His first solo album after The Police, recorded with a band of young jazz players. Rock songwriting opens up to jazz phrasing and gave him the hit "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free".
A double album written partly in the shadow of his mother's death, ranging from the tender "Fragile" to the biting "They Dance Alone". Rich, jazz-tinged and one of his best-loved records.
A darker, more personal record built around the death of his father and the shipyards of his childhood Newcastle. It brought the Grammy-winning single "All This Time".
A lighter, sunnier turn after the grief of the previous album, full of craft and melody. Home to "Fields of Gold" and "Shape of My Heart".
A quieter set that folds in country, gospel and soul alongside his usual jazz-pop. Understated and warm, with "Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot".
A commercial high point that won two Grammys, blending pop with world-music textures. It carries the global hit "Desert Rose" with Cheb Mami.
A smooth, mostly love-themed album mixing pop, soul and gentle electronics. It features the duet "Whenever I Say Your Name" with Mary J. Blige.
A sharp turn to early music: songs by Elizabethan composer John Dowland, sung to lute played by Edin Karamazov. An unexpected, scholarly detour.
A wintry song cycle of carols, lullabies and folk pieces gathered around the coldest season. Hushed, acoustic and rooted in old English tradition.
His own songs from The Police and solo years rearranged for symphony orchestra, recorded with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra. Familiar tunes in a grand new dress.
Songs written for his stage musical about the shipbuilding town where he grew up. It returns to the Newcastle roots of The Soul Cages with a storyteller's voice.
His first rock album in years, direct and guitar-driven, named after the Manhattan crossing he walked to the studio. Punchy and unfussy.
A joint album with Jamaican star Shaggy, named after the two artists' phone codes. Sunny reggae-pop that won a Grammy for Best Reggae Album.
A career-spanning set of songs written during lockdown, touching rock, jazz, folk and gospel. It plays like a summary of everything he does.