‘The Most Played Song’ Heads To Court
It spent eight weeks at No. 1 in 1983.
It won two Grammys.
And in 2019, it was proclaimed “The Most Played Song in Radio History!”
It’s “Every Breath You Take” by the Police – and now, it’s the subject of a major court battle!
The Police consisted of three people: Sting (lead vocals, bass, primary songwriter), Andy Summers (guitar), and Stewart Copeland (drums, percussion). Summers and Copeland just sued Sting in London High Court, claiming they were underpaid for their contributions to Police songs.
Summers and Stewart did not write “Every Breath You Take,” but they are claiming that the band made an oral agreement in 1977, when they formed the band, to share income. It was later formalized in written contracts.
The band broke up in 1984 and by their own accounts, things were tense behind the scenes.
Sting even said he spent half the Synchronicity tour with a broken rib after brawling with Copeland backstage!
No one disputes that Sting was the band’s primary songwriter. But, Summers and Copeland say they made significant contributions, too. Summers claims that he came up with the iconic guitar riff on “Every Breath You Take,” to replace the original sound of an organ!
Stewart and Copeland say they are owed £1.5 million, which equates to just over $2 million in the U.S.
Sting’s lawyer responded to the suit by saying that a 2016 agreement between the band members contained a provision that all three members agreed not to pursue any future claims over royalties.
