The 2009 album that made Sting want to vomit: “The dark hours”
Sting resisted his record company’s push to turn his 2009 album *If on a Winter’s Night…* into a major Christmas release, saying the suggestion nearly made him vomit. He had intended to explore winter’s darker, reflective mood through folk and classical music, rather than make a seasonal pop record.
The album followed *Songs from the Labyrinth*, his collaboration with lutenist Edin Karamazov on music by John Dowland. Sting said the “dark hours” of winter offer a chance to reflect and reassess, and the finished record drew on traditional tunes about the broader winter season. The article presents the project as an example of Sting following his musical interests despite label pressure.
- Sting rejected the label’s push for a Christmas album.
- His 2009 record explored winter through folk and classical music.
- He wanted its mood to be reflective, not a holiday gimmick.
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Sting is an English singer and songwriter who first became widely known as the frontman of the rock band the Police, before pursuing a solo career. His solo work has included projects that look back to older musical traditions, as well as pop and rock.
The album followed his collaboration with lutenist Edin Karamazov on songs by the 16th-century English composer John Dowland. Its winter theme drew on traditional music and treated the season as a time for reflection, rather than focusing on Christmas.
The story also touches on the relationship between musicians and record companies, which may promote releases in ways they think will reach more listeners. Sting’s approach shows how an artist’s own interests can shape a record even when they differ from that commercial pressure.