These are the results of the 5th (1997) annual Police Mailing List survey,
as computed by Nina Cornwell. There were a total of 76 respondents
this year.
Q1 - How much do you like (The Police, Stewart Copeland, Sting, Andy
Summers)?The Police
- 67% of people either rated the Police a 10, 9 or 8 with 21% giving a
10, 32% giving a 9 and 15% giving an 8.
- the only other responses were 30% giving a 7 and 3% giving a 5
- the overall mean rating was 8.38
Stewart Copeland
- 37% are not familiar with his work
- 17% gave a top 3 box rating (7%(10), 4%(9), 6%(8))
- the majority gave a 5, 6, or a 7 for a total of 36% giving one of
these ratings
- 8% gave a bottom 3 box rating (1% (3), 7%(2))
- Stewart's overall mean was 6.5
Sting
- An overwhelming 78% gave Sting a top 3 box rating with 29% giving a
10 and 40% giving a 9
- 21% gave a middle box rating (5, 6, or 7)
- Only 1 person does not like Sting giving a rating of a 3.
- overall mean was 8.55
Andy Summers
- 37% are not familiar with his work
- 17% gave a top 3 box rating
- most gave a middle 3 box rating (36%)
- 7% gave a bottom 3 box rating
- the most frequent answer (besides not familiar) was a 7 (he's one of
my favorite artists) with 16%.
- overall mean was 6.64
*** comparing across these four, it is obvious that Sting is the most
liked, with The Police following. Stewart and Andy are pretty even.
Q.7 - Have you ever seen (The Police, Stewart Copeland, Sting, Andy
Summers) live?The Police
Yes - 20% (predictably, 40% of people 26 or older have seen them live,
while only 3% of those 25 & under have)
No - 76%
No Answer - 4%
Stewart Copeland
Yes - 15%
No - 54%
No Answer - 31%
Sting
Yes - 71%
No - 24%
No Answer - 5%
Andy Summers
Yes - 22%
No - 51%
No Answer - 27%
** Again Sting comes up first. Almost 3/4 of people have seen Sting
live. All others are much farther behind, all around 20%. People who
have seen Andy is higher than Stewart's probably due to his recent tour.
Q.8 - How long have you been a fan? (I am just showing the mean # of
years, the ranges were from 1 to 19 years for all members)
The Police - 10.47
Stewart - 11.06
Sting - 9.70
Andy - 10.37
** Strangely Stewart comes out tops here. This was probably due to
people counting being a fan of the Police into their time as a
Stewart/Andy fan. Sting is lower because of the strictly Sting fans in
the survey.
Q.2 - What is your favorite album?
Q.3 - What are your 3 favorite songs/compositions?
Q.4 - What is your least favorite album?
Q.5 - What are your 3 least favorite songs/compositions?
Q.6 - What is your favorite videoclip?THE POLICEFavorite Album:
Synchronicity 40%
Regatta De Blanc 16% (25% of 25 or under picked this,
while only 6% of 26+ did)
Ghost in the Machine 13% (21% of 26+ picked this, while only 5% of
under 25 did)
Outlandos D'Amour 12%
Zenyatta Mondatta 8%
Message in a Box (disc 4) 3%
Live 3%
EBYT - The Singles 3%
Bring on the Night 1%
Least Favorite Album:
Zenyatta Mondatta 24%
Outlandos D'Amour 16%
Ghost in the Machine 13%
Synchronicity 9% (18% of age 26+ picked this as their least
fav, while only 3% of under 25 did)
Regatta De Blanc 5%
EBYT - The Singles 4%
Live 1%
Strontium 90 1%
** Only the top responses will be given for favorite/least favorite
songs/favorite videoclip
Favorite songs/compositions:
Every Little Thing... 28%
Message in a Bottle 25%
King of Pain 24%
Every Breath You Take 22%
So Lonely 21%
Wrapped Around Your Finger 18%
Roxanne 13% (21% age 26+ picked this as their favorite,
only 5% of 25 and under did)
Bed's Too Big w/Out You 11%
Synchronicity II 9%
Walking on the Moon 9%
Bring on the Night 9%
Least Favorite Songs/Compositions:
Mother 38%
Be My Girl/Sally 12%
Friends 11%
Behind My Camel 11%
Peanuts 9%
Miss Gradenko 8%
A Kind of Loving 8%
Too Much Information 7%
Favorite Videoclip:
Wrapped Around Your Finger 15%
Every Breath You Take 13%
Don't Stand So Close To Me 12%
Synchronicity II 12%
Every Little Thing ... 7% (15% of 26+, but none 25 & under
picked this - probably because older
people are more likely to have seen the video)
* percentages for albums, songs and videoclips for Stewart and Andy are
based off of those familiar with them.
