A high court dispute over unpaid royalties has pitted Sting against his former Police bandmates, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers, with the outcome potentially reshaping how streaming revenue is treated in the music industry. The case centres on whether millions of pounds in streaming income should be subject to so-called arranger's fees owed to the two musicians.
Sting, whose real name is Gordon Sumner, has already paid more than £595,000 in admitted historic underpayments since legal action began in late 2024, the court heard. However, Copeland and Summers claim they are still owed over $2m (£1.5m) in arranger's fees, which they argue should have been paid from streaming revenues generated by the band's back catalogue.
The legal argument hinges on the interpretation of agreements reached between 1977 and 2016, specifically how phrases like "mechanical income" and "public performance fees" apply to modern streaming. Robert Howe KC, representing Sting, argued that the 15% arranger's fee arrangement applies only to physical products such as vinyl and cassettes, not digital streams. This distinction has become crucial given that the band's biggest hit, Every Breath You Take, has been streamed more than 3 billion times on Spotify.
Ian Mill KC, for Copeland and Summers, said the 15% figure was agreed at the band's formation in 1977 and later formalised in written contracts. He argued that a 2016 settlement agreement entitles his clients to a share of "all publishing income derived from all manner of commercial exploitation", including streaming. The barrister said the upcoming trial must determine whether the parties have accounted to each other correctly under that agreement.
The Police, formed in 1977, achieved global success with hits such as Roxanne, Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic, and Can't Stand Losing You before splitting in 1984. Sting sold his entire songwriting catalogue to Universal in 2022 for an estimated £221m. The current hearing is due to conclude on Thursday, with a trial expected at a later date. A separate case involving streaming royalties for the Jimi Hendrix Experience will see a verdict on 16 February.
