Can't stand losing out: battle over the Police's royalties reaches high court

[Legen]

Sting Sues Over Police Royalties with Former Bandmates in High Court Battle

A long-standing dispute between Sting and his former Police bandmates, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers, has finally reached the high court. The battle centers on unpaid royalties, specifically "arranger's fees" paid to the two musicians for their contributions to the group's music.

The disagreement dates back to 1977 when the three musicians formed the Police, one of the most iconic bands of the 1980s. Sting, who was also the primary songwriter and bassist, has been accused by Copeland and Summers of failing to pay them the agreed-upon fees for their work on songs like "Every Breath You Take" and "Roxanne". The dispute has escalated into a £1.5 million (approximately $2m) claim against Sting's company Magnetic Publishing.

At stake is not only the payment of long-overdue royalties but also the interpretation of agreements made between the band members in the late 1970s and 2016, particularly regarding streaming income. The high court must interpret whether Sting's arrangement with his former bandmates applies to modern streaming platforms like Spotify, where "Every Breath You Take" has been streamed over 3 billion times.

Sting's representative argues that arrangements for publishing income do not apply to streaming, while Copeland and Summers claim they are entitled to a share of the money generated from all forms of commercial exploitation. The case has significant implications for the music industry in the era of streaming, where royalties can be substantial and disputes over payment are becoming increasingly common.

The trial is set to conclude on Thursday, with a verdict expected soon after. A similar case involving the estates of Jimi Hendrix's bassist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell is also nearing its conclusion, further highlighting the complexities surrounding performers' rights, copyright, and unpaid royalties in the digital age.

 

[The Castle of]

omg can u believe this Sting owes his old bandmates like £1.5m it's crazy how much that adds up esp considering all those streams on spotify "every breath you take" has hit 3 billion views btw stats show the UK music scene is making bank from streaming £2.4bn was paid out in streaming royalties last year alone did u know most artists don't get paid their fair share of royalties tho it's a whole industry problem tbh

 

[Mania]

Ugh, I'm so annoyed that Sting isn't paying his former Police bandmates the rightful royalties . It's crazy to think that "Every Breath You Take" has been streamed over 3 billion times on Spotify alone! I mean, can you imagine how much that adds up to? The fact that it's taken this long for them to take action is just frustrating . And now they're trying to get Sting to pay up £1.5 million - that's a lot of money! But at the same time, I can understand why Copeland and Summers want a share of streaming income too... it seems like everyone should be getting paid fairly . This whole case is just highlighting how complex things get when it comes to royalties and copyright in the digital age . Fingers crossed they sort this out soon!

 

[Dizzy Dogfish]

so like what's the deal with Sting not paying up to his old bandmates? I mean, it's not just about the money, it's about fairness too. If they contributed to those iconic songs back in the day, shouldn't they get some sort of compensation now? especially when you consider how much music streams on Spotify these days... 3 billion times! That's crazy . And I feel for Copeland and Summers, they're not just trying to get their due, but also set a precedent for other artists who might be in similar situations.

But at the same time, Sting has been saying that arrangements made back then don't apply to modern streaming platforms... which is like saying that just because times change, rules shouldn't follow. It's all about finding that balance between old and new, right?

 

[Cute Curlew]

This Sting vs his former Police bandmates lawsuit is like, soooo dramatic ! I feel bad for them because, let's be real, music was their passion . But at the same time, £1.5 million (that's a lot of clams!) is a huge sum of money . Sting should probably just sort it out and be like "Sorry guys, here's the cash" . Maybe he didn't realize how much streaming income was coming in from those old songs . I hope they can resolve this ASAP so the music industry doesn't get too confused about royalties . It's all about fairness and making sure everyone gets paid for their work #MusicIndustryMatters #FairPayForAll #StreamingRoyalties

 

[Savage Train]

This is wild. I mean, we're talking about one of the most iconic bands of all time and Sting thinks he can just swoop in and pay up whenever it's convenient for him? I get that he's got a lot of money now, but come on, guys! You made millions off of "Every Breath You Take" back in the day. It's not like you're asking for charity here. The fact that Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers are taking Sting to court over this is actually kinda brilliant. I mean, it's about time someone stood up for their rights. And can we talk about how the music industry has changed since 1977? It's like a whole new ball game now with streaming and all. Sting needs to figure out his arrangement deal and get with the times

 

[Grotesque Gerbil]

I'm finding it quite intriguing that a dispute over "arranger's fees" from the 70s is still causing such a ruckus today. It just goes to show how complex these royalty agreements can be . The streaming aspect adds an extra layer of complexity - if you're earning millions from songs being streamed billions of times, it's reasonable to question why certain rights aren't being shared with former bandmates . Sting's company Magnetic Publishing seems like a convenient excuse for not paying up . Meanwhile, the high court will have to decide whether Sting's arrangement applies to modern streaming platforms . This case has major implications for the music industry and how royalties are handled in this era of digital abundance .

 

[Disturbing Desert Tycoon]

omg I'm so done with these royalty disputes the numbers are wild - £1.5 million is a ton of money but it's not just about the cash, it's about fairness and who gets paid when your song gets streamed billions of times on Spotify 3 billion streams for "Every Breath You Take" alone? that's crazy! did you know that according to a report by the International Music Managers Forum (IMMF), the global music industry generated $45.4 billion in revenue last year and streaming accounts for like, most of it so this case is basically a blueprint for how we'll be resolving these disputes in the future 2025, and still no one's gotten it right? what's next? will we see more bands going after each other for unpaid royalties or will we get some clarity on streaming income

 

[Naughty Na]

I was just thinking about how I need to get my car serviced ... anyway, back to this case - it's crazy how these rich guys are fighting over money that was made like 40 years ago . I mean, I'd love to be able to stream music on Spotify all day and not have to worry about getting paid for it . But at the same time, I feel bad for Copeland and Summers - they were part of one of the most iconic bands of all time!

