Los Angeles, California — A judge in California is leaning towards dismissing the lawsuit filed against Mariah Carey over her iconic holiday song, “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” The suit, rekindled in November 2023, implicates Carey in a copyright dispute with Mississippi artist Vince Vance, credited as Andy Stone, who claims Carey’s hit mirrors his 1989 composition bearing the same title.
The case, which began in 2022, saw Vance initially seek $20 million in damages. However, he dropped his lawsuit later that year only to refile it with additional details and a co-plaintiff, Troy Powers, who alleges co-authorship in the earlier work. Their legal representation accuses Carey of adopting their client’s song as her own without permission, tainting the origins of her famed track.
More specifically, the revamped suit points out “unique linguistic structure” among other distinct musical similarities, asserting Carey’s version is substantively a replica of Vance’s original. In response, Carey’s legal team petitioned for dismissal, asserting that the similarities did not surpass what the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal delineates as “extrinsic test for substantial similarity in protectable expression.”
U.S. District Court Judge Mónica Ramírez Almadani disclosed her inclination to dismiss the ongoing legal battle. Moreover, she indicated a serious contemplation towards sanctioning the plaintiffs for what Carey’s defense termed a “frivolous” action.
The plaintiff’s lawyer, Gerald P. Fox, argued that their case doesn’t need to establish the songs as “identical” or exemplars of “virtual plagiarism.” Instead, they needed to demonstrate that specific musical elements were uniquely similar. Conversely, Carey’s attorney, Peter Anderson, played down the alleged resemblances, branding them mere coincidences involving generic holiday language and themes, like “Santa Claus” and “mistletoe,” available in the public domain.
Anderson elaborated that the presence of several common festive motifs in both songs doesn’t imply infringement. He detailed how numerous elements present in one song were absent from the other, underscoring the distinctiveness of each piece.
The legal proceedings occur as Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” continues to enjoy monumental success. Initially released in October 1994 as part of her “Merry Christmas” album, the song has become a staple of holiday music, topping the Billboard Hot 100 each season over the past four years.
As the court awaits a final ruling from Judge Almadani, the outcome of this case could influence future copyright disputes in the music industry, particularly those involving songs with widespread acclaim and commercial success.
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