Mariah Carey is being sued for copyright infringement for her Christmas carol All I Want For Christmas Is You.
Key points:
- Musician Andy Stone says he co-wrote and recorded a festive song of the same name in 1989
- It is unclear why he filed the lawsuit more than 30 years later
- The song has earned Carey some $ 60 million in copyright
Musician Andy Stone is asking for $ 20 million ($ 27 million), alleging that he co-wrote and recorded a festive song of the same name in 1989 and never gave permission to use it.
In a lawsuit filed Friday in Louisiana, Stone alleged that Carey and his co-writer Walter Afanasieff were “deliberately, deliberately and intentionally engaged in a campaign to infringe” their copyright.
He is seeking $ 20 million in compensation for alleged financial losses.
Carey’s song is one of the most successful musical singles of all time, topping the charts in more than two dozen countries and enjoying considerable airtime each Christmas.
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He is featured in the 2003 Christmas romantic comedy film Love Actually.
And the song is estimated to have sold 16 million copies worldwide, earning Carey $ 60 million in royalties over the past three decades.
Stone’s song, released with his band Vince Vance and the Valiants, was a moderate hit on Billboard’s country music charts.
Despite having the same titles, the songs sound different and have different lyrics.
Carey’s hit song enjoys considerable airtime every Christmas.
Stone, however, accuses Carey and Afanasieff of wanting to “exploit the popularity and unique style” of their song, causing “confusion.”
“The unauthorized use of the defendants in ‘All I Want for Christmas is You’ in association with their exploitation of the derivative work acts to capitalize on the goodwill and unique talent of the plaintiff in an effort to gain commercial advantage.” says the demand.
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It was unclear why Stone filed the lawsuit nearly 30 years after Carey released his song.
The document states that Stone’s lawyers first contacted Carey and Afanasieff last year, but the parties “were unable to reach an agreement.”
Carey’s publicist did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
It’s not uncommon for songs to have the same title. Some 177 works are listed under the title “All I Want for Christmas Is You” on the U.S. Copyright Office website.
AFP
Posted 59 minutes ago 59 minutes ago Saturday, June 4, 2022 at 10:47 PM, updated 48 minutes ago, 48 minutes ago, Saturday, June 4, 2022 at 10::58 PM