Marey Carey Sued Over Christmas Song

Just in time for the holidays. 

Grammy Award winning songwriter Mariah Carey hit with a $20 million lawsuit over her smash hit single, "All I Want for Christmas is You...'

From The Blast 

The co-authors of “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” the hit tune that establishes its dominance every holiday season, have once again sued Carey for alleged copyright infringement. The duo had previously filed a similar lawsuit, but it was dismissed last year.

This new filing essentially amounts to a re-filing, presenting a fresh claim. According to court documents obtained exclusively by The Blast, the duo wants nothing less than $20 million from the award-winning mother of two.

Since its release, Carey’s rendition of “All I Want for Christmas Is You” has become a festive classic and is one of the most commercially successful modern Christmas songs. Originally featured on her 1994 album “Merry Christmas,” the rise of streaming has granted the song exceptional chart longevity.

Over the past five years, the track has consistently re-entered the United Kingdom Top 5 around Christmas time, ultimately achieving its first No. 1 spot in December 2020. A similar trend has been observed in the United States, where it has made its way back to the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 every year since 2017.

With such milestones under its belt, it’s no surprise that multiple people have sued the renowned singer for monetary gain. In the latest case, Stone and Powers have resurfaced with their infringement claims, noting in the legal docs:

“Melody, lyrics, feel, when you combine these three elements and base your derivative copy on something that is more alike than dislike, it is those substantial similarities that will upon closer inspection reveal the truth of Plaintiffs’ claim of infringement.”

Going further, the docs claim that “Carey has, without licensing, palmed off these works with her incredulous origin story, as if those works were her own. Her hubris knowing no bounds, even her co-credited songwriter doesn’t believe the story she has spun. This is simply a case of actionable infringement.”

Stone and his co-plaintiff, Powers, are seeking a temporary injunction to prevent or restrain infringement and misappropriation of their copyrights and exclusive ownership interests. The pair are also requesting the impounding of all copies of the alleged infringing work, a final injunction to prevent or restrain further alleged infringement and misappropriation, and $20 million in damages.

As for the initial filing, Stone alleged that Carey and her co-writer on the track, Walter Afanasieff, had “knowingly, willfully, and intentionally” infringed upon the copyright of his 1989 song “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” which he’d recorded under his music name Vince Vance and the Valiants.

The rock and roll star, whose real name is Andrew John Franichevich Jr., also argued that his version received “extensive airplay” during the 1993 Christmas season and began appearing on the Billboard Music Charts. He disclosed that his attempts to negotiate and reach an agreement with the “Obsessed” hitmaker and her co-defendants in April 2021 were unsuccessful.