Sting has paid his former bandmates in The Police over $800,000 in royalties following a legal dispute, as reported by BBC.
The payment came after Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers launched legal proceedings against the musician, claiming they were owed significant royalties for hit songs.
“Sting has paid his former bandmates in The Police more than half a million pounds after acknowledging underpaying royalties, court documents show,” BBC reported. “In a filing at London’s High Court, the musician’s lawyers said Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland received a payment of ‘over $800,000’ (£595,000) after they launched legal proceedings last year.”
The lawsuit centers on royalties for some of The Police’s most famous tracks, with substantial financial claims at stake.
“The pair sued Sting and his publishing company in September, claiming they were owed between $2m (£1.5m) and $10.75m (£8m) in royalties for hit songs like Roxanne and Every Breath You Take,” the report continued. “At a hearing on Wednesday, their lawyers said their claim could rise above £8m.”
The case highlights ongoing disputes over music royalties between former bandmates, with the legal proceedings continuing despite the initial payment.
The legal battle stems from agreements dating back to The Police’s formation in 1977. Noise11 reported that the dispute centers on an oral agreement where Sting, as the principal songwriter, would share 15% of some publishing income with his bandmates for their creative contributions. This arrangement was later formalized through contracts in 1997 and 2016.
The core issue revolves around modern digital revenue streams that didn’t exist when the original agreements were made. Exclaim noted that the lawsuit specifically questions whether Summers and Copeland are entitled to shares of streaming and download income. Sting contests this as not covered under the prior “mechanical income” or “public performance” terms established in earlier contracts.
The preliminary hearing before Mr Justice Bright proceeded without any of the musicians in attendance. RTÉ indicated that the current proceedings focus on amending claims to include all forms of digital income. A full trial is scheduled for later this year.
The case represents a broader trend in the music industry where legacy artists are grappling with how streaming revenues should be distributed under decades-old contracts. The Police, one of the most successful bands of the late 1970s and early 1980s, disbanded in 1986 at the height of their popularity. This makes the royalty dispute particularly significant given the enduring commercial value of their catalog.
