Mariah Carey Battles Copyright Lawsuit for ‘All I Want for Christmas’

It seems all Mariah Carey may want for Christmas is for this copyright lawsuit to disappear so she can go back to making millions from her holiday hit, “All I Want for Christmas.”

It’s no secret that Mariah Carey’s rendition of “All I Want for Christmas” is the gift that keeps on giving and the timeless hit that’s been added to just about every adult holiday playlist. Right now, it’s under scrutiny, yet again, following  another lawsuit.

According to Billboard, back in November, a songwriter named Vince Vance (real name Andy Stone) tried to sue Mariah again, saying her 1994 hit was basically a copy-paste job of his 1989 song, which he performed with his band, Vince Vance and the Valiants. He even got a buddy, Troy Plaintiff, who says he co-wrote the song, to join the lawsuit. Vince had actually tried to sue her before in 2022, but that case didn’t stick, so he’s back at it.

Mariah’s legal team, including her co-writer Walter Afanasieff, filed some legal documents in an LA court. They’re defense is based on minor similarities or “fragmentary similarities” that’s included in most Christmas jingles. They argue that any similarities are just coincidental and that Vance’s claims don’t pass the “extrinsic test for substantial similarity.” Basically, they’re saying the similarities are like finding Santa Claus and mistletoe in any Christmas song – totally common and not copyrightable. Hopefully this is all figured out before the holidays so Mariah can go back to racking up on the Christmas downloads, streams, cash and LOVE, the song generates every year, every Christmas.  If you can’t wait until then…check it out below.