The Police: Could There Be a Lawsuit Around ‘Every Breath You Take’?
“Every Breath You Take,” the iconic hit from The Police, might be at the center of an upcoming lawsuit. Former Police guitarist Andy Summers alluded to such in a new…
"Every Breath You Take," the iconic hit from The Police, might be at the center of an upcoming lawsuit.
Former Police guitarist Andy Summers alluded to such in a new interview appearance on The Jeremy White Show. Summers famously wrote the iconic riff that acts as the hook to the song. However, Sting is the only songwriter listed on the track.
Summers referred to his lack of a songwriting credit as "a very contentious [topic] that is very much alive at the moment." He was then asked if there was going to be some sort of lawsuit to get listed as a songwriter on the track. Summers replied, "Watch the press. Let's see what happens in the next year."
In November 2021, Summers told Ultimate Classic Rock that neither he nor Stewart Copeland -- who also wrote his drum parts but isn't listed as a songwriter -- have received royalties for "Every Breath You Take." While the song was popular upon its release in 1983, it had a massive resurgence in 1997 when it was sampled on Puff Daddy's "I'll Be Missing You."
RELATED: Sting Confirms Police 'Synchronicity' Box Set Is Coming
Interestingly, Puff Daddy never asked permission to sample "Every Breath You Take," and the whole dispute ended up in court. As a result, Sting now receives 100 percent of the royalties from the song. This is due to him being the only songwriter listed on the track. This is also despite the fact that Summers and Copeland each came up with their guitar and drum tracks, respectively. Of course, only Summers' guitar track and nothing from Sting or Copeland are actually heard on "I'll Be Missing You."
So, what kind of royalties does Sting get from "I'll Be Missing You"? According to CelebrityNetWorth.com, Sting reportedly earns about $2,000 a day in royalties from that song alone. This figure is actually disputed by Puff Daddy, who is now known as Diddy. In April, he shared via X (formerly Twitter) that Sting actually receives $5,000 a day from the royalties from "I'll Be Missing You."
Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band’s album Against The Wind turns 40 today (February 25), and it has the distinction of being the only album in Seger’s catalog to hit the number one spot on the Billboard 200 album charts.
Of course, Seger isn’t alone in this regard. Here are some other artists with one lone album to top the Billboard 200.
The Police - 'Synchronicity'
Showtime/Courtesy of Getty ImagesA promotional portrait of the British rock band The police (L-R)" Sting, Stewart Copeland, and Andy Summers, circa 1983. (Photo by Showtime/Courtesy of Getty Images)
Bob Seger - 'Against The Wind'
Malcolm Clarke/Keystone/Getty Images18th October 1977: American rock singer and songwriter Bob Seger, and his Silver Bullet Band, Drew Abbott, Robyn Robbins, Alto Reed, Chris Campbell and Charlie Allen Martin, in London, for their first British tour. (Photo by Malcolm Clarke/Keystone/Getty Images)
David Bowie - 'Blackstar'
Bryan Bedder/Getty ImagesNEW YORK - JUNE 05: Musician David Bowie speaks onstage while accepting the Webby Lifetime Achievement award at the 11th Annual Webby Awards at Chipriani Wall Street on June 5, 2007 in New York City. (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images)
James Taylor - 'Before This World'
Nicholas Hunt/Getty ImagesNEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 28: James Taylor performs at "The Nearness Of You Concert" in Honor of Michael Brecker at Jazz at Lincoln Center on January 28, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images)
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers - 'Hypnotic Eye'
Frederick M. Brown/Getty ImagesHOLLYWOOD, CA - APRIL 23: Singer Tom Petty speaks during the 31st Annual ASCAP Pop Music Awards at The Ray Dolby Ballroom at the Hollywood & Highland Center on April 23, 2014 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
