Message in a Bottle ( song ) - wikipedia Message in a Bottle ( song ) `` Message in a Bottle '' Single by The Police from the album Reggatta de Blanc B - side `` Landlord '' Released 21 September 1979 Format 7 '' single Recorded 1979 Genre Reggae rock new wave post-punk Length 4 : 51 Label A&M Songwriter ( s ) Sting Producer ( s ) Nigel Gray The Police The Police singles chronology `` So Lonely '' ( 1978 ) `` Message in a Bottle '' ( 1979 ) `` Walking on the Moon '' ( 1979 ) `` So Lonely '' ( 1978 ) `` Message in a Bottle '' ( 1979 ) `` Walking on the Moon '' ( 1979 ) Audio sample file help Alternative cover US 7 - inch cover `` Message in a Bottle '' is a song by English rock band The Police. It was released as the lead single from their second studio album, Reggatta de Blanc ( 1979 ). Written by the band 's lead singer and bassist Sting, the song is ostensibly about a story of a castaway on an island, who sends out a message in a bottle to seek love. A year later, he has not received any sort of response, and despairs, thinking he is destined to be alone. The next day, he sees `` a hundred billion bottles '' on the shore, finding out that there are more people like him out there. American rock band American Hi - Fi performed a cover of the song for the 2003 film Rugrats Go Wild. The song was the first of their five UK number one singles. Rolling Stone ranked it number 65 on its list of the `` 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time ''. Contents 1 Background 2 Composition 3 Personnel 3.1 Track listing 4 Chart performance 4.1 Weekly charts 4.2 Year - end charts 5 References 6 External links Background According to the band 's guitarist, Andy Summers, the guitar riff that `` Message in a Bottle '' is centred around was originally used for a different song. During the band 's first American tour, however, he reworked the song and slightly altered the riff, becoming the final version of the song. In addition to the core riff, Summers came up with, as Sting described, `` lovely arpeggiated shiver '' during the break prior to the third verse. Sting praised this addition saying, `` He 'd ( Summers ) do that -- the song would be quite raw and he 'd just add these lovely colours. '' The song was recorded at Surrey Sound Studios as part of the sessions for the Reggatta de Blanc album. Stewart Copeland 's drumming, praised as his `` finest drum track '' by Summers, was `` overdubbed ( from ) about six different parts. '' The Police debuted the song on live television on the BBC 's Rock Goes to College, filmed at Hatfield Polytechnic College in Hertfordshire, England. The Police donated all money earned from the show to the college. The song was released as the first single from Reggatta de Blanc in September 1979. The song was a massive success in Britain, becoming The Police 's first number one hit in the UK Singles Chart. The song also topped the charts in Ireland and reached number 5 in Australia. Despite its popularity in the UK, the single only reached number 74 in the United States. An alternative `` classic rock '' mix is available on Every Breath You Take : The Classics. The song 's B - side, `` Landlord '', was written by Sting ( lyrics ) and Copeland ( music ). Sting said of its inspiration, `` I wrote that after Frances and I were thrown out of the house we were renting in London. I hated the idea of somebody fucking my life up like that. Stewart ( Copeland ) wrote the music. '' The song originally featured lyrics by Copeland, but they were replaced by Sting 's. `` Message in a Bottle '' is also a personal favourite of the members of the band. In addition to saying it was his favourite song in an interview with Jools Holland of the BBC, Sting described it as a `` good song '', and also said that he was `` very proud '' of it. Copeland said it was `` one of our ( The Police 's ) best moments in the studio and always great on stage. '' Summers described the track as a personal favourite in his book One Train Later, and said, `` For me, it 's still the best song Sting ever came up with and the best Police track. '' ' Message in a Bottle ' is a good song. That can move me. I like the idea that while it 's about loneliness and alienation it 's also about finding solace and other people going through the same thing. The guy 's on a desert island and throws a bottle out to sea saying he 's alone and all these millions of bottles come back saying, So what So am I ! I like the fact that the whole deal is clinched by the third verse. It makes a journey. -- Sting, Q, November 1993 The Police performed at Live Earth, a 2007 charity concert to raise awareness of global warming and other environmental hazards, and performed `` Message in a Bottle '' as the US finale, with John Mayer playing guitar with Andy Summers and Kanye West performing a rap verse over the chorus of the song. Composition The song exemplifies the reggae / post-punk style of early Police. It is composed in the key