Sting Faces London High Court Over Police Royalties Split

The Police royalties case has moved to London’s High Court, with Sting admitting he has paid Summers and Copeland about $800,000 (and Summers/Copeland noting a recent $870,000 payment) toward what they say is an underpayment from download and streaming revenue. Summers and Copeland contend there was an oral agreement later formalized to share royalties, and assert they’re owed more than $2 million; Sting’s side argues streaming is a public-performance issue and royalties should be limited to sales of records. The dispute centers on how the band’s late-1990s/2010s contracts should be interpreted in the streaming era. None of the members attended today’s preliminary hearing as the case progresses.