer available, at least for me.
Available for me in the US. (Just for data points, not disagreement)
It doesn't work for me either. This one works!
Annoying geo blocking strikes again :(
It's from the Adele YouTube channel. The song is "Million Years Ago".
Didn't know which songs this was about. Clicked the Adele link first and holly shit! Maybe it's just coincidence because of how many times we Brazilians have heard this song, but it instantly felt like a cover song to me.
Relevant video: The Grotesque Legacy of Music as Property
I always think of Adam's work when things like this come up. Such good stuff.