A judge has ordered a country musician to pay Mariah Carey $92,303.20 in sanctions after dismissing his copyright infringement lawsuit targeting her iconic festive anthem, 'All I Want For Christmas Is You'.
Dismissal of a Festive Legal Challenge
The legal action was initiated by Andy Stone, who performs under the name Vince Vance. He filed civil suits in both 2022 and 2023, alleging that Carey's global Christmas smash copied his 1989 song of the same title. Stone was seeking a substantial $20 million in damages.
However, the lawsuit was dismissed in March 2025. Recent court documents reveal the judge has now imposed financial sanctions on Stone. The ruling stated his case lacked merit and the sanctions were intended to deter the filing of similarly baseless legal claims in future.
The Claims and The Counterpoints
Stone's filing argued that his track, released with the band Vince Vance & The Valiants, gained radio airplay in 1993 and charted on Billboard's Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart the following year. This was around the same period Carey's version was released and began its ascent.
The suit contended Carey copied the 'compositional structure' of his work. Notably, the filing itself conceded that Stone did not originate the phrase 'all I want for Christmas is you'. Carey's legal team successfully defended against the claims, leading to the case's dismissal and the subsequent award of legal costs.
Enduring Legacy of a Christmas Classic
Despite briefly losing its US Christmas number one crown to Wham!'s 'Last Christmas' in late 2025, Carey's song remains a colossal commercial and cultural force. Released three decades ago, it is the most-streamed holiday track of all time.
According to estimates from publications like Forbes and The Economist, the song generates between $2.5 and $3 million in annual royalties for Carey. By 2017, it had reportedly earned over $60 million in royalties since its release, with co-writer Walter Afanasieff also receiving a significant share.
Billboard data confirms the track's unprecedented chart dominance, having topped the Global 200 chart for a record 19 weeks since December 2020. It continues to dominate global radio airwaves and festive playlists every holiday season.
