Sting is back in hot water. Again.
In 2025, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland sued their former bandmate. They claimed Sting owed them millions. The reason? An oral agreement to split the cash from their shared hits.
Sting was the chief songwriter. That is not a secret. But Summers and Copeland argued that the money from streaming and downloads was never properly calculated. They felt shortchanged.
Then came 2026. Sting paid them $800,000 in back royalties.
It sounds like a resolution. It isn’t.
The Oral Contract Controversy
Why did this go to court in the first place?
Summers and Copeland insisted there was a handshake deal. They believed the three of them agreed to share income from the band’s songs equally. Sting didn’t write every track alone. He needed the rhythm. He needed the guitar.
“The money from streaming and downloads was never properly calculated.”
But Sting had always treated the songs as his primary property. That is how The Police operated for decades. It worked until the money got big. And it got very big.
Streaming Royalties: A Digital Goldmine
How much money are we talking about?
Millions.
That is what the plaintiffs said. They pointed to the endless streams. The downloads. The digital age turned “Every Breath You Take” into a perpetual cash cow.
The $800,000 check from 2026 was just the beginning. Or at least, that is how Summers and Copeland see it. They argue the number is tiny compared to what they are owed.
Is $800,000 a settlement or an insult?
Did The Police Ever Really Split Evenly?
Which parts of the band’s catalog generate the most revenue?
Probably the hits. “Message in a Bottle.” “Roxanne.” “Every Breath You Take.”
Sting wrote the lyrics. He often composed the melodies. But Copeland’s drums drove the groove. Summers’ guitar added the texture. Without them, the songs would be piano ballads.
The oral agreement claim suggests a different history. A history where the three of them were partners. Not just bandmates.
Sting’s payment in 2026 acknowledges some debt. It doesn’t acknowledge the full magnitude. Summers and Copeland still believe the math is wrong.
Why This Matters Now
We are in 2026. The lawsuit happened in 2025.
This isn’t just about three rich musicians fighting. It is about how we view old bands. We think of them as a unit. A trio. But the legal reality is often messier.
Who owns a song? The writer? The performer? The label?
The Police disbanded long ago. But the money keeps flowing. And the people who helped make it flow want their share.
$800,000 is a lot of money for most people. For rock legends? It might be pocket change. Or it might be a fraction of what is due.
Summers and Copeland are still waiting for the rest.
Maybe they will get
