Though they came out of a jazz and reggae background, The Police would go on to become one of the most successful and critically acclaimed rock groups of the '80s. The band's music would be tagged as New Wave early on, though it never sounded much like the other bands in that genre. Ultimately, they would develop their own unique sound, and give singer and frontman Sting a place to expand his songwriting abilities before setting out on a successful solo career of his own.

The Police were formed in 1977 in London by Stewart Copeland and Gordon Sumner, who went by the stage name Sting. The band's founding members each had quirky backgrounds. Copeland was the son of a CIA agent who had gotten involved in a prog band called Curved Air and found himself moving from America to England. Sumner had worked as a teacher and ditch-digger, performing at night in jazz clubs. Guitarist Henri Padovani rounded out the band. Though their music didn't really lend itself to the punk scene, they advertised themselves as such early on, appearing in a gum commercial and drawing the ire of actual punk bands.

Padovani would leave and be replaced by Andy Summers. With Summers, Copeland and Sting released "Roxanne," their first big hit single. No one noticed it at first, but it was re-released after their debut album was issued in 1978, and it became a smash hit. "Message in a Bottle," another hit, would top the charts for weeks as well.

As the '80s wore on, the band seemed to get even more popular. But in 1983 they released their fifth and final album before tensions between the band members forced them into early retirement.