Singer Mariah Carey was sued in the United States for alleged copyright infringement with her 1994 worldwide hit All I Want for Christmas Is You, according to court documents.

The plaintiff, a musician named Andy Stone, says he co-wrote and recorded a holiday song of the same name in 1989 and never licensed its use.

In the lawsuit filed Friday in Louisiana, Stone alleges that Carey and her co-writer Walter Afanasieff “knowingly, knowingly and intentionally engaged in a campaign to infringe” their copyrights.

The plaintiff seeks damages of $20 million for alleged financial losses.

Carey’s song is one of the most successful music singles of all time, topping the charts in more than twenty countries, especially at Christmas parties.

The theme features prominently in the 2003 Christmas-themed romantic comedy Love Actually.

The song sold some 16 million copies worldwide and earned Carey $60 million in royalties over the last three decades.

Stone’s theme, released with his band Vince Vance and the Valiants, was moderately successful on Billboard’s country music charts.

Despite having the same titles, the songs sound different and have different lyrics.

However, Stone accuses Carey and Afanasieff of trying to “exploit the popularity and unique style” of their song, causing “confusion”.

It was unclear why Stone filed the lawsuit nearly 30 years after Carey released her song.

The court document states that Stone’s attorneys first contacted Carey and Afanasieff last year, but the parties were “unable to reach any agreement.”

Carey’s publicist did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment.

It is not uncommon for songs to have the same title. Some 177 works are listed under the heading All I Want For Christmas Is You on the United States Copyright Office website.