Mariah Carey has another reason to celebrate this holiday season after a long-running lawsuit over her iconic Christmas hit ended firmly in her favor. A federal judge not only dismissed the case but also penalized the plaintiffs, calling the lawsuit meritless and awarding Carey a significant financial victory.
Mariah Carey Wins Big as Judge Shuts Down Lawsuit: Fans React
According to legal documents obtained by Complex, the court dismissed a lawsuit filed by Andy Stone and Troy Powers, who accused Carey of copying their song titled “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” The judge went a step further by issuing sanctions, noting there was “good reason to stop people from filing baseless lawsuits.”
As a result, Carey was awarded $92,303.20 in sanctions, while nearly $20,000 more was ordered to be paid to other individuals connected to the case. The ruling effectively closed the door on claims the judge determined lacked merit from the start.
Stone and Powers initially filed the lawsuit in 2023, alleging similarities between Carey’s holiday classic and their own track, which they said was recorded in 1989. They claimed their version enjoyed extensive holiday airplay in 1993, a year before Carey released her song in 1994. Notably, the duo had already attempted a similar lawsuit in 2022, which was dropped just five months after it was filed. Following Carey’s court victory, fans have taken to social media to express their support.
As seen in the CS of one of the posts on X celebrating her victory, @LORD_Fauntleroy posted “Don’t mess with Mariah!” implying that she remains the Queen of Christmas after coming out victorious. Another social media user, @littleextratime, stated that MC is meant to sue the plaintiffs for the inconvenience caused by the case. @the_radio_guy_ agreed with @littleextratime, stating that the energy and time spent on the lawsuit could have been spent on writing another classic that could generate a fortune for her.
A Chart-Topping Holiday Anthem Keeps Making History
The legal victory comes at a fitting time, just days before Christmas, as Carey’s festive anthem continues to dominate the charts. Billboard reports the song has extended its own record with a 21st week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Even more impressively, the track has now spent 78 weeks on the Hot 100, surpassing Dua Lipa’s “Levitating” to become the longest-charting song ever by a female artist. With courtroom drama behind her and chart history still being made, Carey’s reign as the undisputed Queen of Christmas remains unchallenged.
