<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sting (musician)</span>

Sting (musician)

<p><b>Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner</b> <span class="noexcerpt nowraplinks" style="font-size:85%; font-weight:normal;"><a href="/en/Commander_of_the_Order_of_the_British_Empire" title="Commander of the Order of the British Empire" class="mw-redirect wl">CBE</a></span> (born 2 October 1951), known as <b>Sting</b>, is an English musician and actor. He was the frontman, songwriter and bassist for <a href="/en/New_wave_music" title="New wave music" class="wl">new wave</a> rock band <a href="/en/The_Police" title="The Police" class="wl">the Police</a> from 1977 until their breakup in 1986. He launched a solo career in 1985 and has included elements of <a href="/en/Rock_music" title="Rock music" class="wl">rock</a>, <a href="/en/Jazz" title="Jazz" class="wl">jazz</a>, <a href="/en/Reggae" title="Reggae" class="wl">reggae</a>, <a href="/en/Classical_music" title="Classical music" class="wl">classical</a>, <a href="/en/New-age_music" title="New-age music" class="wl">new-age</a>, and <a href="/en/Worldbeat" title="Worldbeat" class="wl">worldbeat</a> in his music.<span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-4"><a href="#cite_note-4" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 4;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[4]</span></a></span></p>

<div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none" about="#mwt1">British musician (born 1951)</div>
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<style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1066479718" typeof="mw:Extension/templatestyles mw:Transclusion">.mw-parser-output .infobox-subbox{padding:0;border:none;margin:-3px;width:auto;min-width:100%;font-size:100%;clear:none;float:none;background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .infobox-3cols-child{margin:auto}.mw-parser-output .infobox .navbar{font-size:100%}body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-header,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-subheader,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-above,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-title,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-image,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-below{text-align:center}</style><div class='mobile-collapse'><header class="mobile-collapse-header mobile-collapse-btn"><b>Quick facts: Sting CBE, Born, Alma&nbsp;mater, Occupations...</b> <span class='arrow'>▼</span></header> <table class="infobox biography vcard mobile-collapse-element"><tbody><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-above" style="font-size:125%;"><div class="fn" style="display:inline">Sting</div><br><div class="honorific-suffix" style="font-size: 77%; font-weight: normal; display:inline;"><a href="/en/Order_of_the_British_Empire" title="Order of the British Empire" class="wl">CBE</a></div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-image"><span class="mw-default-size"><a href="/en/File:Sting_in_April_2018.jpg" class="mw-file-description image media-thumb" data-hash="File:Sting_in_April_2018.jpg"><img loading="lazy" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/40/Sting_in_April_2018.jpg/220px-Sting_in_April_2018.jpg" decoding="async" data-file-width="1602" data-file-height="2405" data-file-type="bitmap" height="330" width="220" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/40/Sting_in_April_2018.jpg/330px-Sting_in_April_2018.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/40/Sting_in_April_2018.jpg/440px-Sting_in_April_2018.jpg 2x" alt="Sting_in_April_2018.jpg"></a></span><div class="infobox-caption">Sting performing at <a href="/en/The_Queen's_Birthday_Party" title="The Queen's Birthday Party" class="wl">The Queen's Birthday Party</a> in 2018</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Born</th><td class="infobox-data"><div style="display:inline" class="nickname">Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner</div><br><span style="display:none"> (<span class="bday">1951-10-02</span>) </span>2 October 1951<span class="noprint ForceAgeToShow"> (age<span>&nbsp;</span>71)</span><br><div style="display:inline" class="birthplace"><a href="/en/Wallsend" title="Wallsend" class="wl">Wallsend</a>, England</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Alma<span>&nbsp;</span>mater</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/en/Northumbria_University#Newcastle_Polytechnic" title="Northumbria University" class="wl">Northern Counties College of Education</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Occupations</th><td class="infobox-data role"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1129693374" typeof="mw:Extension/templatestyles">.mw-parser-output .hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul{margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt,.mw-parser-output .hlist li{margin:0;display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ul{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist .mw-empty-li{display:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dt::after{content:": "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li::after{content:" · ";font-weight:bold}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li:last-child::after{content:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li li:first-child::before{content:" (";font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd li:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt li:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li li:last-child::after{content:")";font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol{counter-reset:listitem}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol>li{counter-increment:listitem}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol>li::before{content:" "counter(listitem)"\a0 "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd ol>li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt ol>li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li ol>li:first-child::before{content:" ("counter(listitem)"\a0 "}</style><div class="hlist"><ul><li>Musician</li><li>singer</li><li>songwriter</li><li>actor</li></ul></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Years<span>&nbsp;</span>active</th><td class="infobox-data">1971–present</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Spouses</th><td class="infobox-data"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1126788409" typeof="mw:Extension/templatestyles">.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul{line-height:inherit;list-style:none;margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol li,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul li{margin-bottom:0}</style><div class="plainlist"><ul><li><div style="display:inline;white-space:nowrap;"><div style="display:inline-block;line-height:normal;margin-top:1px;white-space:normal;"><a href="/en/Frances_Tomelty" title="Frances Tomelty" class="wl">Frances Tomelty</a></div>
   <div style="line-height:0;margin-bottom:-2px;"><span>​</span></div><span> </span><div style="display:inline-block;margin-bottom:1px;"><span>​</span></div><span>(</span><abbr about="#mwt45" typeof="mw:ExpandedAttrs" data-mw="{&quot;attribs&quot;:[[{&quot;txt&quot;:&quot;title&quot;},{&quot;html&quot;:&quot;<span typeof=\&quot;mw:Nowiki\&quot; data-parsoid=\&quot;{}\&quot;>married</span>&quot;}]]}">m.</abbr><span>&nbsp;</span>1976<span>;</span><span> </span><abbr about="#mwt46" typeof="mw:ExpandedAttrs" data-mw="{&quot;attribs&quot;:[[{&quot;txt&quot;:&quot;title&quot;},{&quot;html&quot;:&quot;<span typeof=\&quot;mw:Nowiki\&quot; data-parsoid=\&quot;{}\&quot;>divorced</span>&quot;}]]}">div.</abbr><span>&nbsp;</span>1984<span>)</span><wbr><span>​</span></div></li><li><div style="display:inline;white-space:nowrap;"><div style="display:inline-block;line-height:normal;margin-top:1px;white-space:normal;"><a href="/en/Trudie_Styler" title="Trudie Styler" class="wl">Trudie Styler</a><br></div>
   <div style="line-height:0;margin-bottom:-2px;"><span>​</span></div><span> </span><div style="display:inline-block;margin-bottom:1px;"><span>​</span></div><span>(</span><abbr about="#mwt47" typeof="mw:ExpandedAttrs" data-mw="{&quot;attribs&quot;:[[{&quot;txt&quot;:&quot;title&quot;},{&quot;html&quot;:&quot;<span typeof=\&quot;mw:Nowiki\&quot; data-parsoid=\&quot;{}\&quot;>married</span>&quot;}]]}">m.</abbr><span>&nbsp;</span>1992<span>)</span><wbr><span>​</span></div></li></ul></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Children</th><td class="infobox-data">6; including <a href="/en/Joe_Sumner" title="Joe Sumner" class="wl">Joe</a>, <a href="/en/Mickey_Sumner" title="Mickey Sumner" class="wl">Mickey</a> and <a href="/en/Eliot_Sumner" title="Eliot Sumner" class="wl">Eliot</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Awards</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/en/List_of_awards_and_nominations_received_by_Sting" title="List of awards and nominations received by Sting" class="wl">Full list</a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-full-data"><b>Musical career</b></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Genres</th><td class="infobox-data"><div class="hlist"><ul><li><a href="/en/Rock_music" title="Rock music" class="wl">Rock</a></li><li><a href="/en/Pop_music" title="Pop music" class="wl">pop</a></li><li><a href="/en/New_wave_music" title="New wave music" class="wl">new wave</a></li><li><a href="/en/Post-punk" title="Post-punk" class="wl">post-punk</a></li><li><a href="/en/Ska" title="Ska" class="wl">ska</a></li><li><a href="/en/Reggae" title="Reggae" class="wl">reggae</a></li><li><a href="/en/Jazz" title="Jazz" class="wl">jazz</a></li><li><a href="/en/Worldbeat" title="Worldbeat" class="wl">world</a></li><li><a href="/en/Soft_rock" title="Soft rock" class="wl">soft rock</a><span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-1"><a href="#cite_note-1" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 