Career Timeline of Stewart Copeland: Major Achievements and Milestones

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: April 20, 2026

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Stewart Copeland made an impact.

Stewart Copeland is an American musician and composer, most famous as the drummer for the rock band The Police. Prior to joining The Police, Copeland played drums for the progressive rock band Curved Air from 1975 to 1976. His energetic and distinctive drumming style was a key element of The Police's sound and success.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements

1978: Invention of Tama Drums Octobans

In 1978, Tama Drums invented Octobans, consisting of eight six-inch drums in the shape of narrow tubes. In the 1980s, Stewart Copeland added these to his drum kit.

August 21, 2009: Unveiling of "Retail Therapy" at SummerFest 2009

On August 21, 2009, Stewart Copeland unveiled his composition "Retail Therapy", commissioned by the Music Society, at SummerFest 2009. He also performed three additional original works: "Kaya", "Celeste", and "Gene Pool", the latter with percussion ensemble red fish blue fish. He participated in a composer's roundtable and Q&A session during the festival.

September 2009: Release of Strange Things Happen: A Life with The Police, Polo, and Pygmies

In September 2009, Copeland's memoir, Strange Things Happen: A Life with The Police, Polo, and Pygmies, was released by HarperCollins. The book chronicles his life from childhood, through his time with The Police, up to the present.

September 17, 2009: Premiere of Ben-Hur

On September 17, 2009, Copeland's score for the theatrical presentation of Ben-Hur premiered at the O2 Arena in London. He also provided English-language narration for the production, which was performed in Latin and Aramaic.

October 2009: Guest on Private Passions

In October 2009, Stewart Copeland was a guest on Private Passions, a biographical music discussion program on BBC Radio 3.

May 24, 2011: YouTube Channel Launch

On May 24, 2011, Stewart Copeland launched a YouTube channel devoted to his videos and project updates, where he uploads performances with various musicians from his home studio, the Sacred Grove.

August 24, 2011: Featured Soloist on Late Show with David Letterman

On August 24, 2011, Stewart Copeland was a featured soloist on the Late Show with David Letterman, during their second "Drum Solo Week".

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January 10, 2012: Appearance on Storage Wars

On January 10, 2012, Stewart Copeland appeared on an episode of the A&E reality series Storage Wars to appraise a drum set for Barry Weiss, purchasing a Turkish cymbal from the set for $40.

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May 2013: Premiere of The Tale Tell Heart

In May 2013, Stewart Copeland and the Long Beach Opera premiered The Tale Tell Heart, an opera based on the short story by Edgar Allan Poe.

November 26, 2013: Appearance on The Tim Ferriss Experiment

On November 26, 2013, Stewart Copeland appeared in the first episode of The Tim Ferriss Experiment.

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2016: Previous collaboration with Ricky Kej

In 2016, Ricky Kej and Stewart Copeland previously collaborated on a song, prior to their work on Divine Tides.

2017: Reformation of Gizmodrome and Album Release

In 2017, Stewart Copeland reformed Gizmodrome as a supergroup with Adrian Belew, Vittorio Cosma, and Mark King, and they released an album of the same name, Gizmodrome. The album reached No. 14 on the UK Independent Albums chart.

September 5, 2021: Premiere of Electric Saint Opera

On September 5, 2021, the opera Electric Saint about the life of Nikola Tesla, composed by Stewart Copeland with libretto by Jonathan Moore, premiered at the National Theater of Weimar.

2021: Release of Divine Tides Album

In 2021, Stewart Copeland and Ricky Kej collaborated on and released the studio album Divine Tides, alongside eight music videos shot in locations ranging from the Himalayas in India to forests in Spain.

2022: Appointment as Visiting Scholar at McGill University

In 2022, Stewart Copeland was appointed a Visiting Scholar at McGill University, collaborating with Dr. Daniel J. Levitin. They co-authored a chapter for the Oxford University Press book "Performing Time: Synchrony and Temporal Flow in Music and Dance."

February 6, 2023: Grammy Award for Divine Tides

On February 6, 2023, the album Divine Tides earned Stewart Copeland his seventh Grammy Award and Ricky Kej his third Grammy Award at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards, in the category of Best Immersive Audio Album.