Mariah Carey, the iconic pop sensation, is again embroiled in a legal battle over her beloved Christmas anthem, 'All I Want for Christmas Is You.'
The lawsuit has been filed by songwriter Vince Vance, also known as Andy Stone, who claims that Carey's 1994 holiday classic infringes on the copyrights of his 1989 song with the same title, as per Daily News.
Mariah Carey's Christmas Hit Sparks Copyright Controversy
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 17: Mariah Carey lights the Empire State Building in celebration of the 25th anniversary of "All I Want For Christmas Is You" at the Empire State Building on December 17, 2019 in New York City.
This latest legal dispute comes a year after Vance made similar allegations, shedding light on the complex and contentious world of copyright infringement in the music industry. Vance's lawsuit presents some intriguing arguments that challenge the authenticity of Mariah Carey's creative process.
He asserts that Carey's hit song is not an original creation and accuses her of fabricating how she came up with the song. Furthermore, Vance claims that her co-writer, Walter Afanasieff, disputes her account of the song's origin.
This legal battle is particularly noteworthy because of the consistent chart-topping success of 'All I Want for Christmas Is You.' The song has claimed the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 during the past four holiday seasons, making it a beloved staple of the Christmas season.
The lawsuit also highlights Vance's success with his 1989 version of 'All I Want for Christmas Is You,' recorded by Vince Vance and the Valiants. It gained recognition as a "country music hit," reaching No. 31 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart and No. 23 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart.
This prior success lends weight to Vance's claim that Carey's song bears meaningful similarities to his work, both musically and lyrically. Vance's legal team contends that "all I want for Christmas is you" was distinctive in 1988.
They argue that the specific chord progression in the melody, combined with the verbatim hook, amounts to a "greater than 50% clone" of Vance's original composition. Including Mariah Carey's song in the 2003 Christmas movie Love further emphasizes its significance in the holiday canon, according to WION.
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Mariah Carey's hristmas Classic
What adds an exciting twist to this legal dispute is that Vance is not alone in his allegations against Mariah Carey. Last year, he filed a $20 million lawsuit against her, claiming that her song was "derivative" of his.
However, he later filed to dismiss the suit, only to return this year, teaming up with fellow songwriter Troy Powers to jointly sue Carey for $20 million. Their lawsuit alleges significant commonalities between the melody and lyrical hook of the two songs, as well as the general sentiment conveyed by both.
In their court documents, Vance and Powers accuse Carey of perpetuating an "incredulous origin story," suggesting that she has presented their works as her own. Mariah Carey has publicly claimed that she "actually did bang out most of the song on a cheap little Casio keyboard," emphasizing the emotion she wanted the song to capture.
Stone, on the other hand, co-wrote his version for his novelty group, Vince Vance and the Valiants. It was originally released in 1989, gaining popularity before Carey's rendition became a global sensation in October 1994.
Despite the legal disputes and allegations, Mariah Carey's 'All I Want for Christmas Is You' remains an enduring holiday classic and a significant source of annual income for the artist. The song has become synonymous with the holiday season, replayed endlessly, and reportedly earning Carey around $2.5 million every year.
The ongoing legal battle raises questions not only about the song's origins but also about the legal and financial implications of copyright infringement in the music industry.
As the lawsuit continues to unfold, the music world will closely watch this legal drama, which highlights the complexities of copyright infringement and the challenges faced by artists and songwriters when protecting their creative works.
Whether Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" will continue to reign as the undisputed queen of Christmas songs remains to be seen as the courts determine the legitimacy of the copyright claims made by Vance and Powers, Mail Online reported.
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