Mariah Carey Prevails as Judge Dismisses $20 Million ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’ Copyright Lawsuit

Mariah Carey is now two for two, as a Los Angeles federal judge granted her request for summary judgment in the latest copyright lawsuit over her holiday hit “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” and dismissed the case entirely.

The suit, filed in November by songwriter Troy Powers and country singer Andy Stone, who performs under the stage name Vince Vance with the band Vince Vance and the Valiants, said the 1994 classic infringed on a song they wrote together in 1989 with the same title. Stone seeks $20 million in damages.

Their lawsuit named Carey, Sony Music Entertainment and Universal Music Group as defendants and demanded $20 million in damages. It was actually the duo’s second attempt to sue over the song. Their previous lawsuit, which also demanded $20 million, in 2023.

But in the decision filed Wednesday in the U.S. District Court, Central District of California, obtained by TheWrap, Judge Mónica Ramírez Almadani ruled that the plaintiffs were unable to prove there were sufficient objective similarities between their song and Carey’s.

Almadani also agreed the defense’s argument Carey’s 1994 song made use of tropes that existed in Christmas songs long before 1989.

“Our client retained two of the most accomplished experts teaching music at two of the United States top universities and did not file until in a blind process both opined that there was infringement,” Gerald Fox, the attorney representing the plaintifs, said in a statement provided to USA Today. “Sadly, it appears that the district courts routinely dismiss most plaintiff’s copyright cases.”

Fox told the outlet they are considering re-filing. Carey, Sony and UMG have not released any statements.

“All I Want For Christmas Is You” was included on her first holiday album, “Merry Christmas,” in 1994. Carey cowrote the song with Walter Afanasieff.

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