The definitive playlist of The Police

The instrumental title track from The Police's second album was released in 1979. There is plenty of Sting offering some non-lyrical crooning. Sometimes lost on the classic overall Police product is just how talented Sting, Stewart Copeland, and Andy Summers are as musicians, especially as a collective. This is a perfect example, often played within the confines of "Can't Stand Losing You" (we'll get to that number) during live shows. The piece won the band's first of four Grammy Awards. It took home Best Rock Instrumental Performance.

The Police went from being a quirky, new-wave rock group to confident enough to get personal and even political with its lyrics. Notably from Sting, the band's undisputed leader and principal songwriter. "Driven to Tears," from The Police's Zenyatta Mondatta (1980), is an example of those politically-focused songs — specifically, about the disparity between the rich and poor in the United States. 

Not only is 1983's Synchronicity The Police's most successful and popular album, but it's also the last released by the band. "Tea in the Sahara" is a deep cut from the record and inspired The Sheltering Sky, Paul Bowles' 1949 novel about alienation and despair. Sting was reportedly a big fan of the book, and the song's name is also the title of the first part of the novel. The lyrics are based on the book, and the song is one of the more underappreciated moments from this renowned record.

By its fourth album, Ghost in the Machine (1981), The Police were building toward greatness. The band's fourth album went to No. 1 in the United Kingdom and up to No. 2 on the Billboard 200 in the United States. Sting also turned his attention to the synthesizer, aiding his writing process on "Spirits in the Material World." This reportedly caused some tension with guitarist Andy Summers, whose own presence diminished during the recording of the track. It was one of two prominent tracks from the record and reached No. 11 on Billboard's Hot 100. 

Casual fans of The Police will claim this Zenyatta Mondatta tune is a deep cut. But long-time followers of the band know "Canary in a Coalmine" as one of its true underrated gems. Fun, peppy, upbeat, and keeping with the reggae vibe that really took shape on the Reggatta de Blanc album. The song was never released as a single, but that hasn't stopped "Canary in a Coalmine" from enjoying quite the shelf life — one worthy of showcasing within the band's legacy.

Synchronicity, technically, is not a concept album. However, it's long been known the record was inspired by 1972's The Roots of Coincidence, Arthur Koestler's book about modern physics and paranormal phenomena. The second of the two-part title cut from The Police's most accessible record reached No. 16 on Billboard's Hot 100 in the U.S.

One of the biggest hits in The Police arsenal. From Ghost in the Machine, "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" was a No. 1 hit in the U.K. and reached No. 3 in the U.S. It's one of the more unique tracks from The Police because it featured a piano. Something unfamiliar to the band in the past. However, it fits in well with another stellar reggae-fused moment from The Police, which, as we have seen, was becoming more and more respected as one of the biggest bands in the world.

Interestingly, the decision to release "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" as the first single from Ghost in the Machine in America made it a big hit in the States. Meanwhile, across the pond in the U.K., "Invisible Sun" was the initially released single from the record and reached No. 2 there. The track was never put out as a single in the U.S. but remained a highlight from Ghost in the Machine. Sting wrote the song while in Ireland, trying to fathom how those living in war areas can find something positive in their circumstances.

The first song and lead single from Reggatta de Blanc. Like most of the tunes on this list, "Message in a Bottle" continues to receive consistent airplay on classic-rock radio and streaming platforms. The story of a castaway looking for a response to his written message put in a bottle is not a foreign tale, but The Police's new-wave sound with a reggae influence is original. The track was the band's first to reach No. 1 in the United Kingdom but never cracked the top 40 in the United States (peaking at No. 74 on the Hot 100).

Another gem from Reggatta de Blanc and the band's second No. 1 single in the U.K. It's also another example of how reggae had a serious influence on the band's early sound, or at least during this moment in the late 1970s. "Message in a Bottle" flirted with it, but "Walking on the Moon" is something that can be a nightly cover at some Montego Bay resort. Don't sleep on the subtly stellar drum work of Stewart Copeland on this track. 

