"Hopefully the next 25 years will be the same if I have it," the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer said of his own success. "I couldn't live without music. I'd rather play music or die."

Sting is celebrating 25 years as solo artist; in the late 1970s he debuted as the leader of The Police, scoring massive hits with songs like "Every Breath You Take" and "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic." As a solo singer, he went on to sell multiple multiplatinum albums - and overall, he is the owner of 16 Grammy Awards.

This week he released "Sting: 25 Years," his 3-disc greatest hits set. On Oct. 18, he will release "Sting: The Best of 25 Years," which features 12 remastered tracks from his solo career. Sting says he has no plans to release a new album, though he says he is a writing a musical-play "based on my hometown in the north of England."