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.
I love it when Leftists fight amongst themselves! And it’s always over MONEY!.............
When you reach number ten
And think the struggle ends
But it ain't the end
It's only a trend
You have to unbend
'Cause it's only a trend
Don't lose all your friends
Don't make heroes end
When you reach number eight it ain't no pearly gate 'Cause it won't satiate your growing appetate
You can ply your trade and push your crusade
Emancipate or indoctrinate, but the
Traps are all laid for and honest crusade
Your old values will fade as you struggle to make the grade
As you struggle to make the grade
(As you struggle to make the grade)
(You needn't bother)
When you hit number four you're almost through the door
But there's a whole lot more you just can't ignore
The telephone's sure, you know the score
But don't let this uproar dissipate your encore
It's written in the news how you paid your dues
But you've no excuse for the people you abuse
See upcoming pop shows
Get tickets for your favorite artists
When you reach number one you can beat your drum
You can sack your roadies in Birmingham
When your record is platinum, you can stick it to the band
To the wall like you've always planned
It's written in the news how you paid your dues
But you've no excuse for the people you abuse
Sting wouldn't sing the songs of other members if he didn't like them, but he sang this one, even though it seems to be about him, and isn't necessarily flattering.
Gordon is a pompous arse
The Andy Summer riff *IS* “Every Breath You Take.” In a just world, he shares songwriting credit. But this is a world run by lawyers instead, so go fish!
“Uh, would you mind calling me ‘Sting’ from now on.”
“F___ you! Yeah my name’s ‘Bite’ and this is my pal ‘Scratch’, now go get me a beer, Gordy!”
Sting has done concerts for Amnesty International, and stuff like that, but I looked it up and he's never endorsed Labour, or gotten involved in anything political. Ans the other two even less.
Stewart Copeland's mother was a Scot archaeologist who worked for British intelligence during WWII, where she met hi father, who was in intelligence for the U.S. After the war, when the CIA was founded, he worked there. He was stationed in the Middle East quite a bit. He was known to be a dissident CIA agent, and eventually left. But he was also a known conservative, and wrote about such issues, after he left the CIA.
I don't think the sun has ever mentioned politics, but he could be conservative like his parents.
While I always liked The Police, I can see Sting being a d*ck about things like this.
I mean, he takes poetry or story lines that others have written, sets it to music, make it into a hit. Dean Men Don’t Sue! ;)
‘Don’t Stand So Close To me’ (Nabokov) for example, though many other ‘artists’ do this, too.
I used to run with Sting’s album ‘Nothing Like the Sun’ (another stolen poem!) on my Walkman while I ran. There was a slow song, then a fast one - it was perfect pacing/training. ;)
IMHO, Sting’s ‘Fields of Gold’ is superb, as is ‘Fortress Around Your Heart’.
If you really want to hear a good rendition of ‘Fields of Gold’ listen to Eva Cassidy. Gone too soon in her early 30’s to cancer. She had a fantastic voice!
I loved the Police when I was a kid back in the late 70s and early to mid 80s. They may have been my favorite group at the time. The two things I remember from that period are the great music and the fact that they absolutely hated each other.
The two things I remember from that period are the great music and the fact that they absolutely hated each other.
That’s how it is with the best bands, especially when they are brothers (See ‘The Kinks’ and ‘Oasis’)
It was very boring until Summers put in his jazz chords.
Well, that’s spilt milk under the bridge now.
The Police would have been just another band without the fabulous guitar work of Andy Summers. And I say this as a semi-pro singing bassist myself who’s covered a few Police songs.
Sting is a musical genius, and was a major part of their success, but no one can deny Summers and Copeland were also integral to their songs’ popularity. Regarding the revenue from their efforts, what the 3 of them agreed to share is likely in the legal weeds. I wouldn’t go there.
I never much liked the tune, but it’s true, the demo sounds like an ordinary bar band.
I’m a musician who’s very conservative in all things, and worked as a bassist for years in a band with a guitarist who was a dyed in the wool democrat. We would clash every time politics came up but we always kept it friendly so that we could make some money together. We agreed to disagree so that we could keep a band up and running. Lots of people in music are very leftist but then there’s lots of God loving conservatives like myself too.
Copeland formed the band, noy you Gordon.
Well Stewart Copeland is reportedly worth about $50M. I think it is sad that these guys legally fight this crap out in public when they are all wealthy men.
Even if he is stingy Sting he did write the songs which made them famous and wealthy.
So, you were like the Ramones, but you were Johnny, and the guitarist was Joey?
Most not all. I can think of several big names who are on the right but they are badly outnumbered like the Hollywood creeps.
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