The high-stakes battle between The Police's founding members has taken a new twist – with drummer Stewart Copeland insisting his relationship with Sting remains 'fine' despite the simmering royalties row. Behind closed doors, it seems, the two musical maestros are still swapping banter and discussing everyday life, rather than getting bogged down in the bean-counters' battle over millions.
But make no mistake – the war of numbers has only just begun! Last year's lawsuit, launched by Copeland and guitarist Andy Summers, is a fight for fair shares from Sting's lucrative royalties. They claim he owes them between £1.5 million and £8 million in unpaid dosh – with lawyers warning this figure could rise even further as interest kicks in on the alleged 'historic underpayment'.
The elephant in the room? The classification of cash from streaming and digital downloads. Sting's team argues these should be seen as 'public performances', not sales, which would affect how royalties are doled out. But Copeland and Summers counter that their contributions to some of The Police's most iconic tracks – like 'Every Breath You Take' (which rakes in a staggering £550,000 per annum for Sting alone) – earn them 'arranger's fees'. They want a share from the lucrative digital exploitation of their band's back catalogue.
Sting has indeed coughed up over £598,000 in royalties since the lawsuit landed on his doorstep last September. Yet this payment hasn't quelled the flames – the underlying dispute over who gets what remains unresolved. As the music industry grapples with its complex financial structures and shifting digital landscapes, one thing's for sure: this case is a wake-up call for legacy artists in an ever-changing world.