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Mariah Carey has been cleared of copyright infringement in a lawsuit over her 1994 holiday classic, All I Want for Christmas Is You.
In a ruling issued today (March 20), U.S. District Judge Mónica Ramírez Almadani dismissed allegations from songwriter Adam Stone, who released a song with the same title in 1989.
Stone, who performs as Vince Vance, accused Carey of copying his work and profiting from its "popularity" and "style," seeking at least $20 million (£16 million) in damages.
However, Judge Mónica Ramírez Almadani ruled that the two songs only shared common "Christmas song clichés" and were not substantially similar. She also sanctioned Stone and his lawyers for filing a "frivolous" case, ordering them to cover Carey’s legal fees.
Music experts testified that there were no significant melodic similarities between the tracks, and at least 19 earlier songs shared the same title and themes. With the case dismissed, All I Want for Christmas Is You continues to be a holiday staple, earning an estimated $8.5 million annually.