Mariah Carey Hit with $20M Lawsuit for ‘All I Want for Christmas is You

By Ysa Panganiban Last updated Nov 8, 2023 Share with new partner:

Musician Andy Stone, the lead vocalist of Vince Vance and the Valiants, has filed a $20 million lawsuit against Mariah Carey in a California court, alleging that her famous holiday song “All I Want for Christmas is You” infringes on his copyright. Stone co-wrote his song with the same title in 1989 and claimed that Carey and her team copied the “compositional structure” of his music.

According to the court documents, Stone alleges that Carey “directly” copied lyrics from his 1989 hit, and “approximately 50%” of Carey’s song constitutes copyright infringement. Stone asserts that Carey and her team undoubtedly had access to his version of the song due to its widespread commercial and cultural success.

His song charted on Billboard for years and was performed at the White House in 1994, the same year Carey’s song was released, leading to a resurgence in popularity.

Stone’s complaint contends that Carey has capitalized on the success of her allegedly infringing work, with “All I Want for Christmas is You” becoming a ubiquitous part of popular culture and Carey’s name synonymous with the holiday season.

mariah-carey-hit-$20m-lawsuit-all-i-want-christmas-is-you — Musician Andy Stone, the lead vocalist of Vince Vance and the Valiants, has filed a $20 million lawsuit against Mariah Carey in a California court, alleging that her famous holiday song “All I Want for Christmas is You” infringes on his copyright. Stone co-wrote his song with the same title in 1989 and claimed that Carey and her team copied the “compositional structure” of his music.

Carey still needs to respond to the lawsuit. Stone had previously sued Carey in a Louisiana court in June 2022 but dropped the claim five months later.

Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” has been a holiday classic since its release in 1994, topping the Billboard Hot 100 and selling over 10 million copies. Carey has embraced the song’s success, using social media to announce the arrival of the Christmas season and sharing a video that has garnered over 70 million views and 2 million likes on Instagram this year.

In an interview with W Magazine, Carey discussed the song’s origin, explaining that the idea for a Christmas album came from her record company early in her career. She aimed to create a timeless and classic sound, never anticipating that the song would become a major part of her life. The lawsuit now poses a legal challenge to the beloved holiday tune.