Mariah Carey sued for $20m for alleged copyright infringement on Christmas song

American pop music superstar, Mariah Carey is being sued for $20 million for alleged copyright infringement over her hit song All I Want for Christmas Is You.

The singer and her co-writer Walter Afanasieff are both named in the lawsuit, which is being brought by the songwriter Andy Stone.

Carey released the song in 1994 as part of her album Merry Christmas and it has gone on to be recognised as one of the most well-known festive hits.

In legal documents filed at the US district court in the eastern district of Louisiana, Stone claims he co-wrote the song in 1989 and has never given permission for it to be used.

The document reads:

“knowingly, wilfully, and intentionally engaged in a campaign” to infringe Stone’s copyright for the song.

They allege the defendants also committed “acts of unjust enrichment by the unauthorised appropriation of plaintiff’s work and the goodwill associated therewith”.

Merry Christmas was released by Columbia Records on 1 November 1994 and became the best-selling US Christmas album of all time, selling more than 15 million copies worldwide.