# In 1978, ‘Roxanne’ looked like it was going to be another flop for The Police. One little white lie changed everything

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/in-1978-roxanne-looked-like-it-was-going-to-be-another-flop-for-the-police-one-little-white-lie-changed-everything/
- Published: 2026-11-01T11:36:35+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-01T12:40:40+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-police-lie-the-public-for-their-breakthrough-hit-1978/
- Topics: Music

## Key points

- The Police said “Roxanne” was banned, though it had only missed the playlist.
- The claim helped attract attention during the punk era.
- The single later reached number 12 in the UK.

## Summary

The Police portrayed “Roxanne” as banned by the BBC after it failed to make Radio One’s playlist, turning the lack of airplay into a story of punk-era rebellion. The article says the claim helped draw attention to the single and strengthen the band’s profile when their early releases had struggled.

The BBC had not banned “Roxanne”; its DJs simply did not select it for broadcast. The band repeated the tactic when “Can’t Stand Losing You” also received little airplay. “Roxanne” later reached number 12 in the UK, became a signature song and, according to the article, has surpassed a billion Spotify plays.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.