You know that distinctive, slightly raspy voice that cuts through the radio like a serrated knife? That's Sting. Most people today recognize him as the yoga-loving, lute-playing solo artist who sings about fields of barley or being an Englishman in New York. But if you’re asking what band was Sting in, you’re likely looking for the powerhouse trio that basically defined the post-punk transition into global superstardom: The Police.
It’s wild to think about now, but for a few years in the late 70s and early 80s, they were arguably the biggest band on the planet. They weren't just some pop group. They were a weird, volatile mix of jazz-trained musicians playing punk-adjacent reggae-rock. It shouldn't have worked.
Honest to God, the chemistry was explosive. And I don’t mean that in the "they were so good together" way—though they were—but in the "they actually wanted to punch each other in the face" way.
The Police: More Than Just a Backup Band
When people ask what band was Sting in, the conversation usually starts and ends with The Police. Formed in London in 1977, the lineup consisted of Sting (Gordon Sumner) on bass and lead vocals, Stewart Copeland on drums, and Andy Summers on guitar.
Interestingly, the band wasn't originally Sting’s idea. Stewart Copeland, an American drummer with a background in progressive rock (he was in a band called Curved Air), was the driving force. He saw Sting performing with a jazz-fusion group called Last Exit and knew he’d found something special.
They started out trying to fit into the London punk scene. It was a bit of a facade. They dyed their hair blond for a Wrigley’s gum commercial—yes, really—and decided to keep the look. It made them iconic. But underneath the bleach was some of the most sophisticated musicianship of the era.
Why The Police Were Different
Most punk bands of 1977 were about three chords and a lot of spitting. The Police were different. They introduced space into their music. Influenced heavily by reggae and dub, they let the songs breathe.
Think about Roxanne.
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It’s got that staccato guitar, the driving bassline, and then that soaring, high-tenor vocal. It failed miserably when it was first released in 1978. It wasn’t until a year later, after they toured the States in a beat-up van, that the song caught fire.
The Power Struggle: Sting, Copeland, and Summers
Success didn't make them friends. If anything, it made the friction worse. Sting was becoming the primary songwriter, which is a classic recipe for band tension. Stewart Copeland once famously said that the only thing they agreed on was that they didn't like each other’s ideas.
They recorded five studio albums:
- Outlandos d'Amour (1978)
- Reggatta de Blanc (1979)
- Zenyatta Mondatta (1980)
- Ghost in the Machine (1981)
- Synchronicity (1983)
By the time they got to Synchronicity, they were recording in separate rooms. The hit Every Breath You Take—which everyone thinks is a love song but is actually about a creepy stalker—was the pinnacle of their success and the nail in their coffin.
Sting realized he didn't need the democratic (or undemocratic) struggle of a band anymore. He had the songs. He had the voice. He walked away at the absolute height of their fame. Most artists wait until they're sliding down the charts to go solo. Sting did it after selling out Shea Stadium.
Before The Police: The Jazz Years
If you really want to be the person at the dinner party who knows everything about what band was Sting in, you have to go back further than 1977. Sting didn't just fall out of the sky into a rock trio.
He was a schoolteacher in Newcastle. Seriously. Mr. Sumner.
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During his nights and weekends, he played in local jazz bands. The most notable was Last Exit. They were a fusion band, very much in the vein of Return to Forever or Weather Report. You can hear those complex bass lines and rhythmic shifts in The Police's music if you listen closely enough.
There was also a group called the Newcastle Big Band. This is where Sting honed his ability to play within a large ensemble. It’s also where he got his nickname. He used to wear a black and yellow striped sweater that made him look like a bee. A bandmate started calling him "Sting," and it stuck so well that his own kids probably don't call him Gordon.
The Strontium 90 Incident
There’s a weird bit of trivia here. Shortly before The Police solidified their classic lineup, there was a brief project called Strontium 90. It featured Sting, Stewart Copeland, Andy Summers, and Mike Howlett. This was the first time the three future Police members played together. It was a one-off thing for a reunion concert in Paris, but it was the catalyst that led to Andy Summers replacing the original Police guitarist, Henri Padovani.
Life After the Band: The Solo Transition
When The Police "broke up" (they never actually officially disbanded until years later, they just stopped working together), Sting didn't miss a beat. His first solo album, The Dream of the Blue Turtles (1985), featured a literal dream team of jazz musicians like Branford Marsalis and Kenny Kirkland.
It was a bold move. He was moving away from the rock-reggae sound that made him a millionaire and leaning into sophisticated pop-jazz.
People wondered if he’d flop without Copeland’s frenetic drumming or Summers’ atmospheric guitar. He didn't. Hits like If You Love Somebody Set Them Free and Fortress Around Your Heart proved that Sting was the brand.
The 2007 Reunion: A Final Bow
For decades, fans begged for a reunion. The answer was always a hard "no." Then, out of nowhere, they opened the 2007 Grammy Awards with Roxanne and announced a world tour.
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It was one of the highest-grossing tours of all time. But even then, the old cracks showed. They weren't pretending to be best friends. They were three master craftsmen performing songs that changed the world, then going to their separate dressing rooms.
It was the perfect closure. It reminded everyone exactly what band Sting was in and why they mattered, but it also confirmed why he had to leave. The Police were too small for three egos that big.
Actionable Insights for Music Fans
If you're just diving into Sting’s history or looking to build a playlist that captures his evolution, don't just stick to the "Greatest Hits."
- Listen to "Driven to Tears": This track from Zenyatta Mondatta shows the bridge between his punk energy and his burgeoning political songwriting.
- Check out Last Exit: You can find some of their live recordings online. It's fascinating to hear Sting playing heavy jazz-fusion bass before he became a pop icon.
- Watch 'Bring on the Night': This 1985 documentary captures Sting forming his first solo band. It’s a masterclass in creative transition and shows the sheer work ethic required to step out from a massive band's shadow.
- Compare the drumming: Listen to Stewart Copeland’s hi-hat work on Walking on the Moon and then listen to Vinnie Colaiuta’s work on Sting’s solo track Seven Days. It’s a great way to understand how Sting’s musical needs changed over time.
Sting’s journey from a Newcastle classroom to the front of The Police and into a legendary solo career is a blueprint for creative evolution. He never stayed in one place long enough to get stale. Whether he was a punk, a reggae-rocker, or a jazz-pop crooner, he remained undeniably himself.
To truly understand his work, start with Outlandos d'Amour. Listen to the raw, unpolished energy of a band that didn't know they were about to take over the world. Then, work your way forward. You'll see that while The Police was the band he was "in," the music was always bigger than any one label.
Next Steps for Deep Exploration:
To get a full picture of Sting’s musical DNA, your next step should be listening to the album Synchronicity in its entirety, specifically focusing on the B-side tracks like "Tea in the Sahara." This will give you the clearest indication of where The Police ended and where Sting’s solo career began. Following that, compare those tracks to his debut solo effort, The Dream of the Blue Turtles, to see how he translated those atmospheric ideas into a jazz context.