Playing with the raw energy of a punk band, the improvisational instincts of a jazz trio, and the infectious spirit of reggae, singer-bassist Sting, guitarist Andy Summers and drummer Stewart Copeland were indisputably the most adventurous ambassadors of the genre then known as New Wave. Following ‘Fall Out’, The Police released their debut album ‘Outlandos d’Amour’ in 1978. The first single, ‘Roxanne’ reached the Top 40 and the album, featuring ‘So Lonely’, ‘Next To You’, ‘Hole In My Life’, ‘Truth Hits Everybody’ and ‘Can’t Stand Losing You’, was Top 30 in the U.S. (Top 10 U.K.).
In 1979, ‘Reggatta de Blanc’ was released and hit #1 in the U.K., as did the single ‘Message In A Bottle’. In America, the Grammy-winning album featuring ‘Walking On The Moon’, ‘Bring On The Night’ and the Grammy-winning title track also reached Top 30.
‘Zenyatta Mondatta’ proved to be the band’s U.S. breakthrough. Released in 1980, the album hit the US Top 10 (#1 U.K.) with two Top 10 singles including the Grammy-winning track ‘Don’t Stand So Close To Me’ and ‘De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da’, both of which were UK chart topping singles. Also featured on The Police are ‘Driven To Tears’, ‘Canary In A Coalmine’ and ‘Voices Inside My Head’.
The triple platinum ‘Ghost In The Machine’ was released in 1981 and peaked at #2 on the U.S. charts (#1 U.K.) with ‘Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic’ reaching the #3 position (#1 UK) and ‘Spirits In The Material World’, at #11. The Police adds the album’s ‘Invisible Sun’ (#2 UK) and ‘Demolition Man’ to its collection.
A year later, The Police returned with the eight times platinum, ‘Synchronicity’, which reached #1 everywhere, spending a phenomenal 17 weeks atop the U.S charts. The lead single ‘Every Breath You Take’ was #1 for eight weeks & reached Gold status, while Sting won Song of the Year and The Police won Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal at the Grammy Awards of 1984 for ‘Every Breath You Take’. ‘Wrapped Around Your Finger’ and ‘King Of Pain’ also charted Top 10 and ‘Synchronicity II’ hit Top 20… The Police also includes the ‘Synchronicity’ album’s ‘Walking In Your Footsteps’, ‘Tea In The Sahara’ and ‘Murder By Numbers’.SOURCE