of C ♯ minor with a chord progression of C # m9 - Amaj9 - B7 - F # m. Personnel Stewart Copeland -- drums Sting -- bass guitar, lead and backing vocals Andy Summers -- guitar Track listing A&M / AMS 7474 `` Message in a Bottle '' -- 3 : 50 ( This edit has yet to appear on CD anywhere ) `` Landlord '' -- 3 : 09 Chart performance This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( January 2018 ) Weekly charts Chart ( 1979 -- 80 ) Peak position Australia 5 Austrian Top 40 24 Belgium ( Ultratop Top 50 ) 5 Canada France Germany 35 Ireland Italy 21 The Netherlands New Zealand 11 South Africa 5 Spain Sweden 20 UK US Billboard Hot 100 74 US Cash Box Top 100 62 Year - end charts Chart ( 1979 ) Rank Belgium 53 Netherlands ( Dutch Top 40 ) 37 UK 11 Chart ( 1980 ) Rank Australia 40 Canada 34 France 19 Italy 80 Spain 6 References Jump up ^ `` The Police UK chart history ''. Official Charts.com. 20 October 2016. ^ Jump up to : `` ' Message in a Bottle ' / ' Landlord ' ''. sting.com. Jump up ^ Shaun Keaveny ( 2010 ). R2D2 Lives in Preston : The Best of BBC 6 Music 's Toast the Nation !. p. 125. Pan Macmillan, ^ Jump up to : `` POLICE Artist ''. Official Charts. Archived from the original on 26 October 2011. Retrieved 28 March 2014. Jump up ^ Robinson, Joe. `` Top 10 Police Songs ''. Ultimate Classic Rock. Jump up ^ Kent, David ( 1993 ). Australian Chart Book 1970 -- 1992. Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0 - 646 - 11917 - 6. ^ Jump up to : Steffen Hung. `` The Police -- Message in a Bottle ''. swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 12 February 2014. Jump up ^ `` Item Display -- RPM -- Library and Archives Canada ''. Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 24 February 2014. Retrieved 12 February 2014. Jump up ^ `` The Police Chart History ( Hot 100 ) ''. Billboard. Jump up ^ `` Archived copy ''. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 2015 - 03 - 07. Jump up ^ `` Chart Archive -- 1970s Singles ''. everyHit.com. Retrieved October 10, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Archived copy ''. Archived from the original on 25 April 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2016. Jump up ^ `` Archived copy ''. Archived from the original on 7 April 2016. Retrieved 2016 - 05 - 16. External links `` '' Message in a Bottle '' entry at Songfacts ``. The Police Stewart Copeland Sting Andy Summers Henry Padovani Studio albums Outlandos d'Amour Reggatta de Blanc Zenyatta Mondatta Ghost in the Machine Synchronicity Live albums Live ! Certifiable : Live in Buenos Aires Compilations Every Breath You Take : The Singles Greatest Hits Every Breath You Take : The Classics The Very Best of Sting & The Police The Police Boxed sets Six Pack Message in a Box : The Complete Recordings Singles `` Fall Out '' `` Roxanne '' `` Ca n't Stand Losing You '' `` So Lonely '' `` Message in a Bottle '' `` Walking on the Moon '' `` Bring On the Night '' `` The Bed 's Too Big Without You '' `` Do n't Stand So Close to Me '' `` De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da '' `` Invisible Sun '' `` Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic '' `` Spirits in the Material World '' `` Secret Journey '' `` Every Breath You Take '' `` Wrapped Around Your Finger '' `` Synchronicity II '' `` King of Pain '' `` Do n't Stand So Close to Me ' 86 '' `` When the World Is Running Down, You Make the Best of What 's Still Around '' ( Different Gear vs. The Police ) Other songs `` Next to You '' `` Reggatta de Blanc '' `` Driven to Tears '' `` Behind My Camel '' `` Demolition Man '' `` Synchronicity I '' `` Tea in the Sahara '' `` De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da ' 86 '' Tours The Police Around the World Tour Zenyatta Mondatta Tour Ghost in the Machine Tour Synchronicity Tour A Conspiracy of Hope Tour The Police Reunion Tour Related articles Discography Songs Strontium 90 Strontium 90 : Police Academy Brimstone & Treacle ¡ Policia ! : A Tribute to the Police Everyone Stares Book Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Message_in_a_Bottle_(song)&oldid=852780362 '' Categories : The Police songs 1979 singles English songs Songs written by Sting ( musician ) 1979 songs Song recordings produced by Nigel Gray A&M Records singles Hidden categories : EngvarB from May 2015 Use dmy dates from May 2015 Articles with hAudio microformats Articles needing additional references from January 2018 All articles needing additional references Singlechart usages for Billboardhot100 Singlechart called without song All articles with failed verification Articles with failed verification from October 2016 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Čeština Español Euskara Français Italiano ქართული Nederlands 日本 語 Polski Português 3 more Edit links This page was last edited on 31 July 2018, at 09 : 29 ( UTC ). 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Question: who sang the song message in a bottle
Answer: Sting