The Top 100 Songs of Sting & The Police

Sting & The Police Top 100 Songs

Rock singer/bassist Sting was born Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner on 10/2/1951 in Wallsend, England. He got the nickname “Sting” because of a yellow and black jersey he used to wear. He was in the groups Last Exit, Strontium 90, and Nuclear Waste before forming the new wave group The Police with drummer Stewart Copeland and guitarist Andy Summers. They released five studio albums from 1978 to 1983. In 1985, Sting released his first solo album. Click here to see other acts’ best-of lists. Check out the DMDB podcast episodes The Best of Sting, 1985-2021 and The Best of the Police, 1977-1986 (In Celebration of the 40th Anniversary of Synchronicity) based on this list.

Awards (The Police):

Awards (Sting):

Top 100 Songs Dave’s Music Database lists are determined by song’s appearances on best-of lists as well as chart success, sales, radio airplay, streaming, and awards. Songs are by Sting unless noted otherwise. DMDB Top 1%: 1. Every Breath You Take (The Police, 1983) 2. Roxanne (The Police, 1978) DMDB Top 2%: 3. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic (The Police, 1981) 4. Message in a Bottle (The Police, 1979) 5. All for Love (Sting with Rod Stewart & Bryan Adams, 1993) 6. Fields of Gold (1993) DMDB Top 5%: 7. Don’t Stand So Close to Me (The Police, 1980) 8. King of Pain (The Police, 1983) 9. If I Ever Lose My Faith in You (1993) 10. Spirits in the Material World (The Police, 1981) 11. Synchronicity II (The Police, 1983) 12. All This Time (1991) 13. Desert Rose (with Cheb Mami, 1999) 14. If You Love Somebody Set Them Free (1985) DMDB Top 10%: 15. Englishman in New York (1987) 16. Wrapped Around Your Finger (The Police, 1983) 17. De Do Do Do De Da Da Da (The Police, 1980) 18. Russians (1985) 19. Fortress Around Your Heart (1985) 20. Walking on the Moon (The Police, 1979) 21. Can’t Stand Losing You (The Police, 1978) 22. Be Still My Beating Heart (1987) 23. We’ll Be Together (1987) 24. Love Is the Seventh Wave (1985) 25. Fragile (1987) 26. Invisible Sun (The Police, 1981) 27. Don’t Stand So Close to Me ‘86 (The Police, 1986) DMDB Top 20%: 28. It’s Probably Me (Sting with Eric Clapton, 1992) 29. So Lonely (The Police, 1978) 30. They Dance Alone (1987) 31. I Burn for You (The Police, 1982) 32. When We Dance (1994) 33. Brand New Day (1999) 34. Epilogue (Nothing ‘Bout Me) (1993) 35. You Still Touch Me (1996) 36. Someone to Watch Over Me (1987) 37. Driven to Tears (The Police, 1981) 38. Moon Over Bourbon Street (1985) 39. Secret Journey (The Police, 1981) 40. Always on Your Side (Sheryl Crow with Sting, 2006) 41. Mack the Knife (1959) 42. When the World Is Running Down You Make the Best of What’s Still Around (The Police, 1980) 43. Stolen Car (Take Me Dancing) (2003) 44. I’m So Happy I Can’t Stop Crying (1996) 45. The Soul Cages (1991) 46. Spread a Little Happiness (1982) 47. Send Your Love (2003) 48. The Bed’s Too Big Without You (The Police, 1979) 49. Shape of My Heart (1993) 50. My Funny Valentine (2002) 51. Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot (1996) 52. Down So Long (live with Jeff Beck, 1986) 53. Why Should I Cry for You? (1991) 54. Roxanne (live, 1981) 55. Murder by Numbers (The Police, 1983) 56. Message in a Bottle (live, 1981) 57. I Can’t Stop Thinking About You (2016) Beyond the DMDB Top 20%: 58. Bring on the Night (The Police, 1979) 59. Strange Fruit (1987) 60. Ain’t No Sunshine (live, 1991) 61. Little Wing (1987) 62. Demolition Man (The Police, 1981) 63. I Hung My Head (1996) 64. (Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay (2020) 65. Whenever I Say Your Name (Sting with Mary J. Blige, 2003) 66. Mad About You (1991) 67. Canary in a Coal Mine (The Police, 1980) 68. Synchronicity I (The Police, 1983) 69. This Cowboy Song (1995) 70. Tea in the Sahara (The Police, 1983) 71. Fall Out (The Police, 1977) 72. Demolition Man (new recording, 1993) 73. The Lazarus Heart (1987) 74. After the Rain Has Fallen (1999) 75. Next to You (The Police, 1978) 76. On Any Other Day (The Police, 1979) 77. Rock Steady (1987) 78. Brimstone and Treacle (1982) 79. Walking in Your Footsteps (The Police, 1983) 80. A Day in the Life (live, 1993) 81. Practical Arrangement (Sting with Jo Lawry, 2013) 82. The River (Sting live with Bruce Springsteen, 1988) 83. Consider Me Gone (1985) 84. Seven Days (1993) 85. Tomorrow We’ll See (1999) 86. I’m So Happy I Can’t Stop Crying (Sting with Toby Keith, 1997) 87. I Shall Be Released (Sting et al live, 1981) 88. Be My Girl – Sally (The Police, 1978) 89. Truth Hits Everybody (The Police, 1978) 90. Fill Her Up (1999) 91. Voices Inside My Head (The Police, 1980) 92. Don’t Make Me Wait (with Shaggy, 2018) 93. Does Everybody Stare (The Police, 1979) 94. Come Down in Time (1991) 95. We Work the Black Seam (1985) 96. Need Your Love So Bad (1982) 97. Only You (1982) 98. Bombs Away (The Police, 1980) 99. Tempted (live, 1991) 100. Tutti Frutti (1982) Resources and Related Links: Sting & the Police’s DMDB profile page DMDB Encyclopedia entry for The Police DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Sting Dave’s Music Database: “Acts’ Profile Pages and Best-of Lists” First posted 10/4/2011; updated 6/14/2023.

