A federal judge in Los Angeles has ruled that Mariah Carey did not steal her iconic holiday hit "All I Want for Christmas Is You" from other songwriters. Judge Mónica Ramírez Almadani granted Carey's request for summary judgment, allowing her and co-writer Walter Afanasieff to avoid a trial, as reported by HuffPost.

The lawsuit, which sought $20 million, was filed in 2023 by songwriters Andy Stone of Louisiana, also known as Vince Vance, and Troy Powers from Tennessee. They claimed that Carey's renowned 1994 song infringed on their 1989 track with the same title, a song that had reached No. 31 on the Billboard Hot Country chart.

Gerard P. Fox, the plaintiffs' attorney, expressed disappointment, stating, "It's my experience that judges at this level nearly always now dismiss a music copyright case." He indicated that they may appeal the decision, which centered largely on the opinions of two music experts. The plaintiffs argued that their song's unique story structure about longing for a loved one during the holiday season was taken significantly by Carey.

However, Ramírez Almadani concluded that the plaintiffs failed to prove that the songs were substantially similar, siding with expert opinions from the defense that indicated both songs employed common Christmas clichés that predate both works. She also ordered that the plaintiffs, along with their legal team, face sanctions for filing what she deemed a frivolous lawsuit. This included a requirement to cover part of the defendants' attorney fees.

Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" has seen a resurgence in popularity, topping the Billboard Hot 100 over the last six consecutive years by consistently dominating airplay, sales, and streaming. In recent months, the song reportedly surpassed 2 billion streams on Spotify, further solidifying its status as a holiday staple. As noted by CBS News, this latest ruling highlights the growing debate over copyright and originality in music, especially in a heavily sampled and reinterpreted landscape.

Despite past disagreements over ownership of the song's creation, Carey and Afanasieff have emerged as unified front in this legal matter. Additionally, Carey has made headlines for her trademark ambitions, unsuccessfully attempting to secure exclusive rights to the title "Queen of Christmas" in 2021, a claim that was rejected by the U.S. Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.

Carey, recognized for her significant contribution to the music industry, was also nominated for inclusion in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for 2025, as highlighted in various reports.

For more details, check the full articles on SFGate and CBS News.