Mariah Carey was sued on Friday over her 1994 Christmas classic "All I Want for Christmas Is You" by a songwriter who said he co-wrote a song with the same title five years earlier.
According to CNN, In a complaint filed in New Orleans federal court, Andy Stone is asking $20 million in damages from Carey, her co-writer and Sony Music Entertainment for copyright infringement and misappropriation, among other claims.
Stone, who performs as Vince Vance with the country-pop band Vince Vance & the Valiants, accused the defendants of having illegally exploited his "popularity and unique style" and caused confusion by recording the newer song without his permission.
The complaint stated Stone co-wrote and recorded the song “All I Want For Christmas Is You” in 1989, five years before Carey’s song was released on her “Merry Christmas” album. Stone’s song received “extensive airplay” during the 1993 Christmas season and began making appearances on the Billboard Music Charts.
The Christmas release is the best-selling US Christmas album of all time, with more than 15 million copies sold worldwide.
