“All I Want for Christmas Is You” was and continues to be a phenomenon, topping the charts in twenty-six countries and even topping the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 2019, 25 years after its original release. The song had estimated sales of over 16 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling holiday song by a female artist. According to an article in The Economist, it earned over $60 million in royalties between 1994 and 2017. Not bad for a song that famously took 15 minutes to write.
On Friday, musician Andy Stone, AKA Vince Vance, filed a complaint against Mariah Carey, her co-writer, Walter Afanasieff, and Sony Music Entertainment, alleging claims of copyright infringement, unjust enrichment and misappropriation, and violations of the Lanham Act. The complaint alleges that Stone wrote and published the song first and that Carey’s version is simply a copy or derivative of that original song.
Andy Stone, AKA Vince Vance
Stone’s version of “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” was, in fact, successful prior to the release of Carey’s version. It even climbed to No. 55 on Billboard’s Hot Country Singles and Tracks chart in 1994. For anyone interested in comparing, here are links to Vince Vance & The Valiants’ video and lyrics. And, because I can never get enough, here are links to Mariah Carey’s video and lyrics. Stone is seeking at least $20 million in damages.
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