STEWART COPELAND (46 familiar with his work)
Favorite album:
Klark Kent 11%
The Rhythmatist 9%
Rumblefish 4%
The Leopard's Son 4%
Animal Logic 2%
Equalizer 2%
Wall Street 2%
Least Favorite Album:
The Rhythmatist 7%
Animal Logic 4%
Equalizer 2%
Music for Rapa Nui 2%
Rumblefish 2%
Favorite Songs/Compositions:
Miss Gradenko 9%
Darkness 9%
Does Everyone Stare 7%
Bombs Away 4%
On Any Other Day 4%
Don't Box Me In 4%
Oh Bolilla 2%
Theme for Kinetic Ritual 2%
Other Way of Stopping 2%
Too Kool to Kalypso 2%
Thief in the House of Love 2%
Least Favorite Songs/Compositions:
Miss Gradenko 4%
*Each of the following mentioned by one person:
Equalizer Theme, Kotecha, Gong Rock, Love Lessons, Other Way of
Stopping, Fall Out, A Sermon, Nothing Achieving
Favorite Videoclip:
*all of these mentioned by one person:
Police @ the World - silly interview, Police @ the World - by pyramids,
Montserrat, Walking on the Moon, The Rhythmatist, Every Little Thing She
Does is Magic, Don't Box Me In
STING (all were familiar with his work)
Favorite Album:
Nothing Like the Sun 28% (picked by 42% of 26+ but only 18% of 25 &
under)
The Soul Cages 25%
Ten Summoner's Tales 16%
Dream of the Blue Turtles 13%
Mercury Falling 9% (liked more by 25 & under - 18%, but none of
26+)
Bring on the Night 5%
Greatest Hits 3%
Least Favorite Album:
Mercury Falling 26%
The Soul Cages 15%
Dream of the Blue Turtles 12%
Nothing Like the Sun 11%
Ten Summoner's Tales 7%
Bring on the Night 1%
Greatest Hits 1%
Living Sea 1%
Favorite Songs/Compositions:
Why Should I Cry for You 20%
Fortress Around Your Heart 20%
Fields of Gold 18%
Fragile 16%
Shape of My Heart 13%
I Was Brought to My Senses 13%
Moon Over Bourbon Street 13% (27% of people 26 or older picked
this, but no one 25 & under did)
Be Still My Beating Heart 13%
Mad About You 12%
All This Time 12%
If I Ever Lose My Faith In You 11%
Sister Moon 9%
Least Favorite Songs/Compositions:
We'll Be Together 20% (this was picked by 31% of
the males, but only 11% of females)
I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying 9%
Russians 9%
Secret Marriage 9% (this was picked by 14% of females,
but only 6% of males)
Lithium Sunset 8%
Valapraiso 7%
La Belle Dame Sans Regret 7%
St. Augustine In Hell 7% (14% of females picked this, while no
males did)
Rock Steady 7%
Favorite Videoclip:
If I Ever Lose My Faith In You 12%
We'll Be Together 12%
Fortress Around Your Heart 8% (18% of 26+ picked this,
while no one 25 & under did)
Demolition Man 4%
When We Dance 4%
Fields of Gold 4%
They Dance Alone 4%
ANDY SUMMERS (45 familiar with his work)
Favorite Album:
World Gone Strange 11%
XYZ 7%
The Golden Wire 4%
Charming Snakes 4%
Synaesthesia 2%
I Advance Masked 2%
Last Dance of Mr. X 2%
Bewitched 2%
Mysterious Barracades 2%
Least Favorite Album:
XYZ 4%
I Advance Masked 4%
Synaesthesia 2%
The Golden Wire 2%
Invisible Threads 2%
Bewitched 2%
Favorite Songs/Compositions:
Someone to Talk To 13%
Mother 9%
Omegaman 7%
*all mentioned by one person:
Piya Tose, Friends, The Three Marias, The Blues Prior to Richard, Be My
Girl/Sally, Nowhere, Rainmaker, But She, Blue for Snake, Bacchante,
World Gone Strange, Passion of the Shadow, Mexico 1920, Murder by
Numbers
Least Favorite Songs/Compositions:
Mother 20%
Friends 4%
Ruffled Feathers 4%
*all mentioned by one person:
2010, Innocence Falls Prey, Nowhere, Shambelle
Favorite Videoclip:
Walking on the Moon 7%
Love is the Strangest Way 4%
*all mentioned by one person:
'83 Interview w/Mike Smith, Don't Stand So Close to Me, I Advance Masked
REUNION
Q.1 - Do you think the Police will reunite?
