Sting sued by former Police bandmates over “Every Breath You Take” royalties

Four decades after their split, British rock band The Police has once again found itself in the spotlight—this time for legal reasons. According to The Sun, frontman Sting is being taken to court by former bandmates Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland over unpaid royalties from their 1983 chart-topping hit "Every Breath You Take."

Reports state that Summers and Copeland have filed a High Court writ against the 73-year-old singer-songwriter. The case, filed under "general commercial contracts and arrangements," lists Sting—under his legal name Gordon Matthew Sumner—and his company Magnetic Publishing Limited as defendants.

A source told The Sun that repeated attempts at an out-of-court settlement failed. "Andy and Stewart decided there was no alternative other than the court, so they pushed the button. They said they were owed millions in lost royalties," the source was quoted as saying.

The dispute centres on "Every Breath You Take," which became the best-selling single of 1983 and went on to rank among the decade's top five. While Sting remains the sole credited songwriter, reportedly earning around £550,000 annually from royalties, Summers and Copeland argue they were unfairly excluded from co-writing credits and the subsequent earnings.

Photo: Collected

The Police, formed in 1977, disbanded in 1984 after releasing just five albums, despite their immense global impact. They briefly reunited for a world tour in 2007–2008. Over their career, the band secured eight Grammy nominations and won five, including Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for "Every Breath You Take" and Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for "Synchronicity."

Reflecting on the origins of "Every Breath You Take" in a past interview, Sting recalled writing the song while staying at Ian Fleming's Jamaican residence. "I would sit at his desk at night and try and write songs," he said.

He added that the song's strength lies in its ambiguity: "It could be sinister, or it could be quite warm and sweet. People interpret it differently, and I would never contradict anyone's interpretation—it only enriches the song." Sting even hinted at the song's darker undertone, noting, "Maybe the ghost of James Bond is in that song. He's our guy, but he also kills people. Some people get married to that song, so I'm not going to contradict them."