1;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[1]</span></a></span><span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-2"><a href="#cite_note-2" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 2;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[2]</span></a></span><span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-Collins_3-0"><a href="#cite_note-Collins-3" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 3;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[3]</span></a></span></li></ul></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Instrument(s)</th><td class="infobox-data note"><div class="hlist"><ul><li>Vocals</li><li>bass guitar</li><li>guitar</li><li><a href="/en/Double_bass" title="Double bass" class="wl">double bass</a></li><li><a href="/en/Musical_keyboard" title="Musical keyboard" class="wl">keyboards</a></li></ul></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Labels</th><td class="infobox-data"><div class="hlist"><ul><li><a href="/en/A&M_Records" title="A&amp;M Records" class="wl">A&amp;M</a></li><li><a href="/en/Deutsche_Grammophon" title="Deutsche Grammophon" class="wl">Deutsche Grammophon</a></li><li><a href="/en/Universal_Music_Group" title="Universal Music Group" class="wl">Universal</a></li><li><a href="/en/Cherrytree_Records" title="Cherrytree Records" class="mw-redirect wl">Cherrytree</a></li><li><a href="/en/Interscope_Records" title="Interscope Records" class="wl">Interscope</a></li><li><a href="/en/Polydor_Records" title="Polydor Records" class="wl">Polydor</a></li></ul></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Formerly of</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/en/The_Police" title="The Police" class="wl">The Police</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Website</th><td class="infobox-data"><span class="url"><a rel="mw:ExtLink nofollow" href="http://sting.com" class="external text" target="_blank">sting<wbr>.com</a></span></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2">
<div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none">Musical artist</div></td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header">Signature</th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-full-data"><span><a href="/en/File:Sting-Logo.svg" class="mw-file-description image media-thumb" data-hash="File:Sting-Logo.svg"><img loading="lazy"alt="Sting logo" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2d/Sting-Logo.svg/150px-Sting-Logo.svg.png" decoding="async" data-file-width="599" data-file-height="390" data-file-type="drawing" height="98" width="150" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2d/Sting-Logo.svg/225px-Sting-Logo.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2d/Sting-Logo.svg/300px-Sting-Logo.svg.png 2x"></a></span></td></tr></tbody></table> <footer class='mobile-collapse-footer mobile-collapse-btn'><b>Close</b> <span class='arrow'>▲</span></footer></div>

<p>As a solo musician and a member of the Police, Sting has received 17 <a href="/en/Grammy_Award" title="Grammy Award" class="mw-redirect wl">Grammy Awards</a>: he won <a href="/en/Grammy_Award_for_Song_of_the_Year" title="Grammy Award for Song of the Year" class="wl">Song of the Year</a> for "<a href="/en/Every_Breath_You_Take" title="Every Breath You Take" class="wl">Every Breath You Take</a>", three <a href="/en/Brit_Awards" title="Brit Awards" class="wl">Brit Awards</a>, including <a href="/en/Brit_Award_for_British_Male_Solo_Artist" title="Brit Award for British Male Solo Artist" class="wl">Best British Male Artist</a> in 1994 and Outstanding Contribution in 2002, a <a href="/en/Golden_Globe_Award" title="Golden Globe Award" class="mw-redirect wl">Golden Globe</a>, an <a href="/en/Emmy_Award" title="Emmy Award" class="mw-redirect wl">Emmy</a>, and four nominations for the <a href="/en/Academy_Award_for_Best_Original_Song" title="Academy Award for Best Original Song" class="wl">Academy Award for Best Original Song</a>. In 2019, he received a <a href="/en/BMI_Award" title="BMI Award" class="mw-redirect wl">BMI Award</a> for "Every Breath You Take" becoming the most-played song in radio history.<span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-5"><a href="#cite_note-5" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 5;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[5]</span></a></span> In 2002, Sting received the <a href="/en/Ivor_Novello_Award" title="Ivor Novello Award" class="mw-redirect wl">Ivor Novello Award</a> for Lifetime Achievement from the <a href="/en/British_Academy_of_Songwriters,_Composers_and_Authors" title="British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors" class="mw-redirect wl">British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors</a> and was also inducted into the <a href="/en/Songwriters_Hall_of_Fame" title="Songwriters Hall of Fame" class="wl">Songwriters Hall of Fame</a>. He was inducted into the <a href="/en/Rock_and_Roll_Hall_of_Fame" title="Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" class="wl">Rock