Mariah Carey, an American singer-songwriter, is being sued in yet another Hollywood copyright infringement lawsuit for her blockbuster tune All I Want for Christmas is You. Andy Stone, a singer-songwriter, has sued Mariah Carey for $20 million. The lawsuit also names Walter Afanasieff, a vocalist and co-writer. According to papers acquired by PA Media, Carey and her partners ‘knowingly, deliberately, and purposefully participated in a campaign’ to infringe on Stone’s copyright for the song. They further claimed that the defendants engaged in ‘unjust enrichment via the illegal appropriation of plaintiff’s work and the goodwill connected therewith.’
Andy Stone is suing Mariah Carey for what reason?
Andy Stone, a singer-songwriter and country artist, says that he recorded All I Want For Christmas Is You in 1989 with his group Vince Vance & the Valiants. This was five years before the debut of Carey’s song. He also said that his song had a lot of radio in 1993 and reached the Billboard charts during that year. Andy also has a music video for it, according to the complaint. He filed his filings in the Eastern District of Louisiana of the United States District Court.
The reaction of fans to Andy Stone’s lawsuit against Mariah Carey
Several Mariah Carey admirers went to Twitter to call Andy Stone’s lawsuit ridiculous. Some argue that he has no chance and that the two tracks sound nothing similar. Some questioned the artist’s 33-year wait before suing Carey. All I Want For Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey is a commercial hit. Mariah Carey’s fourth studio album, Merry Christmas, included the track “All I Want for Christmas is You.” The song became a worldwide smash and received quick critical praise. It was the number one song in 26 countries, including Australia, Canada, France, and Germany.
This dude is suing Mariah Carey essentially because her song “All I Want for Christmas is You” has the same title as HIS Christmas song. The songs sound NOTHING ALIKE! This should get laughed right out of the courtroom. https://t.co/YNuIInWn4G
— Tony Perkins (@TonyPerkinsFMTV) June 3, 2022
Here we go again …
Another #music #copyright infringement allegation ….
… and this time it’s against @MariahCarey for her hit single ‘All I Want for Christmas You’.
https://t.co/dH7Be18ZpR— Prof Dinusha Mendis (@LawTechGadget) June 4, 2022
The song reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time in 2019, 25 years after its first release. The song also topped the charts in the United Kingdom in 2020. With over 16 million copies sold globally, All I Want for Christmas is You is the best-selling holiday song by a female artist and one of the best-selling physical singles in music history.
The song has been certified Diamond by the RIAA, indicating that it has sold 10 million copies in the United States. It was the first and only Christmas song to achieve this feat. Carey sang All I Want for Christmas is You on the popular program Carpool Karaoke in 2016. The video included Adele, Lady Gaga, Demi Lovato, Nick Jonas, Elton John, Selena Gomez, Gwen Stefani, Coldplay’s Chris Martin, and the band Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Previous examples of copyright infringement
Mariah Carey is not the first singer who has faced a copyright infringement lawsuit. Recent examples include Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran, who were sued over their successful songs Dark Horse and Shape of You, respectively. Both cases were successful.