Judge rules Mariah Carey did not plagiarize 'All I Want For Christmas Is You' from other composers
In a recent ruling, a Los Angeles federal judge has sided with pop diva Mariah Carey in the long-running copyright infringement dispute over her iconic Christmas hit, "All I Want For Christmas Is You." Judge Mónica Ramírez Almadani denied the $20 million lawsuit filed by songwriters Andy Stone and Troy Powers, stating that Carey and her co-writer Walter Afanasieff did not steal the song from their 1989 track of the same name.
Carey and her legal team received summary judgment on Wednesday, avoiding a costly trial. The duo's main accusers, Stone and Powers, expressed disappointment with the judge's decision and indicated they may appeal. According to their lawyer, Gerard P. Fox, it's common for judges at this level to dismiss music copyright cases, especially at the pre-trial stage.
Stone and Powers claimed that their song featured a unique linguistic structure, with a disillusioned person expressing a desire to be with their loved one through a letter to Santa Claus. The once-popular country song had reached No. 31 on Billboard's Hot Country chart. However, the plaintiffs argued that Carey and Afanasieff had infringed their copyright by taking significant elements from their song.
The court disagreed, finding that both songs relied on common Christmas clichés that existed prior to both songs. Judge Ramírez Almadani agreed with the defense's experts, who explained that the writers employed typical Christmas words and phrases that were not protected under copyright law. Furthermore, the court found that the plaintiffs had not met the burden of showing that the songs were substantially similar.
In addition to the ruling, the judge ordered sanctions against Stone and Powers, stating that their lawsuit and subsequent filings were frivolous. The plaintiffs' lawyers had made "unsupported" claims, leading to unnecessary delay and costs, and they were ordered to pay a portion of the defendants' attorney fees.
Carey's Christmas anthem has continuously gained popularity since its release in the 1990s. The song reached No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart for the past six years in a row, making it an annual streaming sensation. While Carey and Afanasieff have had some creative disagreements in the past, the current case temporarily united them against the accusers.
- Despite the lawsuit, the court ruled in favor of Mariah Carey and her co-writer Walter Afanasieff, agreeing that their song did not infringe on the copyright claim of songwriters Andy Stone and Troy Powers.
- The dismissal of the lawsuit means that Carey and Afanasieff have avoided a costly trial, and while Stone and Powers expressed their disappointment, their lawyer confirmed the possibility of appealing.
- The court's decision rests on the fact that both songs rely on common Christmas clichés that existed prior to both songs, and the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate the substantial similarity needed to succeed in their copyright infringement claim.
