Mariah Carey has won a significant copyright lawsuit over her iconic holiday song "All I Want For Christmas (Is You)" after a federal judge dismissed the $20 million case.

Country singer Vince Vance (Andy Stone) and co-writer Troy Powers claimed their 1989 song of the same title was copied by Carey. They alleged she had access to their song through extensive airplay in 1993 and a White House performance in 1994.

Judge Mónica Ramírez Almadani rejected the claims based on expert testimony from NYU professor Lawrence Ferrara, who found at least 19 songs using similar lyrical ideas before Vance's track. The judge ruled that the songs only shared "commonplace Christmas song cliches" and weren't "substantially similar."

The court ordered Vance to repay Carey's legal expenses, noting the plaintiffs' conduct was "egregious" and caused unnecessary delays and costs.

Carey's Christmas hit continues to be highly profitable, earning an estimated $2.5-3.3 million in annual royalties. The song has generated over $103 million from global streaming and other revenue sources throughout its lifetime. Carey has embraced her "Queen of Christmas" status, expanding into holiday merchandise and producing an Apple Music Christmas special.

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