Sting has transferred more than £600,000 to his former Police bandmates since they initiated legal proceedings against him over streaming royalties, London's High Court heard on Wednesday.
The 74-year-old musician, born Gordon Sumner, made the payment to drummer Stewart Copeland, 73, and guitarist Andy Summers, 83, to address what his legal team described as "certain admitted historic underpayments."
Court documents reveal the sum exceeded $800,000, with Sting's lawyers acknowledging the arrears during a preliminary hearing.
The payment came after Copeland and Summers launched their claim in late 2024, alleging they had been shortchanged on so-called "arranger's fees" from streaming revenue.
Sting has transferred more than £600,000 to his former Police bandmates
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Sting and his company Magnetic Publishing face allegations that they owe the pair more than $2 million in total.
The dispute hinges on whether "arranger's fees" established in verbal agreements from the late 1970s should extend to income generated through digital streaming platforms.
Robert Howe KC, representing Sting, told the court that his client maintains these fees were only ever intended to cover physical formats such as vinyl records and cassettes.
The barrister argued that judges should focus primarily on a "professionally drafted" settlement from 2016, which he said specifies that payments are owed solely on mechanical income "from the manufacture of records."
Sting and his company Magnetic Publishing face allegations that they owe the pair more than $2 million in total
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Copeland and Summers contest this interpretation, insisting the arrangement covers all forms of commercial exploitation.
Their legal team argues that a 15 per cent share of publishing income was agreed when the band first formed, later formalised in written contracts.
Ian Mill KC, representing Copeland and Summers along with their companies Megalo Music, Kent Foundation Laboratories and Kinetic Kollections, outlined that the original arrangements date back to 1977.
In written submissions, the barrister stated that the central question for trial is "whether the parties have accounted to each other for arranger's fees correctly in accordance with the terms of the 2016 settlement agreement."
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Court documents reveal the sum exceeded $800,000, with Sting's lawyers acknowledging the arrears during a preliminary hearing
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Court filings from December 2024 indicated that the two musicians believe they are entitled to a share "from all publishing income derived from all manner of commercial exploitation."
The preliminary hearing before Mr Justice Bright is scheduled to conclude on Thursday, with a full trial expected at a later date.
Sting reportedly earns approximately £550,000 annually from Every Breath You Take alone, though neither Copeland nor Summers received songwriting credits on that track.
The Police came together in London in 1977, with Copeland founding the group after spotting Sting performing with jazz fusion outfit Last Exit and recognising his stage presence.
The 74-year-old musician made the payment to drummer Stewart Copeland, 73, and guitarist Andy Summers, 83,
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The trio achieved remarkable commercial success, with their second album Reggatta de Blanc becoming the first of four consecutive chart-toppers.
Five UK number one singles followed, including Every Breath You Take, which reached the top spot in America and became the fifth best-selling song of the 1980s.
Yet internal tensions plagued the band from the outset. Sting once remarked: "We didn't go to school together or grow up in the same neighbourhood. We were never a tribe."
Recording sessions for their final album Synchronicity proved particularly fractious, with members working in separate rooms due to ongoing disputes.
The band's last tour concluded in 1984 without any formal farewell.