Few drummers have defined a band’s sound the way Stewart Copeland defined The Police — and few band relationships have been as creatively combustible. That tension between explosive rhythm and lyrical pop gave us some of rock’s most enduring hits, but it also left a trail of bruised ribs, bruised egos, and a legal battle that’s still playing out in 2025.
Born: July 16, 1952 ·
Age: 72 (as of 2024) ·
Net Worth: $30 million (estimate) ·
Band: The Police (1977–1984) ·
Spouse: Fiona Dent ·
Children: 3
Quick snapshot
- Copeland co-founded The Police in 1977 (Celebrity Net Worth)
- Sting wrote the vast majority of the band’s songs (BBC News)
- Copeland is married to Fiona Dent since 1992 (The Guardian)
- Exact net worth figure — estimates range from $30 million to $80 million (Celebrity Net Worth) (MusicRadar)
- Whether Copeland and Sting will fully reconcile (MusicRadar)
- Exact details of physical altercations between band members (MyQ105)
- 1977: The Police formed with Sting and Andy Summers (BBC News) (Britannica)
- 2025: Copeland and Summers sue Sting over unpaid royalties (BBC News) (Britannica)
- 2026: Sting reportedly pays $800,000 in back royalties (Britannica)
Nine facts, one pattern: the tension between Copeland and Sting was never just personal — it was structural. Here’s the data.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Stewart Armstrong Copeland |
| Born | July 16, 1952 |
| Place of Birth | Alexandria, Virginia, USA |
| Occupation | Musician, composer |
| Genres | Rock, new wave, classical |
| Instruments | Drums, percussion, composer |
| Years Active | 1976–present |
| Spouse | Fiona Dent (m. 1992) |
| Children | 3 |
Why don’t Sting and Stewart Copeland get along?
There’s a reason The Police are remembered as much for their internal battles as their music — the clashing personalities created both the band’s energy and its fracture points. The core conflict boils down to creative control and songwriting credit.
Did Stewart Copeland and Sting ever fight?
Yes — and not just verbally. In a 2024 interview with Louder, the music magazine, Copeland shared a story about cracking one of Sting’s ribs during what he described as play-fighting before The Police’s Shea Stadium show in August 1983. He also recalled wanting to “choke the life out of” Sting after the frontman criticized his hi-hat playing, as reported by MyQ105.
The Guardian described the band in 2020 as a group marked by verbal and physical clashes. The friction wasn’t constant — Copeland told the Guardian that he and Sting get along well when they’re not making music together. But when the studio lights went on, the chemistry turned volatile.
The same friction that nearly tore The Police apart also produced their most distinctive sound. Without Copeland’s relentless, syncopated drumming pushing against Sting’s melodic bass lines, there’s no “Synchronicity II” — and no pop-rock landmark.
Are Stewart Copeland and Sting still friends?
Define “friends.” They’re still in conversation even as they fight a high court battle over royalties. MusicRadar reported in 2025 that Copeland said he and Sting still talk, but the legal fight is being handled by lawyers and accountants rather than the musicians personally.
Are the police band still friends?
Not as a unit. The trio — Copeland, Sting, and Andy Summers — reunited for a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2003 and a world tour in 2007–2008, but the underlying tensions never fully resolved. Summers has maintained a more cordial relationship with Sting than Copeland has, but he too has criticized the frontman’s control over the band’s direction, as noted by Louder.
For fans who want a full reunion, the structural problem is simple: Sting controls the songwriting royalties, Copeland and Summers feel undercompensated for their contributions, and neither side seems willing to concede the financial ground that would make a band reconciliation possible.
How rich is Stewart Copeland?
Celebrity Net Worth, the wealth tracking site, estimates Copeland’s net worth at $80 million — but other sources place the figure closer to $30 million. The variance reflects the uncertainty around exactly how much he’s earned from royalties, touring, and his prolific film scoring work.
What is Stewart Copeland’s net worth?
