Sting Lawsuit 2025: Police Bandmates Sue Over “Every Breath You Take” Royalties

Sting is facing a new lawsuit in the High Court of London brought by his former Police bandmates, guitarist Andy Summers and drummer Stewart Copeland, in a major royalties dispute tied to the band’s most famous hit, “Every Breath You Take.”

The Police Royalties Dispute

According to High Court filings, Summers and Copeland claim that Sting (Gordon Matthew Sumner) and his company Magnetic Publishing Ltd. denied them proper co-writing credit and royalty payments on the 1983 global No. 1 single. The case is formally categorized under “general commercial contracts and arrangements.”

Representatives for Sting declined comment, while other reports noted his spokesperson disputed that the case was only about “Every Breath You Take.” Still, the song remains central to the claims given its outsized earnings power.

Why “Every Breath You Take” Matters

The track was the biggest U.S. single of 1983, topping the Billboard Hot 100 and later earning a Grammy for Song of the Year. Its cultural afterlife grew even larger when Puff Daddy & Faith Evans sampled it for “I’ll Be Missing You” in 1997, a smash that reintroduced the song to a new generation.

Industry estimates suggest the composition has generated over half a million pounds annually for Sting, with cumulative earnings in the tens of millions. These figures are not court-verified but are widely cited in press reports, underscoring the stakes of the case.

Sting’s Catalog Sale Context

In 2022, Sting sold his entire publishing catalog to Universal Music in a deal reportedly worth $300 million. That transaction set a valuation benchmark for his body of work, though the current lawsuit over royalties and authorship rights could influence future payouts or settlements.

What Happens Next in the Lawsuit

The High Court process is expected to move through disclosure and pre-trial management before any trial dates are set. As of Aug. 28, 2025, no hearings have been scheduled. The plaintiffs are seeking retroactive royalties and recognition as co-authors, while Sting’s legal team has not publicly outlined its defense.