A federal judge in Los Angeles has ruled that Mariah Carey did not steal her holiday classic All I Want For Christmas Is You from other songwriters, dismissing a $20 million lawsuit against her.
Judge Mónica Ramírez Almadani granted Carey and her co-writer, Walter Afanasieff, a summary judgment on Wednesday, meaning the case was resolved without going to trial.
The lawsuit, filed in 2023 by songwriters Andy Stone (also known as Vince Vance) and Troy Powers, alleged that Carey’s 1994 hit infringed on their 1989 country song of the same title. Their legal team argued that both songs shared a “unique linguistic structure” where the protagonist, uninterested in lavish gifts, expresses a desire to be with their loved one and writes a letter to Santa Claus.
However, the judge sided with the defense’s experts, who argued that both songs used common Christmas themes that predate them. The court found that the plaintiffs failed to prove substantial similarities between the two works.
Additionally, Ramírez Almadani sanctioned the plaintiffs and their attorneys, calling their lawsuit and subsequent filings “frivolous.” She ruled that they had not made a reasonable effort to provide evidence supporting their claims and ordered them to cover part of Carey’s legal fees.
Gerard P. Fox, the plaintiffs’ lawyer, expressed disappointment and suggested they may appeal, stating that music copyright cases at this level are often dismissed before reaching a jury.
Despite the lawsuit, All I Want For Christmas Is You remains a holiday juggernaut. The song has surged in popularity over the years, topping Billboard’s Hot 100 chart annually for the past six years—something it never achieved in the 1990s.
Carey and Afanasieff have previously had public disagreements over their contributions to the song, though no legal action has arisen between them. However, in this case, they stood united in defending their work.
Story by Obaapa Janee/ ahotoronline.com
Source: CNN
