Sting has paid more than €686,000 to his former The Police bandmates after legal action was launched over alleged unpaid royalties, a court in London has heard.
The Police's former frontman — whose real name is Gordon Sumner — and his company Magnetic Publishing are accused of owing more than €1.7 million in so-called “arranger’s fees” to drummer Stewart Copeland and guitarist Andy Summers. The dispute centres on how the band’s long-standing royalty agreements apply to income generated by music streaming.
The case was discussed during a preliminary hearing at the High Court in London, where lawyers for all sides outlined their arguments ahead of a full trial later this year.
In written submissions, Robert Howe KC, representing Sting, said the musicians cannot agree on how key contractual terms such as “mechanical income” and “public performance fees” should be interpreted in the streaming era, which now accounts for a large share of the band’s earnings. Sting’s legal team argues that a long-standing arrangement — under which the songwriter would pay 15% of publishing income to the other two members as arranger’s fees — does not apply to revenue from streaming platforms. Instead, they claim the payments were intended only for income generated from physical recordings such as vinyl, CDs and cassettes.
Mr Howe told the court that a professionally drafted 2016 agreement should be the main reference point in the case, as it states that arranger’s fees are owed only on “mechanical income from the manufacture of records”. On that basis, Sting disputes that he owes further money linked to digital streaming.
However, Mr Howe also confirmed that since the legal action began in late 2024, Sting has already paid more than €686,000 in what he described as “admitted historic underpayments”.
Lawyers for Copeland and Summers take a very different view. Ian Mill KC, representing the two musicians and their companies Megalo Music, Kent Foundation Laboratories and Kinetic Kollections, said the royalty arrangements date back to 1977, when The Police were first formed. He told the court that the 15% arranger’s fee was agreed by the band in its early years and later set out in formal contracts. In submissions filed in December, Mr Mill said the former bandmates are owed more than €1.7 million because those fees were not paid on income generated by streaming.
According to Copeland and Summers, the 2016 agreement entitles them to a share of money from “all publishing income derived from all manner of commercial exploitation”, including digital platforms.
The hearing, before Mr Justice Bright, is expected to conclude shortly, with a full trial to follow at a later date.
Support Act Tragedy Shakes Sting Show
What was meant to be a landmark evening in Liverpool quickly turned into a scene of quiet panic, raw emotion, and tense uncertainty.
Two songs into their set at On The Waterfront — a significant gig in its own right, warming up the stage for Sting’s long-overdue return to the city — The Christians were suddenly thrown into crisis. Drummer Lionel Duke collapsed mid-performance, suffering what was later confirmed to be a cardiac arrest in full view of a stunned audience.
Frontman Gary Christian did not hesitate. The music was stopped. Emergency help was summoned. The band’s presence of mind in a moment of sheer horror was nothing short of commendable, as medical professionals rushed to deliver life-saving treatment on stage behind a quickly raised privacy screen. The gravity of the situation was impossible to ignore.
Incredibly, Sting did go on to perform — with the blessing of The Christians — but not without addressing the incident with the dignity and empathy that only someone of his poise could deliver. “The drummer in the band before is okay. He’s in hospital,” he told the crowd, clearly shaken but composed. “All of us are praying he’s going to be fine. Our thoughts are with him.”
@hayleybopscakes #tiktoklive #livehighlights @Sting we all felt so helpless watching the evening unfold. The love and support for Lionel from the @The Christians was so overwhelming. The team on stage were quick to act and our praise for everyone involved thank you. Sending lots of love to our beautiful Lionel Duke x #lionelduke #thechristians #sting #fragile #liverpoolwaterfront ♬ original sound - Hayley Bops Cakes
Sting closed the night with a delicate, aching rendition of ‘Fragile’, dedicating the song to Lionel and asking fans to keep the drummer in their thoughts. It was the only possible note to end on.
Later that night, The Christians issued an update via Facebook: “We are awaiting news from the Heart and Chest hospital at Broad Green about our bandmate.” The message praised the “phenomenal team of medics” and asked fans to “please send positive vibes” Lionel’s way.
A night that was meant to be a celebration of musical legacy and long-awaited returns became a vivid, deeply human reminder of how fragile everything is — even on the biggest stage.
