A bassist from Newcastle, a jazz-trained guitarist and an American drummer. On paper, the Police made no sense. On record, they made five albums in six years, sold more than 75 million records and became the biggest band in the world.
London, 1977: punk speed, reggae space
The Police formed in London in 1977, right in the middle of punk and new wave, with Sting on bass and vocals, Andy Summers on guitar and Stewart Copeland on drums. Their debut, Outlandos d’Amour (1978), mixed punk energy, reggae rhythms and real melodies. “Roxanne”, “Can’t Stand Losing You” and “So Lonely” took a while to catch on in some countries, but once they did, the Police were one of Britain’s most exciting new bands.
Reggatta de Blanc and the first number ones
Reggatta de Blanc (1979) went to number one in the UK, and its title track won the Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental Performance. “Message in a Bottle”, “Walking on the Moon” and “The Bed’s Too Big Without You” showed what nobody else was doing: reggae grooves, clever lyrics and serious musicianship in three-minute songs.
Zenyatta Mondatta and Ghost in the Machine
Zenyatta Mondatta (1980) brought “Don’t Stand So Close to Me” and “De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da”. Ghost in the Machine (1981) added synthesizers, horns and sharper politics, with “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic”, “Spirits in the Material World” and “Invisible Sun”. By now they were one of the defining bands of the MTV generation.
Synchronicity, then silence
Synchronicity (1983) was one of the biggest albums of the decade, with “Every Breath You Take”, “King of Pain”, “Wrapped Around Your Finger” and “Synchronicity II”. “Every Breath You Take” won multiple Grammys and is still one of the most-played songs in radio history. Then, at the top, they stopped. Each member went solo, Sting most famously.
Is The Police new wave?
Yes. The Police came up with the British punk and new wave scene of 1977–78 and mixed it with reggae. Their early albums are new wave essentials, even though they went on to become one of the biggest rock bands in the world.
The reunion and the legacy
Their 2007–2008 reunion tour was one of the highest-grossing tours ever, proof that five albums were enough.
- More than 75 million records sold worldwide
- Multiple Grammy Awards and Brit Awards
- Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003
- Five studio albums and a string of international number ones
The essential Police songs
“Roxanne” · “Can’t Stand Losing You” · “So Lonely” · “Message in a Bottle” · “Walking on the Moon” · “Bring on the Night” · “Don’t Stand So Close to Me” · “De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da” · “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” · “Spirits in the Material World” · “Invisible Sun” · “Every Breath You Take” · “King of Pain” · “Wrapped Around Your Finger” · “Synchronicity II”
The five albums
Outlandos d’Amour (1978) · Reggatta de Blanc (1979) · Zenyatta Mondatta (1980) · Ghost in the Machine (1981) · Synchronicity (1983)
New to the Police? Start here
Play Reggatta de Blanc first. It’s the trio at its sharpest, with Copeland’s drums doing things drummers still study. Then Synchronicity, for the band at its biggest. In between, listen to “Invisible Sun” and hear how dark they could go.
Like the Police? Try these next
- Sting: the frontman’s solo career
- Talking Heads: funk, world rhythms and new wave
- Simple Minds: cinematic anthems
- INXS: funk-rock from Australia
- U2: post-punk roots, stadium reach
- The Fixx: shimmering guitars, thoughtful lyrics
- Echo & the Bunnymen: atmospheric post-punk
- Roxy Music: see our Bryan Ferry page
- Joe Jackson: rock, jazz and new wave
- Elvis Costello: one of Britain’s great lyricists
- Dire Straits: clean guitar, timeless songs
- Duran Duran: new romantic style and pop melody
Hear The Police on New Wave Radio
Request “Bring on the Night” and hear Andy Summers’ guitar shimmer.
Official links: thepolice.com · sting.com · Facebook · Instagram (Sting) · YouTube · Spotify
