The Police

The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. Their core line-up comprised Sting (lead vocals, bass, primary songwriter), Andy Summers (guitar) and Stewart Copeland (drums, percussion). The Police became globally popular from the late 1970s to the mid-1980s. Emerging in the British new wave scene, they played a style of rock influenced by punk, reggae, and jazz. The Police's debut album, Outlandos d'Amour (1978), reached number six on the UK Albums Chart and contains the singles "Roxanne" and "Can't Stand Losing You". Reggatta de Blanc (1979) was the first of four consecutive number-one studio albums in the UK and Australia; "Message in a Bottle" and "Walking on the Moon" were the Police's first UK number-one singles. Zenyatta Mondatta (1980) and Ghost in the Machine (1981), were also successful, with two songs, "Don't Stand So Close to Me" and "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic", becoming UK number-one singles and top five-hits in other countries. Zenyatta Mondatta was their breakthrough in the US, reaching number five on the US Billboard 200. The Police's final studio album, Synchronicity (1983), was number one in the UK, Canada, Australia, Italy, and the US, selling over eight million copies in the US. Its lead single, "Every Breath You Take", became the Police's fifth UK number one and their only US number one. The Police were considered one of the leaders of the Second British Invasion of the US: in 1983 Rolling Stone described them as "the first British new wave act to break through in America on a grand scale, and possibly the biggest band in the world". The Police disbanded in 1984 at the height of their fame. They reunited periodically before fully reuniting in 2007 for a world tour. It was the highest-grossing tour of 2007, making them world's highest-earning musicians in 2008. The Police have sold over 75 million records, making them one of the best-selling bands. Their awards include six Grammy Awards, two Brit Awards (winning Best British Group once), and an MTV Video Music Award. In 2003, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Four of their studio albums appeared on Rolling Stone's list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time". The Police were included among both Rolling Stone's and VH1's lists of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time".

Similar Artists