The Police

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The Police 'Around The World'

About The Police

The Police emerged in the British new wave scene of the late 70s, exploring rock influenced by punk, reggae, and jazz. The line-up settled on Gordon ‘Sting’ Sumner (lead vocals, bass guitar, songwriter), Andy Summers (guitar) and Stewart Copeland (drums, percussion).

Their 1978 album ‘Outlandos d'Amour’ debuted at number six on the UK Albums Chart, led by now-iconic singles ‘Roxanne’ and ‘Can’t Stand Losing You’. Their second ‘Reggatta de Blanc’ marked the first of four consecutive number one studio albums in the UK and Australia – and spawned their first two UK number one singles ‘Message in a Bottle’ and ‘Walking on the Moon’.

Their next album ‘Zenyatta Mondatta’ reached number five on the Billboard 200 and ‘Ghost in the Machine’ continued their success into the 80s, featuring two more UK number one tracks ‘Don’t Stand So Close To Me’ and ‘Everything She Does Is Magic’. Then, their final ground-breaking album ‘Synchronicity’ reached number one in the UK, Canada, Australia, Italy, and the US – selling over 8 million copies in the US alone.

Rolling Stone labelled them “the first British New Wave act to break through in America on a grand scale, and possibly the biggest band in the world” in 1985. The group went on hiatus in 1984, reuniting for one-off performances until they fully reformed in 2007 for a world tour. The Police have sold 75 million records worldwide and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003.

The Police frontman Sting on stage holding a bass guitar, with musical equipment and amplifiers in the background. He is positioned in front of a microphone.

Where did The Police get their name?

Stewart Copeland, whose father worked for the CIA, named the band before Sting and Andy Summers joined. The Police was a provocative name that, at the time, capitalised on the brawls that broke out between punks and law enforcement.

What was The Police’s biggest hit?

The Police’s single ‘Every Breath You Take’ is considered their most recognisable. The song became their fifth UK number one, and only US number one.

How many awards have The Police won?

The Police have won six Grammy Awards (including Best Rock Instrumental Performance), two Brit Awards (one for Best British Group), and one MTV Video Music Award.

How many albums did The Police release?

The band released five studio albums, three live albums, seven compilation albums, fourteen video albums, four soundtrack albums, and twenty-six singles throughout their career.