Sting sued for millions by former Police bandmates over lost royalties

Sting is reportedly being sued by his former Police bandmates over lost royalties from their iconic hit ‘Every Breath you Take’.

The ex-frontman is being taken to court by guitarist Andy Summers and drummer Stewart Copeland for “substantial” damages.

Summers came up with the track's arpeggiated riff, but Sting is the writer of the chord progression and the lyrics.

The question of credits first came into the public eye in 1997, following Puff Daddy’s sample of the song’s riff and vocal melody, on his track ‘I’ll Be Missing You’, for which Sting took all royalties.

Over the years, ‘Every Breath you Take’ has been licenced for many films and TV series, including The Sopranos and Stranger Things.

Now, according to The Sun, a source claimed that “Andy and Stewart decided there was no alternative than court so pressed the button. They say they are owed millions in lost royalties.”

““this has been coming for quite some time,” they said, adding that "lawyers tried repeatedly to reach an out-of-court settlement but hit a stalemate.”

The case is said to have been listed at London’s High Court under “general commercial contracts and arrangements”. Sting and his company Magnetic Publishing Limited appear as a defendant.

‘Every Breath You Take’, which appears on the Police’s fifth and final album, Synchronicity was the best-selling single of 1983, and the fifth best-selling of the decade. It is also a Song Of The Year Grammy winner, as well the band’s only US Hot 100 No.1.