"Police Rivals in Streaming Royalties Dispute at High Court"
A bitter dispute between former Police members Sting, Stewart Copeland, and Andy Summers has reached a boiling point at London's High Court. The battle is over unpaid royalties stemming from the group's massive streaming success, with Sting accused of withholding millions of dollars in "arranger's fees" from his bandmates.
The controversy centers on a 2016 agreement that allegedly stipulates the 15% arrangement for publishing income, which has been hotly debated over the years. However, experts claim that this clause does not apply to streaming revenues, leaving Copeland and Summers out of pocket millions. Sting's representative, Robert Howe KC, argues that only physical product royalties, such as vinyl and cassettes, are subject to these fees.
The stakes are high in this case, which could have far-reaching implications for the music industry. With Sting's iconic song "Every Breath You Take" racking up over 3 billion streams on Spotify alone, the verdict could set a crucial precedent for performers' rights and copyright law in the streaming era.
As the trial unfolds, it remains to be seen whether Sting will ultimately have to cough up millions of dollars in unpaid royalties. But with both sides dug in, one thing is certain: the Police's legacy – and the lucrative music industry they helped shape – hangs precariously in the balance.
A bitter dispute between former Police members Sting, Stewart Copeland, and Andy Summers has reached a boiling point at London's High Court. The battle is over unpaid royalties stemming from the group's massive streaming success, with Sting accused of withholding millions of dollars in "arranger's fees" from his bandmates.
The controversy centers on a 2016 agreement that allegedly stipulates the 15% arrangement for publishing income, which has been hotly debated over the years. However, experts claim that this clause does not apply to streaming revenues, leaving Copeland and Summers out of pocket millions. Sting's representative, Robert Howe KC, argues that only physical product royalties, such as vinyl and cassettes, are subject to these fees.
The stakes are high in this case, which could have far-reaching implications for the music industry. With Sting's iconic song "Every Breath You Take" racking up over 3 billion streams on Spotify alone, the verdict could set a crucial precedent for performers' rights and copyright law in the streaming era.
As the trial unfolds, it remains to be seen whether Sting will ultimately have to cough up millions of dollars in unpaid royalties. But with both sides dug in, one thing is certain: the Police's legacy – and the lucrative music industry they helped shape – hangs precariously in the balance.
sting is gonna get roasted if he doesn't pay up his bandmates deserve that cash 
i mean come on 3 billion streams of "every breath you take" and still he's holding onto it? that's just not cool 
anyway, whoever wins this case, the music industry needs some clarity on streaming royalties ASAP 
Sting thinks he can just rip off his own mates for millions? Like, come on! Stewart and Andy got dealt a bad hand here - all that streaming cash should be split 3 ways, not just Sting reaping the benefits 
This could set a huge precedent for artists getting screwed by their own partners... gotta keep an eye on this one 
they're the ones who helped create all that iconic music and now sting's trying to swoop in and take it all for himself? NO WAY!!! 
I hope the judge sides with them and gets sting to cough up those millions ASAP!!! 
... like, seriously, guys, it's just money 
. I mean, Sting's got a sweet collection of mansions and art pieces, so I'm sure he'll be fine either way 
. Either way, this trial is gonna be a wild ride 
...
I'm surprised it took this long for Sting's bandmates to take him to court over this. It's a clear case of taking advantage of his wealth and influence, if you ask me 
I gotta say, this whole thing is getting super heated between Sting, Stewart, and Andy! They're fighting over some pretty big cash - like millions of dollars 
. Fingers crossed they can work something out before it's too late!
can't believe how long it took for Sting to realize his bandmates might actually be owed some cash 
it's not like he was just sitting on a pile of money waiting for the streaming gods to come knocking 
maybe they should've gotten their own lawyer 
or something
But at the same time, I get why Sting feels like he has to fight for his rights - those arrangement fees are pretty standard in the music world. And let's be real, if he doesn't win this case, it could set a bad precedent for other artists 
.
This whole thing reeks of him trying to stiff his former bandmates and get off scot-free. And with 3 billion streams on Spotify alone, I'd say Sting's got a pretty sweet gig – how hard can it be to fork over some cash when he's making bank hand over fist? 
.
It's still a banger! The Police were ahead of the game in so many ways... now we just gotta figure out who gets what 
it's just not right that Sting is getting away with withholding millions from his bandmates. I mean, the police guys were there for him when he needed them, and now he's taking advantage of them? 
, and I hope it leads to some real changes. We need to make sure that performers are getting paid fairly for their work, no matter what platform they're on (or off, in this case). 
hope they get a fair verdict 
gotta give it up for sting tho, his music still gets played nonstop 
