Synchronicity
With the release of 1983'sSynchronicity, their fifth and final studio album, the Police were briefly the biggest rock band in the world. As such, it's a suitably overblown representation of their stature. Gone are previous albums' love ditties set to danceable Caribbean pop and new wave; in their place are the pretentious conceptualism of the title, the grand strokes of chart-friendly drama, and rock-star brooding found in the record's three top-ten hits, "Wrapped Around Your Finger," "King of Pain," and the undeniable classic, "Every Breath You Take." The newfound seriousness spurred multiplatinum sales, convincing Sting it was time to go solo.--Roni Sarig