A federal judge in Los Angeles has determined that Mariah Carey did not infringe upon the creative work of other songwriters with her holiday classic, “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”
In a decision rendered on Wednesday, Judge Mónica Ramírez Almadani ruled in favor of Carey and co-writer Walter Afanasieff, allowing them to prevail without enduring a trial. This outcome follows a lawsuit filed in 2023 by Andy Stone of Louisiana, who performs under the name Vince Vance, and Troy Powers of Tennessee. They sought $20 million, claiming that Carey’s 1994 hit unlawfully borrowed from their 1989 country song of the same title.
Following the decision, their attorney, Gerard P. Fox, expressed disappointment, citing a pattern of music copyright cases being dismissed at this legal level. He suggested that resolving such matters often requires an appeal to allow the case to be heard by a jury. Fox stated that they relied on evaluations from two respected musicologists who teach at esteemed institutions. The plaintiffs will soon decide whether to pursue an appeal.
In their complaint, Stone and Powers argued that their song possessed a distinct linguistic structure that Carey’s song mirrored. They highlighted the narrative of an individual forgoing extravagant gifts and yearning to be with a loved one as articulated in a letter to Santa Claus. The plaintiffs claimed there was a high probability that Carey and Afanasieff had heard their song—which had previously reached No. 31 on Billboard’s Hot Country chart—and subsequently copied significant elements.
However, after considering input from expert witnesses on both sides, Ramírez Almadani sided with the defense. Their experts asserted that the elements used in both songs were common Christmas cliches that predated both originals, and that Carey’s song presented them in a distinct manner. The judge found that the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate that the songs share substantial similarities.
Moreover, Ramírez Almadani imposed sanctions on the plaintiffs and their attorneys, criticizing their lawsuit and related submissions as lacking seriousness. She noted that their attorneys did not make adequate efforts to verify the factual assertions with sufficient evidence. The plaintiffs and their legal team are thus ordered to cover a portion of the defendants’ legal fees.
When asked for a statement, Carey’s representatives and defense attorneys did not provide an immediate response. Mariah Carey’s holiday hit has seen renewed success, even overshadowing its initial popularity in the 1990s. For the past six consecutive years, it has topped Billboard’s Hot 100 chart, showcasing its enduring appeal beyond just holiday playlists through audience airplay, sales, and streaming.
Interestingly, Carey and Afanasieff have had their own disagreement about the song’s authorship, but this dispute has not been taken to court. Nevertheless, the lawsuit managed to unite them, albeit temporarily, in a common cause.