No 25%
Only for some special occasion 54% *** definitely the winner
They will record another song together 3%
They will record another album 4%
They will go on a reunion tour 4%
They will record an album and go on tour 1%
They will reunite for a long while, make many albums and tours 1%
No Answer/Don't Know 8%
Q.2 - When do you think this reunion will happen?
Within the next 3 years 37%
About 5-10 years from now 29%
Never 24%
No Answer 11%
Q.3 - Do you think the Police should reunite? Why?
46% of people thought the Police should reunite, 36% didn't and the
remainder were neutral or didn't know.
The majority of people that thought the Police should reunite, want them
to so that they can see them. The other biggest reason was because the
members have honed their skills and they would be much better now.
There were many reasons people thought they should not reunite, such as
the members have drifted apart musically, we would be disappointed with
their performance, would spoil their reputation/memories and it's in the
past.
MUSIC IN GENERAL
Q.1 - What are your 10 favorite musical acts?
*a total of 294 musical acts were mentioned, here are the tops:
The Police 80%
Sting 72%
Peter Gabriel 24%
U2 22%
Beatles 18% (mentioned by 31% of females, but
only 8% of males)
Eric Clapton 12%
Andy Summers 11%
Radiohead 11%
Billy Joel 9%
Oasis 9%
Pink Floyd 9%
Eagles 8% (mentioned by 17% of females, no
males)
Phil Collins 8%
Artist Formerly Known as Prince 7%
George Michael 7%
Stewart Copeland 7%
Paul Simon 7%
REM 7%
Paul Weller 7%
David Bowie 7%
Elton John 7%
Crowded House 7%
Led Zeppelin 5%
Depeche Mode 5%
Dave Matthews Band 5%
Supertramp 5%
Bruce Spingsteen 5%
Genesis 5%
Q.2 - Does your interest in the Police prompt you to seek out works by
people who worked with them?
Yes 49%
No 43%
No Answer 8%
Q.3 - How musically active are you?
I listen to music 46%
I sing/play an instrument in private 38%
I sing/play in a band 3%
I sing/play in a band that actually plays in public/recorded a demo 7%
No Answer 6%
POLICE AND THE INTERNET
Q.1 - Where did you see this survey?
Police Mailing List 67%
Sting etc. Web Page 9%
alt.music.the.police 7%
A Web Page (non-specified) 5%
alt.fan.sting 5%
Q.2 - How actively do you participate in the police mailing list?
I am not a member 20%
I lurk 16%
I post sometimes 47%
I post frequently 11%
Q.3 - How actively do you participate in alt.fan.sting?
I never see it 58%
I lurk 22%
I post sometimes 12%
I post frequently 1%
Q.4 - How actively do you participate in alt.music.the.police?
I never see it 61%
I lurk 20%
I post sometimes 11%
I post frequently 1%
Q.5 - How actively do you participate in police-related www activity?
I don't 13%
I've browsed a page or two 38%
I check out everything I can find 29%
I mail comments to page maintainers 1%
I have my own web page 9%
GENERAL & PERSONAL
Q.1 - Gender
Male 47%
Female 47%
No Answer 6%
Q.2 - Age
The youngest respondent was 15, while the oldest was 67. The mean age
was 26.32, with females who participated being a little older (28.72)
compared to males (24).
Q.3 - Profession/Major
57% of respondents were employed, while 34% were students. There were a
wide range of professions and majors. The top mentioned professions
include marketing, software analyst/developer, engineer, graphic
designer, journalist/writer, web designer, artist, and teacher. The top
mentioned majors were economics, those in high school, music, psychology
and english literature.