Mariah Carey Copyright Claims Made About Hit Song “All I Want For Christmas Is You”

Special Correspondent | Last Updated : June 7, 2022

On Friday, a lawsuit was filed against Mariah Carey in connection with her 1994 holiday hit “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” “in the words of a composer who claimed to have written the identical song five years earlier.

Andy Stone Is Suing Carey, Her Co-writer, And Sony Music Entertainment

Andy Stone is suing Carey, her co-writer, and Sony Music Entertainment for at least USD 20 million in damages, alleging copyright infringement and theft, among other things, in a lawsuit filed in federal court in New Orleans.

Mariah Carey Copyright Claims Made About Hit Song "All I Want For Christmas Is You"

Vince Vance of Vince Vance & the Valiants, a country-pop band, said that the defendants had taken advantage of his “popularity and distinctive style” for their gain “the newest song was recorded without his authorization, which produced a commotion.

  • Carey’s and Stone’s songs vary in terms of lyric content and melody.
  • Both Carey and Sony Music were unavailable for a quick comment.

‘Merry Christmas,’ by Mariah Carey, was included on her album “also receives a lot of airplay throughout the holiday season, both on the radio and at retail establishments.

Even though it was recorded a quarter-century ago, it has been at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 years since 2019. “Christmas Is All About You.” “One fewer than the Beatles, Carey’s 19th No. 1 song. Stone said that “substantial playing” of his song had occurred “the Christmas season of 1993 and Billboard’s top 100.

In The lawsuit, It Wasn’t Apparent How Long Ago Stone Had Heard Carey’s Song

They initially approached the defendants in April 2021 but were “unable to come to any arrangement,” the lawsuit said.” Stone’s legal team did not immediately reply to demands for more information on the matter. 

Stone claims he composed the identical song five years earlier and that Ms. Carey used his “popularity” and “style” to capitalize on the song’s name. Mr. Stone says that Ms. Carey created confusion and did not seek permission even though the two pieces share a title.

In The Meanwhile, Ms. Carey Hasn’t Answered

Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas Is You is one of the best-known Christmas albums. As of 2017, Ms Carey has allegedly made more than $60 million (£48 million) in royalties on the song Merry Christmas, which first appeared on her album in 1994.

One Billion People Have Listened To The Song On Spotify

“Most of the song was composed on a cheap tiny Casio piano,” Ms. Carey acknowledged in a recent book.

Finally, Mariah’s Christmas Song Has Topped The Charts

Mr. Stone, better known as Vince Vance, fronts the band Vince Vance and the Valiants, and he’s seeking at least £16 million ($20 million) in compensation.

Ms. Carey, her writing partner Walter Afanasieff, and Sony Music Entertainment are all named as defendants in the lawsuit, which claims that the defendants “knew, willfully, and intentionally engaged in a campaign” to infringe on Ms. Carey’s intellectual property rights by making “undeserved profits” from the song.

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Using Mr. Stone’s words, “the development of a derivative work” is something he claims he never authorized. Legal action against Ms. Carey’s song, which was released 28 years ago, is uncertain.

The lawsuit said there was “no agreement” between Mr. Stone and his legal team when they initially approached Ms. Carey and her co-defendants last year. The United States Copyright Office shows 177 items on its website with the title All I Want for Christmas Is You, a common occurrence.

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