Former The Police members Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland have filed a lawsuit against their former bandmate Sting over alleged unpaid royalties worth millions of pounds. The Sun reported this development.
An unnamed source provided details about the legal dispute and the circumstances that led to the court filing.
“This has been coming for quite some time. Lawyers tried repeatedly to reach an out-of-court settlement but hit a stalemate,” the source told The Sun. “Andy and Stewart decided there was no alternative then the court, so they pressed the button.”
The source explained the financial motivation behind the lawsuit.
“They say they are owed millions in lost royalties,” the source continued. “The legal battle has been listed at London’s High Court under general commercial contracts and arrangements.”
The case represents a significant legal dispute between the former bandmates over financial arrangements from their time together in the iconic rock band.
This legal battle highlights a long-standing financial disparity that has existed since The Police’s heyday. The dispute particularly concerns their biggest hit, “Every Breath You Take.”
WROR revealed that neither Andy Summers nor Stewart Copeland received royalties for their contributions to songs like “Every Breath You Take.” This occurred despite their significant input in the band’s success. The financial implications of this arrangement became particularly evident when the song was sampled by other artists.
When Puff Daddy sampled “Every Breath You Take” for his 1997 hit “I’ll Be Missing You,” only Sting received royalties from the massive commercial success of the tribute song. Ultimate Classic Rock confirmed this arrangement. This sampling deal reportedly generates substantial ongoing income. Sting earns thousands of dollars daily from “Every Breath You Take” alone.
The financial rift between the former bandmates has been mounting over time. 112 International documented this growing tension. These tensions have now culminated in this High Court legal action. The lawsuit represents decades of accumulated grievances over royalty distributions from The Police’s catalog.
The case underscores broader issues within the music industry regarding songwriting credits and royalty distribution among band members. This is particularly relevant when one member is credited as the primary songwriter despite collaborative contributions from other musicians.
