Mariah Carey Facing $20 Million Lawsuit From Songwriter Claiming He Wrote 'All I Want for Christmas Is You'
Mariah Carey is known as the Queen of Christmas, but a lawsuit alleges there's a less-than-idyllic backstory to the inception of her iconic holiday jam, «All I Want For Christmas Is You.» Carey is being sued for copyright infringement by songwriter Andy Stone for allegedly taking inspiration from a song he wrote and recorded — by the same name — years before she released the mega-hit in 1994. According to CBS News, Stone filed a civil lawsuit in the Eastern District of Louisiana on Friday against Carey, song co-writer Walter Afanasieff and the Sony music group over alleged «copyright infringement and unjust enrichment» among other reasons, over a song he wrote with the same title five years before Carey's hit was released. Known artistically as Vince Vance and the Valiants, Stone co-wrote and recorded the song in Nashville in 1989 and claims his version of the song got «extensive airplay» and made it to the Billboard charts during the 1993 Christmas season.Stone alleges that Carey and Afanasieff «never sought or obtained permission» for the use of the title «All I Want for Christmas Is You,» and that Stone never gave permission, consent or a license to use the title. The court filing claims that Stone's lawyers first reached out to Carey and the other defendants in April 2021 in regard to «the unauthorized use of the song,» and after «not being able to come to an agreement» about the usage, Stone personally requested to send a cease and desist letter.