Sting Faces $2 Million Claim from Former Bandmates Over Unpaid Royalties

## Legal Battle Over Royalties

Sting’s former bandmates from The Police, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland, are asserting they are owed more than $2 million in unpaid royalties. This assertion comes from legal documents that were made public recently, as reported by *The New York Times*.

### Lawsuit Details

Last month, Summers and Copeland initiated a lawsuit against Sting, whose real name is Gordon Matthew Sumner, in London’s High Court. They claim they have not been adequately compensated for their contributions to iconic hits such as “Every Breath You Take.” The newly-released documents detail their request for an “arranger’s fee,” related to the royalties from the digital distribution of The Police’s catalog.

### Sting’s Response

The response from Sting’s legal team states that he has not withheld any payments from his former bandmates. They describe the lawsuit as an “illegitimate attempt” to reinterpret an agreement reached among the three in 2016, which was intended to resolve previous disputes regarding arranger’s fees.

### Historical Context

This disagreement has its roots dating back to 1977. Copeland and Summers state they reached a verbal agreement about publishing splits, which included sharing 15 percent of song income with each other whenever a member earned from one of their songs. Sting, driving many of the band’s hits, has sole writing credits for songs like “Roxanne” and “Message in a Bottle.”

### Formal Agreements

Summers and Copeland assert that this verbal agreement was officially documented in 1981. After claiming they were underpaid for years, the terms were revised in 1997. The most recent agreement in 2016 aimed to clarify what Sting owed his bandmates for the use of their music in films and TV shows.

### Dispute Focus

The core of the current dispute revolves around publishing royalties from digital exploitation, which refers to income for online sales and streaming. While Copeland and Summers argue they have not received their due share, Sting’s lawyers maintain that they have been adequately compensated—and might have even been “substantially overpaid.” Depending on the interpretation of the 2016 agreement, Sting may not be obliged to compensate them at all for online plays or sales of The Police’s music.

### Upcoming Hearing

An administrative hearing regarding this case is scheduled for January.

Do you think this legal dispute will change the dynamics among the former bandmates?