Dave’s Faves: My Top 100 Songs

Dave’s Faves: My Top 100 Songs

Here are my personal top 100 favorite songs. Note: year of release is when song was first released, whether it be as a single or part of an album. Links on songs will take you to a DMDB page dedicated to that song. A note regarding the images: Most are from singles’ artwork. However, in some cases, a single wasn’t released for the song or a cover simply wasn’t available so another image, usually the parent album, was substituted. Click here to see other Dave’s Faves song lists.

1. Marillion “Kayleigh” (1985)
2. Styx “Renegade” (1978)
3. Marillion “Script for a Jester’s Tear” (1983)
4. The Police “Message in a Bottle” (1979)
5. Otis Redding “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay” (1968)
6. David + David “Welcome to the Boomtown” (1986)
7. Styx “Come Sail Away” (1977)
8. Indigo Girls “Closer to Fine” (1989)
9. The Alan Parsons Project “Old and Wise” (1982)
10. Queen “Bohemian Rhapsody” (1975)

11. XTC “Dear God” (1986)
12. Furniture “Brilliant Mind” (1986)
13. Led Zeppelin “Stairway to Heaven” (1971)
14. Styx “The Best of Times” (1981)
15. Marillion “Estonia” (1997)
16. Pink Floyd “Another Brick in the Wall Part II” (1979)
17. Squeeze “Tempted” (1981)
18. Little River Band “Cool Change” (1979)
19. Crowded House “Silent House” (2007)
20. Toy Matinee “There Was a Little Boy” (1990)

21. Del Amitri “Kiss This Thing Goodbye” (1989)
22. Styx “Fooling Yourself (Angry Young Man)” (1977)
23. Michael Franti & Spearhead “Everyone Deserves Music” (2003)
24. The Beatles “A Day in the Life” (1967)
25. Queen “We Will Rock You” / “We Are the Champions” (1977)
26. Styx “Suite Madame Blue” (1975)
27. Soft Cell “Tainted Love” (1981)
28. Lyle Lovett “Step Inside This House” (1998)
29. Shawn Colvin “I Don’t Know Why” (1992)
30. Willie Nelson with Lukas Nelson “Just Breathe” (2012)

