Mariah Carey has scored a major legal victory just in time for the festive season after a US federal court dismissed a copyright lawsuit targeting her iconic 1994 holiday hit, All I Want for Christmas Is You.
The ruling ordered the plaintiffs to pay her legal fees, amounting to Sh 11.9 million ($92,000), after the case was deemed frivolous.
All I Want for Christmas Is You, widely regarded as one of the most successful Christmas records of all time, has dominated global charts every December for nearly three decades and continues to generate millions of dollars annually.
Since its release, the track has earned Carey an estimated Sh7.7 billion, cementing its place as a perennial festive anthem.
According to TMZ, the lawsuit was filed in November 2023 by Louisiana songwriter Andy Stone, professionally known as Vince Vance, alongside Tennessee songwriter Troy Powers.
The pair claimed Carey copied elements of their song All I Want for Christmas Is You, which they said was written in 1988 and released in 1989, five years before Carey’s version.
Stone and Powers accused Carey, her co-writer Walter Afanasieff, and Sony Music Entertainment of allegedly copying the melody, lyrics, and structure of their song. They sought $20 million in damages, arguing that Carey’s hit featured an “extended comparison between a loved one and trappings of seasonal luxury” similar to their work.
However, in March 2025, a US federal judge in Los Angeles dismissed the lawsuit, ruling that the plaintiffs failed to prove substantial similarity between the two songs, a key requirement under copyright law.
The court agreed with Carey’s defence that any shared phrases or themes were common Christmas expressions and general holiday ideas that are not protected by copyright. The judge further noted that such elements have appeared in numerous Christmas songs over the years.
With the case thrown out before reaching a jury trial, Carey and Afanasieff emerged fully vindicated. In a subsequent ruling, the court ordered the plaintiffs to cover Carey’s legal costs, stating the lawsuit lacked merit.
The decision firmly reinforces Carey’s ownership of one of modern music’s most beloved Christmas songs, while underscoring that copyright claims must demonstrate meaningful musical or lyrical copying, not just similar titles or festive concepts.
As All I Want for Christmas Is You once again climbs global streaming charts this December, the ruling ensures the holiday classic remains undisputedly Mariah Carey’s.