The Police emerged amid the rise of punk, but their musical discourse was always friendlier and more diverse than that of that genre initially driven by rage, protest against the system's straitjacket, and a desire for self-management. Sting's talent for composing hit-making pop songs, Andy Summers' versatility in creating very different atmospheres with the guitar, and Stewart Copeland's polyrhythmic ability transformed the English band into a classic of the '80s.