Roxanne (The Police song)Sting singles chronologyAlternative coverUK 1979 reissueAudio sampleMusic video"Roxanne" on YouTube"Roxanne" is a song by the English rock band the Police. The song was written by lead singer and bassist Sting and was released as a single on 14 April 1978, in advance of their debut album Outlandos d'Amour, released on 17 November. It was written from the point of view of a man who falls in love with a prostitute.
Sting (musician)Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner (born 2 October 1951), known as Sting, is an English musician, songwriter and actor. He was the lead vocalist, principal songwriter and bassist for the rock band the Police (1977–1984, 1986, 2007–2008). He began a solo career in 1985, after leaving the Police, and has included elements of rock, jazz, reggae, classical, new-age, and worldbeat in his music.
Outlandos d'AmourSingles from Outlandos d'Amour "Roxanne"Released: 7 April 1978"Can't Stand Losing You"Released: 18 August 1978"So Lonely"Released: 24 November 1978Outlandos d'Amour is the debut studio album by the English rock band the Police, released on 17 November 1978 by A&M Records. Elevated by the success of its lead single, "Roxanne", Outlandos d'Amour peaked at No. 6 on the UK Albums Chart and at No. 23 on the Billboard 200.
UK Albums ChartThe Official Albums Chart is the United Kingdom's industry-recognised national record chart for albums. Entries are ranked by sales and audio streaming. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts Company (OCC) on Fridays (previously Sundays).
Rock musicBroad genre of popular musicRock music is a genre of popular music that originated in the United States as "rock and roll" in the late 1940s and early 1950s, developing into a range of styles from the late 50s to mid-1960s, primarily in the United States and United Kingdom. It has its roots beginning as classic rock and roll, a style that drew from the African-American musical genres of blues and rhythm and blues, as well as from country music.
New wave musicNew wave is a music genre encompassing pop-oriented styles that emerged in the United States and United Kingdom in the mid- to late 1970s. The term was initially synonymous with punk rock but soon branched off into its own distinct style: a lighter and more melodic "broadening of punk culture", in contrast to the more atmospheric sounds of post-punk.
Andy SummersAndrew James Summers (born 31 December 1942) is an English guitarist best known as a member of the rock band the Police. Prior to joining the Police, Summers had been a member of several bands during the 1960s, including Zoot Money's Big Roll Band, Dantalian's Chariot, Soft Machine, and the Animals. He spent the first half of the 1970s furthering his musical education, before returning to professional work in 1975, eventually joining the Police two years later.
Stewart CopelandStewart Armstrong Copeland (born July 16, 1952) is an American musician and composer who was the drummer of the English rock band the Police (1977–1984, 1986, 2007–2008). Before the Police, he played drums with the progressive rock band Curved Air (1975–1976).
Reggae rockReggae rock, also known as Cali reggae, is a subgenre of reggae fusion and rock music that primarily features the reggae, rock, and ska genres. Typical lyrics of reggae rock songs incorporate love, personal awareness, and life challenges while incorporating music and beat elements of rock, punk, and hip-hop.
LondonLondon is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of 9.14 million people in 2025. Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Western Europe, with a population of 15.4 million. London stands on the River Thames in southeast England, at the head of a 50-mile (80 km) tidal estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a major settlement for nearly 2,000 years.Post-punkPost-punk (or postpunk) is a loosely defined music genre and period that emerged in the late 1970s in the wake of punk rock. The concept was originally outlined by Jon Savage in his "New Musick" editorial for Sounds magazine in November 1977. The term has been noted for lacking a universally agreed-upon definition.
Punk rockMusic genrePunk rock (or simply punk) is a genre of rock music that emerged in the mid-1970s. Rooted in 1950s rock and roll and 1960s garage rock, punk bands rejected the overproduction and corporate nature of mainstream arena rock. They typically produce short, fast-paced songs with rough, stripped-down vocals and instrumentation, and anti-establishment themes.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.