Editing Sting (musician) (section)

===1977–1984: The Police and early solo work===
{{Main|The Police}}
{{expand-section|date=December 2024}}
[[File:Sting Atlanta 1.jpg|thumb|right|Sting in 1979]]
In January 1977, Sting joined [[Stewart Copeland]] and [[Henry Padovani]] (soon replaced by [[Andy Summers]]) to form the Police, becoming the band's lead singer, bass player, and primary songwriter. From 1978 to 1983, the Police had five UK chart-topping albums, won six [[Grammy Award]]s and won two [[Brit Awards]] (for Best British Group and for Outstanding Contribution to Music).<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.brits.co.uk/artist/the-police |title=Brit Awards: The Police {{!}} BRITs Profile |access-date=22 January 2019 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100123004236/http://www.brits.co.uk/artist/the-police |archive-date=23 January 2010}}</ref><ref name="UK Charts">[http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/_/police/ "The Police Chart history"]. Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 August 2014</ref> Their initial sound was [[punk rock|punk]]-inspired, but they switched to [[reggae]] rock and minimalist pop. Their final album, ''[[Synchronicity (The Police album)|Synchronicity]]'', was nominated for five [[Grammy Award]]s including [[Grammy Award for Album of the Year|Album of the Year]] in 1983. It included their most successful song, "[[Every Breath You Take]]", written by Sting.

{{Quote box|width=29%|align=right|quote=Even though logic would say, "Are you out of your mind? You're in the biggest band in the world – just bite the bullet and make some money." But there continued to be some instinct, against logic, against good advice, [that] told me I should quit.|source=—Sting on quitting the band in 1984.<ref>''Billboard'', 13 Dec 2003. p. 26</ref>}}

According to Sting, appearing in the documentary ''[[Last Play at Shea]]'', he decided to leave the Police while onstage during a concert of 18 August 1983 at [[Shea Stadium]] in New York City because he felt that playing that venue was "[[Mount Everest|[Mount] Everest]]".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/mets/last-play-at-shea-documentary-tells-stadium-s-story-1.1872400?p= |title='Last Play at Shea' documentary tells stadium's story |work=[[Newsday]] |location=New York |date=20 April 2010 |access-date=23 November 2010 |archive-date=4 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190804170925/https://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/mets/last-play-at-shea-documentary-tells-stadium-s-story-1.1872400?p= |url-status=dead }}</ref> While never formally breaking up, after ''Synchronicity'', the group agreed to concentrate on solo projects.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/the-police-a-fragile-truce-185977/|title=The Police: A Fragile Truce|first1=David|last1=Fricke|date=22 January 2015|magazine=Rolling Stone}}</ref> As the years went by, the band members, especially Sting, dismissed the possibility of reforming. In 2007, the band did reform temporarily for the purpose of undertaking [[The Police Reunion Tour|a reunion tour]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6697809.stm |title=Reunited Police start world tour |work=BBC News |date=30 May 2007 |access-date=29 December 2011}}</ref>

Four of the band's five studio albums appeared on ''[[Rolling Stone]]'s'' list of the [[Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time|500 Greatest Albums of All Time]] and two of the band's songs, "[[Every Breath You Take]]" and "[[Roxanne (The Police song)|Roxanne]]", each written by Sting, appeared on [[Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time|''Rolling Stone'''s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time]].<ref name="rolling">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-20120531 |title=500 Greatest Albums of All Time |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |date=31 May 2012 |access-date=18 March 2016}}</ref> In addition, "Every Breath You Take" and "Roxanne" were among [[the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll]]. In 2003, the band was inducted into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]].<ref>[http://www.rockonthenet.com/artists-p/police.htm "The Police: Timeline"]. Rock on the Net. Retrieved 16 October 2012</ref> They were also included in ''Rolling Stone'''s and [[VH1]]'s lists of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time".<ref>[http://stereogum.com/495331/vh1-100-greatest-artists-of-all-time/list/  "The Greatest Artists of All Time"]. VH1/Stereogum. Retrieved 12 January 2014.</ref><ref>{{cite magazine| author-link= Brandon Flowers| last= Flowers| first= Brandon| url= https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-artists-of-all-time-19691231/the-police-20110420 |title= The Police: 100 Greatest Artists of All Time| magazine= Rolling Stone| access-date= 11 January 2015}}</ref>

In 1978, Sting collaborated with members of [[Hawkwind]] and [[Gong (band)|Gong]] as the Radio Actors on the one-off single "Nuclear Waste".<ref>{{cite book| last= Lazell| first= Barry |year= 1997| title= Indie Hits 1980–1989'| publisher= Cherry Red Books | isbn= 0-9517206-9-4| page= 183}}</ref> In September 1981, Sting made his first live solo appearance, on all four nights of the fourth [[Amnesty International]] benefit [[The Secret Policeman's Other Ball]] in London's [[Drury Lane theatre]] at the invitation of producer [[Martin Lewis (humorist)|Martin Lewis]]. He performed solo versions of "[[Roxanne (The Police song)|Roxanne]]" and "[[Message in a Bottle (The Police song)|Message in a Bottle]]". He also led an all-star band (dubbed "the Secret Police") on his own arrangement of [[Bob Dylan]]'s "[[I Shall Be Released]]". The band and chorus included [[Eric Clapton]], [[Jeff Beck]], [[Robin Gibb]], [[Cliff Richard]], [[Phil Collins]], [[Bob Geldof]] and [[Midge Ure]], all of whom (except Beck and Gibb) later performed at [[Live Aid]]. His performances were in the album and movie of the show. The Secret Policeman's Other Ball began his growing involvement in political and social causes.{{cn|date=December 2024}} In 1982 he released a solo single, "[[Spread a Little Happiness]]" from the film of the [[Dennis Potter]] television play ''[[Brimstone and Treacle]]''. The song was a reinterpretation of the 1920s musical ''[[Mr. Cinders]]'' by [[Vivian Ellis]] and a Top 20 hit in the UK.<ref name="autogenerated2006">{{cite book| last= Roberts| first= David |year= 2006| title= [[British Hit Singles & Albums]]| place= London| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited}}</ref>