Most frequent collaboratorMartin Kierszenbaum · 34 tracks
GenresRockPop RockJazzSophisti-pop
Artist
84%
Authorship
Holds writing credit on 138 of 165 tracks
Does Sting write his own songs?
Yes, almost entirely. Sting is credited on about 84% of his solo catalogue, writing nearly every original song by himself. Classics like 'Fields of Gold,' 'Englishman in New York,' and 'If You Love Somebody Set Them Free' are all his. The lower overall figure comes from covers projects, especially Songs from the Labyrinth, an album of 16th-century John Dowland lute songs.
By the Numbers
14
Studio Albums
165
Tracks Credited
84%
Self-Written
more than 100 million (combined with The Police)
Records Sold
41
Years Active
58
Collaborators
Authorship Breakdown 138 / 165 self-written
Who wrote the songs?
Across all 165 tracks: how many Sting wrote alone, how many they co-wrote, and how many were written by others. The bracket marks every track they hold any writing credit on.
Sting has a writing credit84%
65%
19%
16%
Sole author107tracks65%
Co-written31tracks19%
Outside writers27tracks16%
Role Fingerprint how they contribute
Sting's roles across the catalogue
Share of all 165 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.
Lyricist (words)82%
Composer (music)82%
Producer84%
Performer91%
Authorship Over Time writing credit per album
Sting's writing credit per album, in release order. Hover any bar for the album.
avg 84%
100%
92%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
0%
33%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
1985The Dream of the Blue Turtles
1987...Nothing Like the Sun
1991The Soul Cages
1993Ten Summoner's Tales
1996Mercury Falling
1999Brand New Day
2003Sacred Love
2006Songs from the Labyrinth
2009If on a Winter's Night...
2010Symphonicities
2013The Last Ship
201657th & 9th
2019My Songs
2021The Bridge
Early · 98% written
Mid · 59% written
Late · 100% written
Authorship by Decade track-weighted
95%
1980s
The Dream of the Blue Turtles, ...Nothing Like the Sun
100%
1990s
The Soul Cages, Ten Summoner's Tales +2 more
38%
2000s
Sacred Love, Songs from the Labyrinth +1 more
100%
2010s
Symphonicities, The Last Ship +2 more
100%
2020s
The Bridge
Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author
Where Sting sits on the scale from a pure performer (0%, sings songs written by others) to a complete author (100%, writes everything). The bright marker is their catalogue authorship score, plotted against other artists on the site.
Sting
Other artists on the site
Reference artists spread across the scale, closest by genre and era.
Bubble size = tracks worked on together. MK Martin Kierszenbaum · HP Hugh Padgham · RM Rob Mathes · K Kipper · DA Dave Audé · EK Edin Karamazov
The Authorship Story
Data Insight
Sting writes virtually all of his own material, usually as sole author of both words and music, which places him at the very top of the authorship scale. The clear exceptions are his curated covers projects, the John Dowland lute album Songs from the Labyrinth and the seasonal If on a Winter's Night..., and orchestral re-recordings like Symphonicities, where the underlying compositions are either centuries old or his own. Outside collaborators appear only occasionally, most notably Dominic Miller on a handful of co-writes.
Quick Facts
SalesHas sold more than 100 million records as a solo artist and with The Police
GrammysWon 17 Grammy Awards across his solo career and time in The Police
The PoliceWas the principal songwriter of The Police before going solo in 1985
Genre rangeRanges from pop-rock to jazz, world music, and even Elizabethan lute songs
Desert RoseHis 1999 hit with Cheb Mami brought world music to mainstream pop radio
Creative Fingerprint
A self-writing solo auteur: Sting is credited on about 84% of his catalogue, writing nearly all his original songs alone, with the gap coming from classical and traditional covers albums like the John Dowland record Songs from the Labyrinth.
The Story
Sting, born Gordon Sumner, is an English singer, songwriter, and bassist who launched a hugely successful solo career in 1985 after fronting The Police. His jazz-inflected, lyrically literate solo work spans pop, rock, world music, and classical detours, producing standards like 'Englishman in New York,' 'Fields of Gold,' and 'Desert Rose.' Across fourteen solo studio albums he has remained one of pop's most self-sufficient songwriters.
Awards & Recognition
Won 17 Grammy Awards as a solo artist and with The Police
Has sold more than 100 million records worldwide across both careers
Principal songwriter of The Police before a decades-long solo career
One of the most acclaimed singer-songwriters of his generation
Frequently Asked Questions Sting
Does Sting write his own songs?
Yes, almost entirely. Sting is credited on about 84% of his solo catalogue, writing nearly every original song by himself. Classics like 'Fields of Gold,' 'Englishman in New York,' and 'If You Love Somebody Set Them Free' are all his. The lower overall figure comes from covers projects, especially Songs from the Labyrinth, an album of 16th-century John Dowland lute songs.
Who wrote 'Fields of Gold'?
'Fields of Gold,' from Ten Summoner's Tales (1993), was written entirely by Sting. Inspired by the barley fields near his English home, it became one of his most beloved solo songs.
Was Sting in The Police?
Yes. Sting was the lead singer, bassist, and principal songwriter of The Police, writing nearly all their hits before launching his solo career in 1985. His two careers together account for his 100 million-plus record sales.
What is Songs from the Labyrinth?
Songs from the Labyrinth (2006) is Sting's album of songs by the Elizabethan composer John Dowland, performed with lutenist Edin Karamazov. Because none of the songs are his own, it is the main reason his solo authorship figure sits below 100 percent.
Who wrote 'Desert Rose'?
'Desert Rose,' from Brand New Day (1999), was written by Sting and features Algerian raï singer Cheb Mami. It became one of his biggest late-career hits and helped popularise world music in mainstream pop.
How many albums has Sting released?
This catalogue covers his solo studio albums from The Dream of the Blue Turtles (1985) through The Bridge (2021), including pop-rock records, jazz-influenced work, and classical and traditional song projects.
How many Grammys has Sting won?
Sting has won 17 Grammy Awards across his solo career and his time in The Police, one of the highest totals in popular music.
What genre is Sting?
Sting makes rock, pop rock, jazz, and sophisti-pop, drawing on world music and classical influences across a catalogue that ranges from 'Fields of Gold' to Elizabethan lute songs.
Sting