LOS ANGELES – Two Louisiana country singers claim to be the authors of much of Mariah Carey's holiday megahit song "All I Want for Christmas Is You" and have filed a lawsuit against Carey and others, alleging copyright infringement.
Plaintiffs Andy Stone, who is known by the stage name Vince Vance, and Troy Powers have filed a complaint in the Los Angeles federal court against Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff and numerous music publishing companies, citing allegations of direct copyright infringement and unjust enrichment.
According to court documents, Stone and Powers claim to be the co-authors of the musical composition "All I Want for Christmas Is You," which was recorded by Vince Vance and the Valiants in 1989. They assert that Mariah Carey and Walter Afanasieff, along with other defendants, copied significant portions of their copyrighted work when creating Carey's version of the same song released in 1994.
The complaint argues that Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" incorporates identical or substantially similar elements from Stone and Powers' original composition, including lyrics, melody, and overall feel. The plaintiffs contend that Carey's success with the song, its widespread commercial use, and her attempt to trademark the phrase "Queen of Christmas" demonstrate the impact and financial gain resulting from the alleged infringement.
The plaintiffs are demanding a jury trial to seek a judgment for damages of at least $20 million plus interest, attorney's fees, court costs and other relief. Additionally, they are seeking an injunction prohibiting the defendants from any further alleged infringement of their alleged copyrighted materials.
They are represented by attorney Cirstan S. Fitch, of Gerard Fox Law P.C., in Los Angeles.
U.S. District Court for the Central District of California case number 2:23-cv-09216