Police royalties case reveals Sting has paid Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland more than $800,000 since they filed their…
Sting has paid former Police bandmates Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland $870,000 in royalties, but they claim they are still owed more.Summary
A royalties dispute between Sting and former Police members Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland has revealed that Sting has paid $870,000 to Summers and Copeland since they initiated legal action last year. However, Summers and Copeland argue this amount doesn’t include accrued interest and that they are owed approximately $2 million based on an initial “oral agreement” from 1977, where songwriters received the majority of royalties and other members an arranger’s fee. The core of the disagreement lies in how streaming revenue is classified; Sting’s lawyers contend streaming is a “public performance” not a sale, while Summers and Copeland seek to update the agreement’s interpretation to reflect modern music consumption. Summers highlighted his significant contribution to the band’s hit “Every Breath You Take,” and the case underscores the financial complexities of streaming in the music industry, where even billions of streams generate relatively small per-stream payouts. Despite disbanding in 1986, The Police’s music continues to be popular, and the legal battle highlights the ongoing financial implications of their past success.
(Source：Guitarplayer)