and Roll Hall of Fame</a> as a member of the Police in 2003. In 2000, he received a star on the <a href="/en/Hollywood_Walk_of_Fame" title="Hollywood Walk of Fame" class="wl">Hollywood Walk of Fame</a> for recording. In 2003, Sting received a <a href="/en/Commander_of_the_Order_of_the_British_Empire" title="Commander of the Order of the British Empire" class="mw-redirect wl">CBE</a> from <a href="/en/Elizabeth_II" title="Elizabeth II" class="wl">Elizabeth II</a> at Buckingham Palace for services to music. He was made a <a href="/en/Kennedy_Center_Honors" title="Kennedy Center Honors" class="wl">Kennedy Center Honoree</a> at the White House in 2014 and was awarded the <a href="/en/Polar_Music_Prize" title="Polar Music Prize" class="wl">Polar Music Prize</a> in 2017.<span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-chow_6-0"><a href="#cite_note-chow-6" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 6;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[6]</span></a></span></p>

<p>With the Police, Sting became one of the world's <a href="/en/List_of_best-selling_music_artists" title="List of best-selling music artists" class="wl">best-selling music artists</a>. Solo and with the Police combined, he has sold over 100 million records.<span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-7"><a href="#cite_note-7" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 7;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[7]</span></a></span> In 2006, <a href="/en/Paste_(magazine)" title="Paste (magazine)" class="wl"><i>Paste</i></a> ranked him 62nd of the 100 best living songwriters.<span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-8"><a href="#cite_note-8" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 8;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[8]</span></a></span> He was 63rd of <a href="/en/VH1" title="VH1" class="wl">VH1</a>'s 100 greatest artists of rock,<span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-9"><a href="#cite_note-9" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 9;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[9]</span></a></span> and 80th of <a href="/en/Q_magazine" title="Q magazine" class="mw-redirect wl"><i>Q</i> magazine</a>'s 100 greatest musical stars of the 20th century.<span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-10"><a href="#cite_note-10" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 10;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[10]</span></a></span> He has collaborated with other musicians on songs such as "<a href="/en/Money_for_Nothing_(song)" title="Money for Nothing (song)" class="wl">Money for Nothing</a>" with <a href="/en/Dire_Straits" title="Dire Straits" class="wl">Dire Straits</a>, "<a href="/en/Rise_&_Fall_(Craig_David_song)" title="Rise &amp; Fall (Craig David song)" class="wl">Rise &amp; Fall</a>" with <a href="/en/Craig_David" title="Craig David" class="wl">Craig David</a>, "<a href="/en/All_for_Love_(song)" title="All for Love (song)" class="wl">All for Love</a>" with <a href="/en/Bryan_Adams" title="Bryan Adams" class="wl">Bryan Adams</a> and <a href="/en/Rod_Stewart" title="Rod Stewart" class="wl">Rod Stewart</a>, "<a href="/en/You_Will_Be_My_Ain_True_Love" title="You Will Be My Ain True Love" class="wl">You Will Be My Ain True Love</a>" with <a href="/en/Alison_Krauss" title="Alison Krauss" class="wl">Alison Krauss</a>, and introduced the North African music genre <a href="/en/Raï" title="Raï" class="wl">raï</a> to Western audiences through the hit song "<a href="/en/Desert_Rose_(Sting_song)" title="Desert Rose (Sting song)" class="wl">Desert Rose</a>" with <a href="/en/Cheb_Mami" title="Cheb Mami" class="wl">Cheb Mami</a>. In 2018, he released the album <i><a href="/en/44/876" title="44/876" class="wl">44/876</a></i>, a collaboration with <a href="/en/Music_of_Jamaica" title="Music of Jamaica" class="wl">Jamaican</a> musician <a href="/en/Shaggy_(musician)" title="Shaggy (musician)" class="wl">Shaggy</a>, which won the <a href="/en/Grammy_Award_for_Best_Reggae_Album" title="Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album" class="wl">Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album</a> in 2019.</p>



Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner CBE , known as Sting, is an English musician and actor. He was the frontman, songwriter and bassist for new wave rock band the Police from 1977 until their breakup in 1986. He launched a solo career in 1985 and has included elements of rock, jazz, reggae, classical, new-age, and worldbeat in his music. As a solo musician and a member of the Police, Sting has received 17 Grammy Awards: he won Song of the Year for "Every Breath You Take", three Brit Awards, including Best British Male Artist in 1994 and Outstanding Contribution in 2002, a Golden Globe, an Emmy, and four nominations for the Academy Award for Best Original Song. In 2019, he received a BMI Award for "Every Breath You Take" becoming the most-played song in radio history. 