The Police

The Police (early years)



Though they weren’t precisely punk rock, The Police definitely proved that the punk can be the future of rock/ pop music. The three members were significantly more talented than a new wave band or average punks.Stewart Copeland was famous for playing polyrhythm smoothly. Andy Summers was superbly skilled with his guitar attacks which made intense, interlocking waves of effects and sounds.  While the magic that Gordon Sumner, popularly known as Sting, created with his high voice made the catchiest pop songs of that era. As their career developed, the Police became even more adventurous, playing with jazz and different music genres.The band’s command in rock &roll singles and spot-on delivery increased their number of fan followers with time, and by 1983, the police were the most famous pop band.




Formed in 1977, the Police kicked off by playing music in local pubs in London and released the first single of their career “Fall Out” by the end of the year the on IRS, which sold about 70,000 copies and was a great hit for an independent release

The band set out on a tour of the USA in mid-1978 without any means to support themselves, travelling across the country playing music with rented equipment inside in a rented van. Their single Outlandosd’Amour released in fall 1978 was a winner and slowly climbed into the American top 30 and British Top 10.



In spring 1979, the Police re-released their song “Roxanne” (initially released in 1978 but failed to hit the charts), which climbed to the 12th number on the U.K. charts; while Outlandosd’Amour was on number six. In the same year, Sting became even more popular especially amongst girls for his sharp features and appeared in a British film Quadrophenia and also in Radio On.




Their noteworthy singles which hit the top ten on U.K, the U.S for weeks include ‘Don’t Stand So Close to Me”, “De Do DoDo, De Da DaDa” from the album ZenyattaMondatta” and “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” from Ghost In The Machine, which is their biggest hit to date.

Following their whirlwind achievements in 1980 and 1981, when they won three Grammys and were given the title of the Best British Group at the first Brit Awards, the band took a time-off in 1982. Though the three made headlines in the U.S festival and played their first arena performances, all members pursued other projects as well during the year. 



The Police returned in 1983 with album Synchronicity, which made number one on the U.K and U.S charts. Their single “Every Breath You Take” is one of the most eminent American hits of all times; while “Wrapped Around Your Finger” and “King of Pain” became other prominent successes in1984.

The Police supported their album with a blockbuster world tour in countries that hardly ever got concerts from foreign performers, including India, Thailand, Greece, Mexico, and Egypt, which later set precedents for tours in the ’80s. Once the tour was done, the bands publicized they were going on a break to follow other interests and never reunited again.