Police bandmates Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland sue Sting over unpaid royalties for 1983 hit Every Breath You Take
In a surprising turn of events, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland, former members of the iconic band The Police, have filed a lawsuit against their bandmate Sting and his publishing company, Magnetic Publishing. The legal action, which has been a long time in the making according to a report by The Sun, a UK tabloid, was filed in the High Court in London.
The dispute revolves around the 1983 hit single "Every Breath You Take," which was the first single from The Police's fifth and final album Synchronicity. The song topped the UK charts for four weeks, and hit the number one spot in Ireland, Canada, South Africa, and Israel, making it one of the band's most successful singles. It also held the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for eight weeks in 1983, and was the best-selling single of the year.
Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland claim they are owed millions in lost royalties, a claim that Sting's representatives have yet to respond to. The song is credited solely to The Police's vocalist/bassist, but Andy Summers claims he played a significant role in its success. In an interview on The Jeremy White Show podcast in October 2023, Summers hinted at the possibility of a legal challenge, stating that he felt he had no songwriting credit on the track.
According to Guitar World, Summers even considered throwing the song away until he played on it. In contrast, Sting was the one who involved the lawyers of Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland in 2023 negotiations to resolve a potential dispute over the shares of royalties from "Every Breath You Take." However, these negotiations did not lead to an agreement.
The lawsuit, which currently attracts attention in the press, was initiated by Summers and Copeland due to the lack of resolution in the negotiations. Lawyers have attempted to settle the dispute out of court, but no agreement has been reached. The outcome of the legal action may become clearer in the next year.
This development in the music industry is a reminder of the complexities that can arise in the business of music, even for such iconic songs as "Every Breath You Take." As the legal proceedings continue, fans of The Police will undoubtedly be watching closely to see how this unfolds.
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