Sting’s former bandmates in the Police have sued the singer and bassist for what they claim are unpaid royalties over the group’s hit “Every Breath You Take.”
In the suit, filed in London High Court, guitarist Andy Summers and drummer Stewart Copeland claim they never got songwriting credit on their band’s 1983 single, one of the biggest hits of the ‘80s and famously sampled on Diddy and Faith Evans’ “I’ll Be Missing You.” They allege in the suit that they have never been paid for their writing contributions.
A representative for Sting declined to comment on the suit.
The Police formed in 1977 and quickly became U.K. chart-toppers, earning a U.S. No. 1 single with “Every Breath You Take” before splitting in 1984. Sting went onto a successful solo career with singles like “Fields of Gold” and “Englishman in New York.” Despite a long history of musical and personal acrimony within the group, the Police reunited for a lucrative reunion tour in 2007.
In February 2022, Sting sold his entire songwriting catalog to Universal for an estimated $300 million, joining a wave of veteran artists cashing in on their publishing for eye-watering figures. He recently performed at the FireAid benefit in Inglewood.
This story originally appeared on LA Times