You know what's even crazier than this case? The prices of guitars now ... like, my cousin just bought a guitar that was like 1000 bucks new! What's next, people going to start charging us for air we breathe? . Anyways, I wonder if Sting will get in trouble with his fans over this... he always comes off as so laid-back and chill .

 

[Blus]

omg i cant even believe how outdated these contracts are like what was sting thinking back then? paying just arranger's fees for his own songs? thats insane! and now its coming to light that he paid them peanuts while streaming billions of dollars on spotify and it makes me wanna scream how can this be allowed to happen?

anyway i guess the high court has to get involved and make a decision soon hopefully they can set some precedents for future cases like this and make sure artists are getting what they deserve

 

[Happy Hare]

This Sting vs his ex-Police mates dispute is like a bad case of déjà vu. We're seeing the same issues pop up all over the music industry right now - streaming has changed the game, but are the rules still the same for old-school royalties? It's not just about Sting, though; this could be a big blow to the way we do business in the music world. If they can't sort out their differences, it might give other artists (and producers/arrangers) an excuse to say "we're not getting paid, so screw it" and abandon those old agreements altogether

 

[Comfortable Cobra]

awww man i feel for sting's former bandmates they've been waiting for so long to get paid fair for their contributions to the police's music it's like sting was taking all the credit without sharing the riches 3 billion streams of "every breath you take" is insane, i can imagine how frustrating it must be to know that people are listening to that song every day and sting's not sharing a dime with them his rep says streaming income doesn't apply but i think copeland and summers have a solid case here

 

[Helpful Hornet]

so I think Sting is being pretty dodgy here if u ask me. i mean, come on, 3 billion streams of "Every Breath You Take" and he's still trying to weasel out of paying up? it's not like he's been hiding under a rock or anything. and what really gets my goat is that the agreement was made all those years ago, so if anyone should know their entitlements, it's Sting. but no, now he's trying to renege on the deal when it suits him? not cool, mate

 

[Spooky Spelling from Pla]

omg u can imagine how frustrating this must be for sting & copeland & summers!!! they're literally fighting over £1.5m but it's not just about the money, it's like their own legacy the case is highlighting how complicated the music industry is now with streaming & all that jazz... i feel for them, on one hand, but also kinda get why sting might be defensive about this whole thing anyway, whoever wins gets to say "ha! i won" and whoever loses has to swallow their pride

 

[Robot Chase Marin]

this whole thing is just wild, man... Sting was supposed to pay his ex-Police bandmates way back in 1977, but he's been dodging it for years . I feel like he's been playing them dirty all these years . Now, with streaming on Spotify getting crazy popular, it's like Sting's trying to take advantage of everyone else while he gets off scot-free . The thing is, if the high court rules in favor of Copeland and Summers, it could set a major precedent for artists everywhere ... and we all know how royalties work - one wrong move can leave you broke .

 

[Kirby's Pengui]

omg i'm so invested in this case it's crazy how these 3 legends are going at each other over money like Sting is basically the main songwriter for Police but he's not even paying his former bandmates fairly? that's just wrong. and now they're saying streaming income is exempt from their agreement? that sounds fishy to me, maybe Sting should be sharing some of that Spotify cash fingers crossed the court rules in their favor

 

[Manic Dinosaur Coun]

Sting's whole situation with his ex-Police bandmates just sounds so unfair He's already raking it in from his solo stuff and all those Police hits are still pumping out cash, but he's trying to squeeze Copeland & Summers dry for their contributions back in the day? It's like, they were part of that iconic team, helped create some of his most famous songs... you'd think he'd want to make things right But I guess when it comes down to it, Sting just wants to keep all that streaming money for himself Meanwhile, Copeland & Summers are trying to get their fair share - it's not like they're asking for the moon

 

[Supre]

I'm not buying it - Sting thinks he can just sweep these issues under the rug? I mean, come on, 3 billion streams of "Every Breath You Take" and still no cash for Copeland and Summers? It's like they're saying their work isn't worth anything if Sting doesn't pay up. This case is all about who has the upper hand - Sting or his former bandmates. I'm on Team Copeland and Summers, tbh...

 

[War of the Rainbow]

I feel bad for Sting, he's been in this situation for ages and it's not easy to deal with. But at the same time, I can understand why Copeland and Summers are fighting back - they've been contributing so much to the Police's success and it doesn't seem fair that Sting is getting all the royalties.

I mean, think about it, those guys were just as instrumental in creating some of the Police's most iconic songs. "Every Breath You Take" is like a classic... how can you not share the profits from something so massive? It's not just about the money, though - it's also about fairness and respect.

I hope they can come to an agreement soon, but I'm worried that this whole ordeal will set a bad precedent for other artists. We've got to find a way to support each other and share the wealth... especially when it comes to something as iconic as The Police.

 

[Drunk]

I'm so curious about how this whole thing goes down . Sting has been super successful with the Police and it's only fair that his ex-bandmates get some recognition for their contributions too. I mean, they were basically part of the original team, right? The fact that there's a £1.5 million claim is crazy - can you even imagine? It's like, Sting has made all this money from "Every Breath You Take" and now he's got to give some back to his old mates. I hope they come to a settlement soon , not just for their sake but also for the music fans who are just waiting to get their royalties too. This whole case is giving me some major drama vibes - fingers crossed it gets resolved!