December 31. Andy Summers is born in Poulton-le-Fylde, England. He becomes a member of Soft Machine and later a journeyman guitarist who plays in the backing bands of Neil Sedaka and David Essex, among others.

October 2. Sting is born Gordon Sumner in Wallsend, Tyne & Wear, England. As well as working as a schoolteacher, he plays bass in a number of local bands. He gets his nickname from his familiar yellow-and-black striped sweater.

July 16. Stewart Copeland is born in Alexandria, Egypt. After a nomadic childhood spent growing up around the Middle East, he relocates to England and joins progressive rock band Curved Air.

January. Having previously met in Newcastle where Sting was playing bass with Last Exit and Copeland was touring with Curved Air, the pair reunite in London and form a band. Original guitarist Henri Padovani appears on their first independent single, "Fall Out."

June. Andy Summers joins the band. Padovani later quits, leaving the Police a threesome.

February. The band appear as a punk group in an American TV advertisement for Wrigley’s Chewing Gum. They have to dye their hair blonde for the commercial and decide to keep the look.

October. The Police kick off their first American tour at New York’s CBGB club.

May. With "Roxanne" reaching No. 12 in the UK and No. 32 in the US, the group’s Outlandos d’Amour debut hits No. 23 in the American charts.

August. Sting appears as Ace in the film adaptation of the Who’s Quadrophenia.

October. Reggatta de Blanc tops the UK charts and later goes to No. 25 in the U.S.

January. The Police kick off a 37-city world tour in Buffalo, NY. During the trek, they become the first Western pop act to perform in Bombay, India.

October. Third album Zenyatta Mondatta tops the UK charts.

January. "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" becomes the band’s first Top 10 hit in the U.S., while Zenyatta Mondatta peaks at No. 5.

December. "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" goes to No. 3 in the US.

January. The band is considered one of the most successful of the still-jelling MTV generation. Their musicianship is impeccable, full of subtleties that belie the band’s punk origins. Drummer Copeland is particularly clever in his appropriation of various rhythms from around the world. Their videos are among the music channel’s most popular. Ghost in the Machine begins a six-week stay at No. 2 on the U.S. album charts.

July. Stewart Copeland writes the soundtrack to the Matt Dillon film Rumble Fish. The band members undertake a number of solo projects during the year. Sting sings "Spread a Little Happiness" for his film Brimstone & Treacle, and Summers and Robert Fripp record I Advance Masked.

July. "Every Breath You Take" becomes the band's first U.S. chart-topper. It later wins Grammy awards for Song of the Year and Best Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. The accompanying album Synchronicity also tops the charts, where it stays for 17 weeks.

August. The Police play New York’s Shea Stadium, one of their biggest concerts yet.

June. Sting releases his first solo album, Dream of the Blue Turtles.

July. The Police begin rehearsing for a new album, but the sessions are called off as Sting decides to concentrate on acting and solo work. The band’s re-recorded “Don’t Stand So Close to Me” appears on this year’s compilation Every Breath You Take: The Singles.