Summary:
Sting faces a high-profile lawsuit from former Police bandmates Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland alleging unpaid songwriting royalties for their 1983 hit “Every Breath You Take.” Filed in London’s High Court, the dispute revolves around publishing credits and royalty distributions through Sting’s Magnetic Publishing Ltd. This case emerges amid a trend of legacy artists monetizing catalogs (Sting sold his to Universal for $300M in 2022) and highlights persistent tensions in rock band royalty structures. The outcome could set precedents for how collaborative contributions in multi-platinum songs are legally recognized decades after release.
What This Means for You:
- Verify royalty splits early: Ensure publishing agreements explicitly document all contributors during song creation
- Audit legacy catalogs: Monitor royalty statements for pre-digital era works where metadata might be incomplete
- Secure mechanical licenses: Sample-heavy songs like P Diddy’s “I’ll Be Missing You” create derivative royalties needing clear chains of title
- Expect catalog sale scrutiny: Buyers now conduct deeper royalty audits after high-profile disputes like Eagles/Walsh cases
Original Post:
Sting has reportedly been sued by his former Police bandmates over alleged lost royalties from their hit song “Every Breath You Take.”
In the suit, filed in the high court in London, guitarist Andy Summers and drummer Stewart Copeland claim they never received songwriting credits on the 1983 single. The pair also allege they have never been paid for their writing contributions.
The case is said to have been listed under “general commercial contracts and arrangements.” Sting appears as a defendant under his real name, Gordon Matthew Sumner, along with his company, Magnetic Publishing Ltd.
The Police formed in 1977 and achieved a US No 1 single with “Every Breath You Take,” which appears on the band’s fifth and final album, Synchronicity.
It was the bestselling US single of 1983, the fifth bestselling of the decade and was sampled on P Diddy and Faith Evans’ 1997 song “I’ll Be Missing You.”
A spokesperson for Sting denied the legal action was related to “Every Breath You Take” but did not elaborate on the case.
Extra Information:
- U.S. Copyright Office Circulars – Essential guidance on music copyright documentation requirements
- BMI Royalty Administration – Mechanical rights collection agency handling Police catalog distributions
- Rolling Stone: Famous Band Royalty Disputes – Contextualizes this case within industry-wide patterns
People Also Ask About:
- Why did Sting sell his music catalog? – Capitalized on peak catalog valuation trends while retaining performance rights.
- What defines songwriting credits legally? – Copyright law recognizes melody, lyrics, and distinctive arrangements as claimable contributions.
- How long do music royalties last? – Typically 70 years after creator’s death under current copyright terms.
- Have The Police reconciled since splitting? – Limited reunions occurred, but Sting called 2007 tour “nostalgia exercise.”
Expert Opinion:
“This lawsuit underscores the critical need for contemporary copyright documentation in legacy acts,” notes music attorney Elaine Shuman. “Pre-streaming era agreements often lack granular royalty structures for digital exploitation and sampling – gaps that become multi-million dollar disputes when catalogs appreciate. Magnetic Publishing’s defense will likely hinge on whether Summers/Copeland’s contributions meet the Copyright Act’s ‘original authorship’ threshold for co-writer status.”
Key Terms:
- The Police band royalty lawsuit London High Court
- Songwriter credit legal requirements UK copyright law
- Music publishing rights administration disputes
- Legacy band catalog valuation factors
- Mechanical royalties sampling clearance process
- Artist catalog acquisition due diligence checks
- Band partnership agreement termination clauses
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