Another memorable moment from Zenyatta Mondatta. As the lore goes, the song is about how music fans love straight-forward, ear-pleasing pop sounds. The title is Sting trying to get that point across. "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" reached No. 10 on Billboard's Hot 100 and remains one of the band's most popular tracks.

The Police's Outlandos d'Amour (1978) can go toe-to-toe with any killer debut album. The album peaked at No. 23 on the Billboard 200. "Next to You" is the opening track, complete with Stewart Copeland's banging drum intro. This was The Police's version of new wave, with a healthy dose of punk thrown in for good measure. It's one of the band's harder and faster tunes.

A severe deep cut from Outlandos d'Amour. High-energy, rollicking, it's an ode to the members' generation and touches on historical events like the JFK assassination and the Beatles breaking big in America. The latter is one of several mentions that paid homage to music legends who helped pave the way for bands like The Police to have their moment. Within the group's legendary catalog, "Born in the '50s" can easily get lost in the mix, but it's worth the effort to search out and then rock out.

Quite the personal song from Sting, who had separated from his wife. It's one of The Police's most popular songs (reaching No. 3 on the Hot 100 in the U.S.) off Synchronicity and an MTV staple during the early-to-mid 1980s. Like other notable songs from the album, "King of Pain" was praised for Sting's maturation as a songwriter, which would genuinely shine during his work as a successful solo artist that soon followed.

Another deep dive into Sting's emotions. As mentioned, Sting opens himself up quite a bit on the Synchronicity album. "Wrapped Around Your Finger" is truly a highlight of the record, and even though it peaked at No. 8 on the Hot 100, the tune still seems a bit underrated when stacked against the best The Police has to offer. We can't get enough of Sting prancing through those candles in the music video.

Even the most casual pop rock fans of a certain age and/or products of the 1980s recognize "Every Breath You Take." Another personal moment from Sting found on Synchronicity, it's considered The Police's signature tune. Many critics and fans will argue that it's not the band's best. It spent eight weeks atop the Hot 100 in the U.S. and won the Grammy for Song of the Year and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. Listeners couldn't go an hour without hearing the song on the radio or seeing the video on MTV. 

If there's one track from The Police that truly exudes its new-wave sensibility, it's "So Lonely." That makes sense because it's the second track from Outlandos d'Amour, which found the band's sound somewhat ahead of its time, especially in the U.S. The tune captures the collective talent of the band. Stewart Copeland's heart-thumping drums, Andy Summers's consistent guitar presence, and, of course, Sting's overall lyrical, vocal, and bass work. Just one example of why rock fans still cherish the Police's early work. 

The legendary opener, complete with Stewart Copeland's stellar cymbal work, from Zenyatta Mondatta. Like album mate "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da," "Don't Stand So Close to Me" also peaked at No. 10 on the Hot 100 chart in the United States. The tale of a teacher who apparently gets caught having a relationship with a student hit No. 1 in the United Kingdom. In the popular music video, Sting is featured without a shirt, which should have made plenty of his fans pretty happy. 

Sure, it can be argued that many of the songs from Outlandos d'Amour are rather similar and perhaps not displaying much depth. Then again, the record is a blueprint for the proper new-wave experience, complete with the band's early reggae influence. "Can't Stand Losing You" is a prime example of all that and still a song that should be placed near the front of the line when talking about The Police's contribution to the music landscape in the U.S. in the late 1970s when punk, new wave, and mainstream pop-rock were all about to collide — for the better.

We can talk about the impact that "Every Breath You Take" had on the music world when it was released in the 1980s. It's often the first song that comes to mind for any level of Police fan, but "Roxanne" obviously ranks well up in the hierarchy of the band's catalog. The group's first hit from its debut album is among the most celebrated songs in rock history. Plain and simple, "Roxanne" is iconic. In a similar mold to "Can't Stop Losing You," with the repetition of the title, the song about a client's infatuation with a sex worker never gets tiresome.