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More than two decades after one of the most infamous legal disputes in British music, Richard Ashcroft was finally handed back the song that defined his career – thanks to what he called a “kind and magnanimous gesture” from Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.
The song in question, ‘Bitter Sweet Symphony’, was released in 1997 as the lead single from The Verve’s Urban Hymns. A sweeping, melancholic anthem layered with strings, it quickly became one of the defining tracks of the decade, peaking at No. 2 in the UK and No. 12 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
It was nominated for a Grammy and played during countless cultural moments, from sporting ceremonies to film soundtracks. But for years, the man who wrote it didn’t own it.
At the heart of the issue was a sample – specifically, a four-second string section lifted from a 1965 orchestral version of the Rolling Stones’ track ‘The Last Time’.
Though Ashcroft’s label had obtained permission to use the recording, the publishing rights – controlled by Allen Klein’s ABKCO, the Stones’ former manager’s company – became the subject of a heated copyright battle.
ABKCO claimed that The Verve had used more of the original than agreed. The case never made it to trial but was settled swiftly out of court. Ashcroft was forced to sign over the royalties to Bitter Sweet Symphony and share songwriting credits with Jagger and Richards. As the song climbed the charts, Ashcroft famously joked: “This is the best song Jagger and Richards have written in 20 years.”
The dispute would follow him for years – a source of public frustration and an ongoing reminder of the power dynamics at play in the music industry. But in 2019, everything changed.
Ashcroft was awarded the Ivor Novello for Outstanding Contribution to British Music – and took the opportunity to announce that the rights to Bitter Sweet Symphony had finally been returned to him.
He revealed that after his management reached out to the Stones’ team, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards “immediately, unhesitatingly and unconditionally agreed” to hand back the rights and remove their names from the songwriting credit altogether.
In a statement, Ashcroft thanked everyone who helped broker the deal – including Stones manager Joyce Smyth and Jody Klein of ABKCO – but saved his most heartfelt words for Mick and Keith: “Lastly, a huge, unreserved, heartfelt thanks and respect to Mick and Keith. Music is power.”
Since Urban Hymns, which sold over 10 million copies worldwide and remains one of the UK’s highest-selling albums, Ashcroft has released five solo records, including 2018’s Natural Rebel.
The Verve split in 1999, briefly reformed in 2007, and released one final album, Forth, before parting ways again.
