Sting is facing legal action from his former bandmates in The Police, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland, over claims they were denied songwriting credits and unpaid royalties from the band’s 1983 hit Every Breath You Take. The lawsuit, filed in London’s High Court, alleges that the guitarist and drummer never received proper credit or compensation for their creative contributions to the track.
According to The Sun, the legal case has been filed under the category of “general commercial contracts and arrangements.” Sting, listed under his legal name Gordon Matthew Sumner, and his company Magnetic Publishing Ltd. are named as defendants. While a representative for Sting confirmed a legal dispute exists, they denied that it specifically concerns Every Breath You Take, offering no further details.
The Police, formed in 1977, achieved global success with hits such as Roxanne, Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic, and Don’t Stand So Close to Me. However, Every Breath You Take, featured on their final album Synchronicity, became their most iconic track. It was the bestselling single in the U.S. in 1983 and remains one of the top tracks of the decade. The song gained renewed fame when it was sampled in P. Diddy and Faith Evans' 1997 tribute single I’ll Be Missing You.
Despite several reunions, including a major tour in 2007, Sting later expressed regret about reforming the band, describing the tour as “an exercise in nostalgia” and stating he prefers the creative freedom of solo work.
Sting, now 73, continues to perform and recently appeared at the Isle of Wight Festival and FireAid benefit concert in California. In 2022, he sold his entire songwriting catalog to Universal Music Publishing for a reported $300 million, following similar high-profile deals by artists such as Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and David Bowie’s estate.
The case remains ongoing.
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