Posted on 09/08/2025 9:20:52 AM PDT by nickcarraway
Sting’s ex-bandmates in the Police, guitarist Andy Summers and drummer Stewart Copeland, have taken the singer and bassist to court, claiming he has not paid them properly for the “digital exploitation” of the band’s hits, per The New York Times.
On the contrary, Sting’s lawyers argue that the frontman, born Gordon Sumner, might have “substantially overpaid” Summers and Copeland, depending on the interpretation of a 2016 agreement.
Copeland and Summers argue in their lawsuit that Sting owes them “arranger’s fees” exceeding $2 million for the “digital exploitation” of the Police’s back catalog. Sting’s legal team fired back by saying all three musicians signed an agreement in 2016 to move past previous disputes about such “arranger’s fees,” and that Copeland and Summers are now trying to reinterpret that agreement.
How Did the Police Previously Agree to Share Songwriting Income?
Copeland and Summers allege that in 1977, all three band members made a verbal agreement to share 15 percent of publishing income from any Police song they wrote with the rest of the band (not including money from sheet music sales or covers).
Court documents say this agreement was formalized in 1981 and revised in 1997, when Copeland and Summers inquired about the original contract with the Police’s lawyer because they believed they had been underpaid “for a considerable period.” Sting has remained steadfast in his insistence that he’s paid his ex-bandmates fairly over the years.
The Police Hit That Remains Andy Summers' Biggest Point of Contention
Sting claims sole songwriting credit on all of the Police’s biggest hits, which has proven an ongoing point of contention among the ex-bandmates. Summers has long claimed he deserves a co-writing credit on the chart-topping “Every Breath You Take,” insisting that the song “was going in the trash until I played on it.”
The 1983 hit has generated more than 2.8 billion Spotify streams, and in 2019 BMI named it the Most Performed Song in its catalog of over 14 million works. As the sole credited songwriter, Sting earns roughly three-quarters of a million dollars a year in royalties from “Every Breath You Take.”
The Police have not worked together since the conclusion of their wildly successful 2007-2008 reunion tour. However, Sting and Summers reunited this summer to perform on a new version of the Police’s 1983 song “Murder by Numbers” led by jazz bassist and composer Christian McBride.
Isn’t that a Dana Carvey routine?
Sort of I guess. I’m sure it happens a lot more than people think. I’ve learned to keep my politics to myself at every job I’ve had for the last 40 years, and I learned that the hard way.
Summers was older, and had a 15 year career in music before the Police. He also had a masters in music, and was well versed in jazz guitar. Copeland discovered Sting playing in a jazzish band, but he didn't have the chops Summers did.
Copeland plucked him from obscurity, and they started it together with a French guy.
Stewart’s brother Miles was the band’s manager and probably orchestrated a lot of the legalities.
The phrasing in the article is awkward about what Sting paid bandmates over or under. It’s not him paying. It’s the law deciding where revenue goes. He can complain about decisions, and has, obviously, but it is not him paying them.
Probably a lot of this is they had no idea back then, the three of them and Miles Copeland, about what distribution was going to look like in 30 or 40 yrs. Agreements were not pointed at that. They just thought a split would come from A&M records, who published the records.
And for all these situations, ALL of them, what is going on is some guys are running out of money. That’s what sends 70 yr old guys onto stages at tiny little casino towns on Indian reservations. They have to eat.
I purchased a couple Police albums. I never bought any Sting solo crap
All 3 have great talent and make the band. It’s like The Aerosmith dispute where Tyler says he made the band and Perry says he did. Fact is they both did.
The Police should have split everything 3 ways from the start and then there would be no dispute.
Yes it is.
“’Cause he’s not stung, he’s not stinging, he’s Sting!”
Copeland changed the way people drummed in the 80s. Even Neil Peart copied Copeland.
And another friend of mine, who is conservative, was at an executive board meeting the day after the 2008 election and the Chief Human Resources Officer said to everyone, "What should I name my new (female) puppy? I was thinking Sarah, because she's a b*tch." She said this in person, and many people were on the call in other locations. This was a company with close to 20,000 employees.
I wish more people copied him.
This was their peak.
Regatta De Blanc - Live
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQGmaWYC4OE&list=RDOQGmaWYC4OE&start_radio=1
Whoever wrote Da do do do Da da da da probably didn’t deserve royalties.
On Any Other Day was written by Copeland, the lyrics are pretty hysterical.
Another item.
Stewart has a lot of ex wives and kids. Sting has stayed with one woman for decades.
Not about morality. About money pressures.
Copeland said he’s right-wing by British standards but probably center right by America standards.
I really enjoy his style, lots of reggae influence it seems.
Totally like his reggae influence.
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