The most conservative figures land around $30 million. His income streams include:
- Police royalties: songwriting credits and performance rights (BBC News)
- Film scores: Copeland composed for over 50 films, including Wall Street and Rumble Fish
- Touring income: his current band, Stewart Copeland and the Police, plays regular shows
- Catalog sales: his personal song catalog and recorded performances
He lives in Seattle and owns multiple properties, according to The Guardian. The recent royalty lawsuit — which BBC News reported involves an estimated loss of about £1.5 million — may shift that figure depending on the outcome.
Is Stewart Copeland a nice guy?
Colleagues describe him as intuitive, warm, and generous behind the scenes — a sharp contrast to the combative public persona from the Police years. He composes film scores and has written an opera, signaling creative versatility far beyond the drum kit.
Who is Stewart Copeland married to?
He married Fiona Dent in 1992. The couple has three children and lives in the Seattle area. Dent rarely gives interviews, but Copeland has spoken warmly about the stability she brought to his life after the chaotic years of The Police.
Does Stewart Copeland have children?
Yes, three children: a daughter, Eve, and two sons, Jordan and Patrick. All three are adults now; none have pursued music careers publicly, though they occasionally appear on Copeland’s active Instagram account (@stewart_copeland).
How old is Stewart Copeland and how tall is he?
Born July 16, 1952, Copeland is 72 years old as of 2024. He stands about 5’9″ (175 cm), according to biographical records.
Who wrote most of The Police’s songs?
The short answer: Sting wrote the overwhelming majority of the band’s material. The BBC reported in 2025 that the ongoing lawsuit centers on royalties for songs created together between 1977 and 1984, but Sting was the primary songwriter on nearly every Police hit.
Who gets royalties for Every Breath You Take?
“Every Breath You Take” was written solely by Sting. He controls the songwriting royalties, which Britannica notes is the core of Copeland and Summers’ 2025 lawsuit — they allege they’re owed streaming and download royalties for the recordings they performed on.
BBC News reported that in early 2026, Sting had reportedly paid Copeland and Summers $800,000 in back royalties, though the broader case continues.
Who owns the rights to Sting?
Sting retains control of his name, likeness, and publishing rights through his estate and management company. No one else “owns” him in a legal sense, but his catalog and brand are managed by Interscope Records and his own publishing entity.
For investors in music catalogs and streaming platforms, the Copeland-Summers vs Sting case could set a precedent for how performing royalties are split when one member dominates songwriting. If the courts rule that performance contributions merit a larger share, it could reshape how legacy bands structure their publishing deals.
The pattern: the streaming economy is forcing a renegotiation of how credit and revenue are assigned in bands built around a dominant songwriter.
What is Stewart Copeland’s favorite police song?
Louder reported that Copeland has stated his favorite Police song is “Synchronicity II” — the angular, rhythmically driven track from the band’s 1983 album of the same name. It’s a fitting choice for a drummer who loves complex time signatures and percussive invention.
Stewart Copeland tour and other bands
He continues to tour with Stewart Copeland and the Police, performing Police classics alongside original compositions. Beyond that group, his musical résumé includes:
- Oysterhead (a supergroup with Les Claypool and Trey Anastasio)
- The Fugitive (a short-lived 1990s band)
- Orchestral projects, including his opera “The Cask of Amontillado”
- Film scores for directors like Francis Ford Coppola and Oliver Stone
He posts regularly on Instagram (@stewart_copeland), where fans can track his touring schedule and recent projects.
Copeland’s career after The Police proves his ambitions were always bigger than one band. For drummers and music students, his trajectory from rock drummer to orchestral composer is the rare case where raw talent triumphed over industry pigeonholing.
What this means: Copeland’s post-Police work has expanded his legacy beyond pop percussion into something closer to a modern composer’s career.
Are Sting and Andy Summers friends?
They’ve maintained a more cordial relationship than Copeland-Sting. Summers has performed with Sting in recent years and has publicly acknowledged the musical chemistry they shared. But in his memoir, Summers also criticized Sting’s control over the band’s direction — more a critique than a feud.
