Description
The Police – Greatest Hits – Double 180 Gram Vinyl Records
Released in 1992, Greatest Hits by The Police serves as a definitive career retrospective, capturing the band’s meteoric rise and global dominance between 1978 and 1983. Though The Police only released five studio albums, their impact was outsized, blending punk energy, reggae grooves, and pop melody into a sound that was uniquely theirs—and hugely influential.
By 1992, The Police had been broken up for nearly a decade, with Sting firmly established as a successful solo artist. While earlier compilations like Every Breath You Take: The Singles (1986) existed, Greatest Hits offered a more complete and better-curated collection, including UK chart-toppers and global hits, presenting a fuller picture of the band’s creative evolution.
Here’s a look at what’s included, and why each song matters:
Roxanne – The song that introduced the world to The Police. Released in 1978, its reggae-inflected rhythm and tale of romantic obsession set the tone for the band’s unique sound.
Can’t Stand Losing You – Pure punk-reggae hybrid, with Sting’s high-pitched frustration perfectly capturing post-breakup angst.
So Lonely – Another track from Outlandos d’Amour, blending reggae’s offbeat rhythm with punk’s frantic energy.
Message in a Bottle – From Reggatta de Blanc, this 1979 hit introduced the band’s more mature, spacious sound, with The Edge-like shimmering guitar work from Andy Summers before U2 even existed.
Walking on the Moon – Hypnotic, spacious reggae, showing the band’s growing confidence with atmosphere.
The Bed’s Too Big Without You – A deep cut favorite, blending melancholy and groove—a rare feat The Police mastered.
Don’t Stand So Close to Me – A massive hit, exploring a teacher-student relationship with tension and taboo wrapped in a catchy melody.
De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da – Playful and misunderstood by critics, this song captures the confusion and futility of language, with a surreal sense of humor.
Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic – A joyful burst of pop perfection, with Caribbean rhythms under its soaring chorus.
Invisible Sun – A darker, more politically charged track, reflecting the Troubles in Northern Ireland, showing The Police could be serious and socially aware.
Spirits in the Material World – Synthy, syncopated, and almost ska-punk, this was a left-field single that still sounds fresh.
Synchronicity II – One of the band’s most urgent, driving tracks, mixing suburban malaise with mythic weirdness.
Every Breath You Take – Their biggest hit, often misunderstood as a love song, when it’s really a sinister meditation on obsession.
King of Pain – One of Sting’s most poetic and melancholic lyrics, carried by Summers’ atmospheric guitar and Copeland’s sharp rhythms.
Wrapped Around Your Finger – Atmospheric and hypnotic, this one showcases the band’s mastery of mood, with Sting’s literary metaphors in full bloom.
Tea in the Sahara – A haunting album closer from Synchronicity, capturing deserted beauty and fatalistic storytelling.
This compilation highlights the band’s remarkable versatility—from the punk-meets-reggae grit of their early years to the polished, literary art-pop of Synchronicity. Despite tensions within the band, Sting, Andy Summers, and Stewart Copeland were a creative triad unlike any other. Sting brought his jazz bass lines, melodic gift, and literary lyrics. Copeland infused everything with his off-kilter, syncopated drumming, often inspired by world music. Summers provided the atmospheric, textured guitar work that allowed space and silence to become part of the music.
Greatest Hits was particularly important for a new generation discovering The Police in the 90s, as their music saw a resurgence thanks to Sting’s solo success, nostalgia for the early MTV era, and the rise of bands like Sublime, No Doubt, and Rancid, all of whom owed something to The Police’s reggae-punk fusion.
Greatest Hits serves as both an essential primer for newcomers and a compact reminder of how much ground The Police covered in just a five-album career. Their ability to blend genres, write hits, and experiment with sound—all while keeping it accessible—makes them one of the most important bands of the late 20th century.
Remastered at Abbey Road Studios
Brand new, never played and still in the factory plastic sealed
Track Listing
Roxanne
Can’t Stand Losing You
So Lonely
Message In A Bottle
Walking On The Moon
The Bed’s Too Big Without You
Don’t Stand So Close To Me
De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da
Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
Invisible Sun
Spirits In The Material World
Synchronicity II
Every Breath You Take
King Of Pain
Wrapped Around Your Finger
Tea In The Sahara
