Sting faces High Court royalties suit by Summers and Copeland

Sting is facing a High Court lawsuit brought by his former Police bandmates, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland, who allege they are owed millions in lost royalties from the group’s music. The 73-year-old singer, whose legal name is Gordon Sumner, appears as a defendant along with Magnetic Publishing Limited, in a case listed under general commercial contracts and arrangements. Summers and Copeland say the dispute concerns substantial damages tied to royalties from The Police’s catalog, a claim that follows years of legal wrangling and failed attempts at private settlement.

The Police, formed in 1977 in London, became one of the era’s most successful rock acts, selling more than 75 million records worldwide. Their final studio album, Synchronicity, released in 1983, produced several iconic hits, including Every Breath You Take, which remains a top-selling single of the era. The band’s split in the mid-1980s did little to dampen their enduring cultural impact, though tensions among members have long been part of the band’s narrative. Summers and Copeland’s lawsuit is not just a financial dispute; it touches on the broader issue of how songwriting credits and publishing rights...