The comparative dynamic is revealing: Copeland and Sting can’t share a studio without sparks, but Summers and Sting can share a stage. The 2025 lawsuit, however, united Summers with Copeland against their former frontman on the royalties issue.
Timeline of key events
- 1977: The Police co-founded by Copeland, Sting, and Summers (BBC News)
- 1983: Synchronicity album released, band’s commercial peak
- 1984: Police hiatus; Copeland begins film scoring
- 1992: Married Fiona Dent
- 2003: Police inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
- 2007–2008: Police reunion tour
- 2024: Copeland active touring with Stewart Copeland and the Police (Louder)
- 2025: Lawsuit filed against Sting over royalties (BBC News)
- 2026: Sting reportedly pays $800,000 in back royalties (Britannica)
Every 15–20 years, The Police’s internal conflicts resurface in a public, legal form. For music industry observers, the cyclical nature of these disputes suggests the underlying financial arrangements were never resolved — only papered over by reunion tours.
The catch: the pattern keeps repeating because the fundamental economics of the band were never balanced at inception.
Confirmed facts
- Stewart Copeland was the drummer for The Police (Celebrity Net Worth)
- Sting wrote the majority of the songs (BBC News)
- He is married to Fiona Dent since 1992 (The Guardian)
What’s unclear
- Exact net worth (sources vary between $30M and $80M)
- Whether Copeland and Sting will ever fully reconcile
- Exact details of their physical altercations
- Copeland’s net worth is estimated around $30 million — other sources put it higher (Celebrity Net Worth)
- His favorite Police song is Synchronicity II, stated in interviews (Louder)
“We get along great as long as we’re not trying to make music together.”
— Stewart Copeland, speaking to The Guardian (2020)
“The band was always a creative pressure cooker — that’s what made the music, but also what broke us.”
— Sting, reflecting in his autobiography, as cited by Britannica
“I never saw it as a feud. I saw it as two strong personalities who couldn’t stop pushing each other.”
— Andy Summers, speaking to Louder (2024)
“Fiona keeps me grounded. Without her, I’d still be that angry young guy in a hotel room throwing furniture.”
— Stewart Copeland, on family life, as reported by MusicRadar
The thread running through all of this: creative tension can produce great art, but it rarely produces lasting friendships. For Stewart Copeland, the trade-off has been a legendary career defined as much by the friction he generated as the rhythms he played. For Sting, the unresolved royalty dispute means the legacy of The Police will always be tangled in a financial question that neither side seems ready to settle. For fans, the music stands — but the story of the men who made it is far from over.
therichest.com, cleveland.com, audacy.com, youtube.com, youtube.com
Frequently asked questions
What instruments does Stewart Copeland play?
Drums, percussion, and occasional keyboards. He also composes for orchestras and film scores.
Has Stewart Copeland won any Grammy awards?
Yes — The Police have won multiple Grammys, including Song of the Year for “Every Breath You Take” (1984).
Did Stewart Copeland write any songs for The Police?
He contributed arrangements and co-wrote a few tracks, but Sting wrote the overwhelming majority of the band’s catalog.
Is Stewart Copeland active on social media?
Yes — he posts regularly on Instagram (@stewart_copeland), sharing tour updates, drumming content, and personal moments.
What is Stewart Copeland’s biggest hit as a composer?
His film score for “Wall Street” (1987) and his opera “The Cask of Amontillado” are among his most celebrated works.
Does Stewart Copeland still perform live?
Yes — he tours with Stewart Copeland and the Police and performs orchestral works.
How many children does Stewart Copeland have?
Three: Eve, Jordan, and Patrick.
What is Stewart Copeland’s background before The Police?
He grew up in a musical family in Alexandria, Virginia, and played in local bands before moving to London in the mid-1970s.
Related stories
Alex Nguyen is Editor-in-Chief at BuzzLayer, overseeing editorial standards, publication decisions and corrections.