Over 25 years since its release, Mariah Carey is facing a $20 million lawsuit over her Billboard Hot 100 chart-topping 1994 holiday smash, “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” by another artist with a song of the same name.
The lawsuit has been brought by songwriter Andy Stone who alleges he co-wrote a song with the same title five years earlier.
The songwriter, Andy Stone, from the group Vince Vance & the Valiants, alleged in a civil complaint that Carey and Sony Music Entertainment “never sought or obtained permission” from Stone to use the title. He also accused Carey and Sony Music Entertainment of “knowingly, willfully, and intentionally” infringing upon his work.
According to Insider, It’s unclear how successful Stone’s litigation will be. Song titles are typically not protected by copyright laws, and it is highly common for multiple songs by different artists to share a name.
Since its release on her iconic Merry Christmas album, Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” has received yearly radio play, topped the Billboard Hot 100, and been certified Diamond by the RIAA for more than 10 million copies sold — making it the only Christmas song to have accomplished the rare feat.
It has also been streamed one billion times on Spotify and by 2017 had reportedly earned Carey more than $US60m in royalties.
