He Wrote a 90s Classic. Someone Else Got the Royalties.

Richard Ashcroft helped turn Bitter Sweet Symphony into a worldwide hit. So why did Mick Jagger and Keith Richards receive its songwriting royalties instead? *Watch next:* [A Song Ruled America for 24 Weeks... So Why Didn’t It Feel Huge?] [   • A Song Ruled America for 24 Weeks: Why Did...  ] In 1997, The Verve released Bitter Sweet Symphony, one of the most recognizable songs of the decade. But behind its unforgettable sound was a complicated copyright dispute involving The Rolling Stones, a sample from an orchestral recording of The Last Time, and music publisher ABKCO. The Verve had obtained permission involving the sound recording, but the underlying composition was a separate issue. Negotiations involving Allen Klein and band manager Jazz Summers eventually left Richard Ashcroft with no songwriting royalty share. Then Nike wanted the song for an advertisement. The Verve didn't want their music used to sell products, but refusing the deal wouldn't necessarily stop advertisers from licensing a newly recorded version. Their reluctant decision helped introduce the song to a wider American audience. And in 2019, after 22 years, something finally changed. *In this video, we explore:* How The Rolling Stones sample created a copyright dispute Why Ashcroft lost his songwriting royalties What Nick McCabe revealed about Wil Malone's famous string arrangement How Allen Klein and ABKCO influenced the publishing deal Why The Verve reluctantly agreed to Nike's advertisement Why the band donated its reported $175,000 share to charity How the Nike campaign helped the song grow in America What Mick Jagger and Keith Richards gave back in 2019 Was the Nike advertisement a clever compromise, or should The Verve have refused it? Share your thoughts in the comments. Subscribe for more stories behind iconic songs, legendary artists, and the music industry's biggest controversies. #bittersweetsymphony #theverve #richardashcroft #musichistory