31. Pink Floyd “Comfortably Numb” (1979)
32. Tori Amos “Me and a Gun” (1991)
33. Styx “Babe” (1979)
34. The Rolling Stones “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” (1969)
35. The Police “I Burn for You” (1982)
36. Crowded House “Better Be Home Soon” (1988)
37. U2 “Bad” (1984)
38. Kate Bush “This Woman’s Work” (1988)
39. Aretha Franklin “Respect” (1967)
40. David Bowie “Changes” (1971)

41. The Rolling Stones “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” (1965)
42. The Police “Every Breath You Take” (1983)
43. The Williams Brothers “Can’t Cry Hard Enough” (1991)
44. Squeeze “Up the Junction” (1979)
45. Michael Andrews & Gary Jules “Mad World” (2002)
46. U2 “Sunday Bloody Sunday” (1983)
47. Prince & the Revolution “Purple Rain” (1984)
48. The Beatles “Eleanor Rigby” (1966)
49. Peter Gabriel “Biko” (1980)
50. Eagles “Seven Bridges Road” (live, 1980)

51. The Beatles “With a Little Help from My Friends” (1967)
52. Eagles “Desperado” (1973)
53. Fish “Cliché” (1990)
54. Eagles “Hotel California” (1976)
55. Styx “Mr. Roboto” (1983)
56. Toto “Africa” (1982)
57. Blondie “Heart of Glass” (1978)
58. Air Supply “Lost in Love” (1980)
59. Kenny Rogers “Coward of the County” (1979)
60. Supertramp “The Logical Song” (1979)

61. Melissa Etheridge with Bruce Springsteen “Thunder Road (live)” (1995)
62. R.E.M. “It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” (1987)
63. The Harry Simeone Chorale “The Little Drummer Boy” (1958)
64. Peter Gabriel “Solsbury Hill” (1977)
65. Bing Crosby with David Bowie “Peace on Earth/The Little Drummer Boy” (1977)
66. Rush “Tom Sawyer” (1981)
67. Billie Holiday “Strange Fruit” (1939)
68. Israel Kamakawiwo’ole “Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World” (1993)
69. Gerry Rafferty “Baker Street” (1978)
70. Tori Amos “Silent All These Years” (1991)

71. Michael Jackson “Billie Jean” (1982)
72. Prince “1999” (1982)
73. Bruce Springsteen “Born to Run” (1975)
74. Alan Jackson “Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning” (2001)
75. Foreigner “Waiting for a Girl Like You” (1981)
76. Journey “Open Arms” (1981)
77. John Cougar Mellencamp “Jack and Diane” (1982)
78. Pink Floyd “Mother” (1979)
79. Violent Femmes “Add It Up” (1983)
80. Johnny Cash “Hurt” (2002)

81. The Four Tops “Reach Out (I’ll Be There)” (1966)
82. Harry Chapin “Cat’s in the Cradle” (1974)
83. The Righteous Brothers “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” (1964)
84. Bruce Springsteen “American Skin (41 Shots)” (2001)
85. Tears for Fears “Head Over Heels” (1985)
86. Tracy Chapman “Fast Car” (1988)
87. Pearl Jam “Jeremy” (1991)
88. John Mellencamp “If I Die Sudden” (2008)
89. Sting “Message in a Bottle” (live, 1981)
90. Melissa Etheridge “Occasionally” (1988)

91. Prince “When Doves Cry” (1984)
92. Hooters “All You Zombies” (1985)
93. Journey “Don’t Stop Believin’” (1981)
94. The Rainmakers “Downstream” (1986)
95. The Beatles “I Want to Hold Your Hand” (1963)
96. Styx “Too Much Time on My Hands” (1981)
97. Sting “They Dance Alone” (1987)
98. Journey “Feeling That Way/Anytime” (1978)
99. Chic “Le Freak” (1978)
100. Sam Cooke “A Change Is Gonna Come” (1964)

Resources and Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: “Dave’s Faves: Song Lists” Dave’s Music Database: “Dave’s Faves: Albums/Works” Dave’s Music Database: “Dave’s Faves: Top 100 Acts” Dave’s Music Database: Other Best-of Song Lists First posted 7/3/2011; last updated 8/13/2022.