# The 1981 album that left Sting “terrible to work with”

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/the-1981-album-that-left-sting-terrible-to-work-with/
- Published: 2026-07-27T08:00:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-07-27T23:26:52+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/1981-album-sting-became-terrible-to-work-with/
- Topics: Entertainment, Music

## Key points

- *Ghost in the Machine* intensified tensions within The Police.
- Sting linked the sessions to becoming difficult to work with.
- The album succeeded despite the strained recording process.

## Summary

The article examines The Police’s 1981 album *Ghost in the Machine*, arguing that its recording marked a worsening of tensions within the band. Sting later described the period as making him “terrible to work with”, reflecting the personal strain, creative pressure and deteriorating relationships surrounding the sessions.

Despite the difficult atmosphere, the album was commercially successful and produced major songs including ‘Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic’. It was The Police’s fourth studio album, following a run of successful records, but its troubled creation foreshadowed the conflicts that would continue through 1983’s *Synchronicity* and precede the group’s split.

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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.