Million-dollar lawsuit: Former members of The Police demand royalties from Sting
The band's guitarist and drummer are demanding royalties from their former bandmate for his songs.
Guitarist Andy Summers and drummer Stewart Copeland are suing their former bandmate , claiming he owes them millions in royalties from the success of his songs . British band The Police were only active for seven years, but their massive success meant their most popular song, “Every Breath You Take,” continues to rake in millions of dollars.
According to The Sun and People magazine, the band's other two members, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland, have filed a lawsuit against their former bandmate for "substantial damages" for owing them millions in royalties and failing to credit them as co-writers of the song. A spokesperson for Sting, meanwhile, denies that the claim is related to the popular song.
A source cited by The Sun explained that the lawyers attempted to reach an out-of-court settlement, but "reached an impasse" and "Andy and Stewart decided they had no choice but to go to court." The lawsuit has been filed in a London court, with Sting (under his real name, Gordon Matthew Sumner) and his firm, Magnetic Publishing Limited, as defendants.
The song that has sparked the controversy, “ Every Breath You Take, ” is from the 1983 album Synchronicity . The song, which translates to “ Cercan vez que respiras , ” was written by Sting while staying at a house in Jamaica belonging to Ian Fleming, the author of the James Bond book series. Over the years, the single has become iconic, racking up nearly 3 billion Spotify streams and becoming the fifth best-selling single of the 1980s.
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The band, which sold 75 million records worldwide, has always had a complex relationship. After splitting up in 1984, they last performed together on stage during a year-long comeback tour. In his book, Stewart Copeland made no bones about his opinion of Sting's character, describing him as "selfish, narcissistic, and misanthropic," adding that his ego "is so big it's visible from the moon."
Despite their differences, the musicians reunited for a 152-date tour that generated revenue of approximately $300 million. Summers himself acknowledged that the 2007-2008 tour was "the biggest payday of his life" and that during that period he was "the highest-paid guitarist in the world."
Over the years, "Every Breath You Take" has cemented itself as an icon, racking up nearly 3 billion streams on Spotify and becoming the fifth best-selling single of the 1980s. Despite its sales, the song was initially poorly received by critics. However, its success was such that it won a Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals in 1984.
With this lawsuit, the long-standing rivalry between the band members resurfaces, bringing personal and financial conflicts.
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