The song's hook was the basis for Puff Daddy's collaborative tribute to slain rapper Notorious B.I.G, also titled "Every Breath You Take", recorded with Faith Evans and 112. The song was performed with Sting himself at the Grammy Awards. As with many of Puff Daddy's releases, his song was criticized for a perceived over-reliance on the original.
Steve Huey of allmusic.com says:
- "Guitarist Andy Summers picks a nearly identical arpeggio pattern on each chord he plays, and Sting's bass line keeps a steady eighth-note pulse without much rhythmic variation."