1983 Hit Ballad That Spent 8 Weeks at No. 1 Ranked Greatest Classic Rock Song of Summer
Back in the summer of 1983, The Police's "Every Breath You Take" dominated the airwaves. You couldn't take one step or make one move without hearing that instantly recognizable opening riff and those too often misunderstood lyrics.
Released on May 20, 1983, the track spent eight whole weeks in the coveted No. 1 spot on Billboard's Hot 100, becoming the band's sole No. 1 and the best song of 1983. So, it's easy to see why the moody ballad was also ranked the greatest of all time classic rock song of summer by the same music authority.
But there's gotta be a twist, right? Yep, there is. "Every Breath You Take" is often interpreted by listeners as a romantic soft rock tune, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Sting himself has actually gone on the record, explaining that the song is about a stalker. He even called the hit "a nasty little song" and "really rather evil."
"It's about jealousy and surveillance and ownership," Sting, who wrote the song after separating from his first wife, Frances Tomelty, explained in a 1983 interview with New Musical Express, via Songfacts. "I think the ambiguity is intrinsic in the song however you treat it because the words are so sadistic. On one level, it's a nice long song with the classic relative minor chords, and underneath there's this distasteful character talking about watching every move. I enjoy that ambiguity. I watched Andy Gibb singing it with some girl on TV a couple of weeks ago, very loving, and totally misinterpreting it. [Laughter] I could still hear the words, which aren't about love at all. I pissed myself laughing."
Released as the lead single off what would become The Police's final album, Synchronicity, "Every Breath You Take" soared to the chart pinnacle, where it stayed for eight weeks, with Michael Jackson's Billie Jean holding steady at No. 2 for seven weeks. The song also earned Sting, guitarist Andy Summers, and drummer Stewart Copeland two Grammys.
In 1997, Puff Daddy sampled The Police's song in his tribute to the Notorious B.I.G., "I'll Be Missing You." The combined total weeks of both songs at No. 1 makes "Every Breath You Take" the longest-running No. 1 tune in Hot 100 history. So, of course, The Police had to perform the hit when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003.
More than 40 years later, the emotional ballad remains one of the most-played songs in radio and streaming history. It's one of those rare tracks that feels comforting, unsettling, and deeply nostalgic all at once. And with summer right around the corner, there's a good chance "Every Breath You Take" will once again be blasting through car speakers, backyard parties, and classic rock playlists.
Related: 1981 Iconic Ballad Became the Longest-Running No. 2 Hit in Rock History
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This story was originally published May 13, 2026 at 3:07 PM.