Over two decades since its release, Mariah Carey’s holiday anthem "All I Want for Christmas Is You" continues to dominate every December, bringing joy to holiday lovers worldwide.
But lately, it's also been at the centre of a legal scuffle. Vince Vance (real name Andy Stone), a songwriter who claims the mega hit copies his 1989 song of the same name, has been trying to take the matter to court.
A California judge is leaning towards throwing out the case, giving Carey’s team a reason to celebrate.
The dispute began in 2022 when Vance first filed a copyright lawsuit, only to withdraw and refile it with additional claims.
His lawsuit alleges that Carey “palmed off” his song with a “fanciful origin story,” insisting her version is essentially a “greater than 50% clone” of his original work.
Vance’s lawyers argued that her song’s “unique linguistic structure” and specific musical elements too closely resemble his own.
In contrast, Carey’s legal team has challenged these claims, calling them unfounded. They pointed out that Vance’s accusations don’t meet the court’s standards for “substantial similarity.”
In August, they asked the judge to dismiss the case, noting that the only parallels between the two songs seem to be common Christmas phrases like “Santa Claus” and “mistletoe”—phrases that are considered public domain.
According to a “Rolling Stone” report, at a recent court hearing, Judge Mónica Ramírez Almadani stated that she was “inclined” to dismiss the case.
She’s also “seriously considering” granting a motion filed by Carey’s team for sanctions against Vance, arguing that the lawsuit is “frivolous.”
Vance’s lawyer, Gerald P. Fox, argued they don’t need to prove the songs are identical or direct copies, just that there are unique similarities in the arrangement or melody.
But Carey’s lawyer, Peter Anderson, countered that the so-called similarities amount to a few generic holiday themes common to many Christmas songs.
“These are random similarities. Five or so Christmas tropes that make these Christmas songs,” he stated, adding that plenty of Christmas elements in each song are not present in the other.
For now, the case remains unresolved, with Judge Almadani yet to issue an official ruling. As fans stream “All I Want for Christmas Is You” in full festive spirit, the holiday hit remains at the top of seasonal playlists, keeping its place as one of the most beloved Christmas classics of all time.
By the end of 2022, the hit song had passed one billion streams on Spotify, earning its place as one of the all-time Christmas classics.
Every holiday season, streams and digital sales for the song soar, making it an essential on just about every festive playlist.