Christmas in July won’t be a wonderful time for Mariah Carey, if Andy Stone has his way that is. According to TMZ, the renowned vocalist is being sued for copyright infringement by a man who claims that her 1994 hit was inspired by his 1989 tune of the same name.
A lawsuit obtained by the outlet reveals that Stone claims he recorded “All I Want for Christmas Is You” in Nashville in the late 80s, adding that “it got extensive airplay, and even made it to the Billboard charts during the 1993 Christmas season.” On top of all of that, a music video was also filmed.
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Stone and his legal team feel that Carey is in the wrong for not having sought or obtained permission to use that title, although it’s worth noting that the two songs don’t sound alike at all. Apart from the title, and the holiday theme, they’ve got nothing in common.
Late last year it was reported that the mother of two’s Christmas classic had solidified cash cow status, earning over a billion streams and sending millions of dollars her way annually.
Stone is seeking to claim what he feels is rightfully his portion of that income, hoping to earn $20 million in damages from his lawsuit against the R&B superstar.
There’s no shortage of songs out there with the same name, so it’s tricky to say how this one will play out in court. Carey’s team didn’t respond to TMZ‘s request for comment in time for publication.
Do you think that Andy Stone has a legitimate case to file a lawsuit against Mariah Carey? Sound off in the comments below, and tap back in with HNHH later for more music news updates.
[Via]