Although the Police produced legendary songs like “Roxanne” and “Message In A Bottle”, nothing remotely came close to the success that surrounded “Every Breath You Take.” Formed during the late 1970s, the Police gained international fame as they sold over 75 million albums and even gained entry into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Not to mention, they hold several Grammy Awards. Consisting of Sting, Stewart Copeland, and Andy Summers, Sting found himself at the center of a legal dispute as his former bandmates want compensation for lost royalties.
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Filing a lawsuit in the High Court in London, both Copeland and Summers believe they are entitled to compensation from both Sting and his company, Magnetic Publishing Limited. Although details surrounding the lawsuit remained unavailable at this time, Summers made his thoughts known in the past. And it seemed to center around “Every Breath You Take.”
Released on the album Synchronicity, “Every Breath You Take” took over airwaves, landing No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. But that was just the start of the legacy that would follow. Looking at Spotify, the song neared 3 billion streams. If you read that incorrectly, that was billion – with a “B.”
How Much Sting Makes From “Every Breath You Take”
With Sting considered the sole writer of the song, the singer gained a great deal of royalties from the hit. But how much? Sting received $745,000 a year. And remember, that was just one song.
Not a bad payday for a song that lasted a little over four minutes, Summers once said, “It’s now past two billion plays on Spotify, so it is actually the most-played song of all-time history.” He added it made his “guitar riff one of the most-played riffs in history.”
A source close to the lawsuit told The Sun that both Summers and Copeland tried to settle outside of court. “Lawyers tried repeatedly to reach an out-of-court settlement but hit a stalemate. Andy and Stewart decided there was no alternative than court so pressed the button. They say they are owed millions in lost royalties.”
With the matter now in the hands of the court, the future of one of rock’s most iconic songs will be decided in a high-stakes legal battle.
(Photo by John Rodgers/Redferns)
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