Mariah Carey Sued For $20 Million Over ‘All I Want for Christmas is You’
Someone is coming for the queen of Christmas’ crown. Or at least trying to. Songwriter Andy Stone is suing Mariah Carey for $20 million over the holiday anthem, “All I Want for Christmas is You.”
In a lawsuit filed in New Orleans federal court last week, Stone alleges he co-wrote a song with the same title in 1989 — five years before Carey’s on her 1994 Merry Christmas album. Stone, who writes and records under the name Vince Vance as part of Vince Vance & the Valiants, is seeking damages for several claims, including copyright infringement and misappropriation. The song’s co-writer Walter Afansieff, Sony Corporation of America, and Sony Music Entertainment.
His version was released in 1989, and the lawsuit claims it received significant radio play in 1993 and even “began making appearances on the Billboard Music Charts.” Carey released her version a year later. The similarities largely stop at the title. Vance’s country-pop Christmas ballad shares no melody or lyrics with Carey’s shimmery, jingle bell-laden wintertime hit.
“All I Want for Christmas is You” has become nearly synonymous with the holiday season since its release. It has charted in 26 countries, and in 2019 — 25 years after its release — the track made it to the top of the Billboard Hot 100. It’s also the only holiday song certified diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America, meaning it has moved more than 10 million units.
The lawsuit has recently been filed, but let’s not forget America’s favorite diva has a strong track record in the courtroom. In 2016, she sued her ex-fiance James Packer after they broke it off for a $50 million “inconvenience fee” for, essentially, wasting her time. She kept the 10 million dollar ring and settled out of court for $5 million.
