Mariah Carey Cleared in ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ Lawsuit

Mariah Carey wins the lawsuit surrounding her festive classic ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’, showcasing her artistic rights.

The Lawsuit Background

Mariah Carey has emerged victorious in a lawsuit challenging her iconic 1994 holiday hit, “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” The case was brought forth by country singer Andy Stone, who performs under the name Vince Vance. He filed the suit in a Los Angeles federal court in November 2023, claiming that Carey’s beloved Christmas song infringed on his 1989 track of the same title. Stone alleged that Carey had exploited his “popularity” and “style” through her version.

As Stone’s attorney, Douglas M. Schmidt, asserted, “If you look at both songs, you can see that about 50 percent of the words are the same, in almost the same order. I think it’s a pretty strong claim.” However, the court had different views.

Judge's Verdict on the Case

In a recent ruling, Judge Monica Ramirez Almadini stated that Stone’s legal team had not met their burden of proving that the two songs were “substantially similar.” Stone was seeking an eye-watering $20 million (£16 million) in damages, but the judge dismissed his claims.

CREDIT: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Mariah Carey

According to Almadini, expert testimonies revealed that both songs merely shared common “Christmas song clichés” that have been present in numerous holiday tracks. Furthermore, she indicated that Stone and his lawyers may face sanctions for filing “frivolous” arguments, which she described as “vague…and incomprehensible mixtures of factual assertions and conclusions, subjective opinions, and other irrelevant evidence.” They have also been ordered to cover Carey’s legal expenses related to the case.

Preceding Court Statements

Back in November, Judge Almadini had expressed her inclination to dismiss the lawsuit, especially after Carey’s legal team pointed out that the claims failed to satisfy the court’s “extrinsic test for substantial similarity in protectable expression.”

Mariah Carey's Continued Success

In 2020, Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” achieved a remarkable milestone by reaching number one in the UK charts for the first time, 26 years post-release.

This summer, Carey is set to perform at a grand show at the Royal Sandringham Estate in Norfolk alongside beloved acts like Eternal and Nile Rodgers & Chic. The event is scheduled for August 15, and for those eager to join the festivities, tickets can be found here.

In other exciting news, Carey has been nominated for the Class Of 2025 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside other iconic artists like Cyndi Lauper, The White Stripes, and Billy Idol.

FAQs:

• What was the lawsuit about? The lawsuit revolved around claims that Mariah Carey's song infringed on Andy Stone's 1989 track of the same name.
• Who filed the lawsuit against Mariah Carey? The lawsuit was filed by Andy Stone, also known as Vince Vance.
• What did the judge decide? Judge Monica Ramirez Almadini ruled that Stone's claims lacked merit and dismissed the case.
• How much money was Stone seeking? Stone was seeking at least $20 million (£16 million) in damages.
• Is Mariah Carey performing anywhere soon? Yes, she will perform at the Royal Sandringham Estate in Norfolk on August 15, alongside Eternal and Nile Rodgers & Chic.

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