Former Police Members Sue Sting Over Disputed Song Royalties

Sting, the former lead singer and primary songwriter of The Police, is facing a lawsuit from his ex-bandmates Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland over alleged unpaid royalties for songs recorded between 1977 and 1984. The dispute focuses on tracks like ‘Roxanne’ and ‘Every Breath You Take.’ Summers and Copeland claim an oral agreement existed from 1977, later formalized in contracts, to share income from songs even if they were not credited as writers. Sting denies underpaying them, with his lawyers labeling the claims ‘illegitimate.’ The disagreement now centers on whether Summers and Copeland are entitled to both performance and mechanical royalties. Sting argues the agreement only covers mechanical royalties and that the 2016 contract prevents historic claims. The band, which became one of the UK’s most successful musical acts, famously split in 1984 amid internal tensions. Sting sold his songwriting catalog, including Police songs, to Universal Music Group in 2022 for an estimated $200 million. The legal battle highlights complex issues in music publishing and royalty distribution.