"Sting has paid his former bandmates in The Police over $800,000 (£595,000) in royalties since they filed a lawsuit in September 2025, reports the BBC. Lawyers for The Police drummer Stewart Copeland and guitarist Andy Summers revealed the payment was made after they sued Sting and his publishing company last year, claiming Sting owed them between $2m (£1.5m) and $10.75m (£8m) in unpaid royalties."
"None of The Police members were in court, but Summers and Copeland's legal team argued the language of agreements made in 1997 and 2016 should be reinterpreted to include money from downloads and streaming income. In response, Sting's lawyers argued that his former bandmates are not owed royalties from streaming because that should be categorized as "public performance" instead of a sale. They also said the 2016 agreement only pays royalties "from the manufacture of records.""
"While Copeland and Summers didn't receive writing credits on The Police's hits, they previously said Sting owed them "arranger's fees" from the "digital exploitation" of the band's back catalog. Meanwhile, Sting's lawyers have called the lawsuit an "illegitimate attempt" to reinterpret the 2016 agreement, arguing that Sting had "substantially overpaid" Copeland and Summers based on one interpretation of the original terms."
Sting paid over $800,000 (£595,000) in royalties to former Police members Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers after they filed a lawsuit in September 2025. Copeland and Summers claim Sting owes between $2m and $10.75m in unpaid royalties, and their lawyers said the claim could rise and excludes interest. Their legal team argues agreements from 1997 and 2016 should be reinterpreted to cover downloads and streaming income. Sting's lawyers contend streaming is public performance, not a sale, and that the 2016 deal only pays royalties from record manufacture. The hearing is due to conclude January 15, with a full trial to follow.
Read at Consequence
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