Posted on 04/13/2026 2:35:29 PM PDT by nickcarraway
The song was originally released in 1978 ahead of the group’s debut album.
It may not have found success immediately upon release, but The Police’s early single “Roxanne” eventually became one of the band’s signature songs. Today, the track continues to reach new milestones, hitting one billion streams on Spotify. “Roxanne” is the group’s second song to hit one billion streams on the platform, following “Every Breath You Take,” which has now surpassed three billion streams.
“Roxanne” was originally released in 1978 as the band’s first single with A&M records ahead of their debut album, Outlandos d’Amour. As the group tells it, they originally had mixed feelings about the track. “We went into Surrey Sound Studios and it was working pretty well,” Sting shared in a documentary. “We recorded a few tracks, one of which I wrote more or less as a throwaway. That was ‘Roxanne.’”
Their attitude shifted when they played the song for Miles Copeland III, guitarist Stewart Copeland’s brother and the band’s future manager. “Far from saying he thought it was a piece of xxxx, he said it was amazing,” Sting reflected. “I thought, ‘He likes this song. This is fantastic!” It was then that he became the group’s manager, and secured their deal with A&M.
Despite the vote of confidence, “Roxanne” failed to chart upon release. In early 1979, the song was released in North America, where it entered the Billboard Hot 100 and eventually peaked at number 32. The song was then re-released in the U.K., and managed to reach number 12 in the U.K. Singles Chart. “Roxanne” was followed by the singles “Can’t Stand Losing You” and “So Lonely.”
“Roxanne” has been on all of The Police’s greatest hits albums, and been featured in numerous “best of” lists, including Rolling Stones’ 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2004. In 2008, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
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Thank you very much and God bless you,
Jim
In the idea, the imagery, and the name.
Eddie ruined that song for me, too. LOL!
Stewart Copeland is a beast on drums
Reggata de Blanc - Live 1979
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQGmaWYC4OE
By far, their best album
The most viewed video has 16 billion and it is a kids song.
Sometimes there is not much reason or rhyme to what will get the most views.
Kids things so much better because they play it over and over and over and over and ...
Any kids music, show, etc. that hits becomes a cash cow for the rights owner.
I loved The Police - and later, Sting’s solo albums. “Roxanne” got a lot of airplay. But, their album “Ghost in the Machine” was the best IMHO.
100%.
The Police music did not age well beyond 1989
Really? I think many people disagree.
For ages Sting has gone on tour with 4-6 accompanying musicians, to fill out his albums sound. This time around he is playing smaller 3-4-5000 seat places. So the stingy b*****d cheaped out on the presentation his devoted fans will get. His attitude is screw ‘em suckers/boomers they will pay for tix anyway.
He should bring backing tapes, same as TSwift and Mariah Carey
See me post 29 please
Great band.
Andy Summers is one of the most underrated guitarists of all time, IMO. He sure didn’t need no second guitarist.
“Andy Summers is one of the most underrated guitarists of all time, IMO. He sure didn’t need no second guitarist.”
See his interview Rick Beato ...... Summers is very sharp, hi- IQ and looks very healthy/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V67Fq47U4ng
???
Here we are on a thread about their song "Roxanne" reaching one billion streams on Spotify.
If that's not aging well, what is?
“Uh, excuse me, 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!”
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