The Verve’s Richard Ashcroft gets royalties for Bitter Sweet Symphony

THE Verve frontman Richard Ashcroft is finally getting royalties for 1997 hit Bitter Sweet Symphony — thanks to the Rolling Stones.

Its use of a Stones’ sample led to a legal row — and rights handed to Sir Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.

The Verve's Richard Ashcroft finally gains rights to Bitter Sweet Symphony after more than 20 years — The Verve’s Richard Ashcroft finally gains rights to Bitter Sweet Symphony after more than 20 years

Richard Ashcroft was honoured for his Outstanding Contribution to British Music at the Ivor Novello awards

But Ashcroft, 47, said yesterday he now has songwriting credit for the “f***ing masterpiece” after a “truly kind and magnanimous” gesture from the veteran rockers.

Speaking at the Ivor Novello awards, where he was honoured for his Outstanding Contribution to British Music, he said: “As of last month, thank you so much Keith Richards and Mick Jagger, for acknowledging me as the writer of a f***ing masterpiece — it’ll live forever.”

The Verve had relinquished royalties from it after The Stones’ late manager Allan Klein filed a lawsuit over the orchestral sample of 1965 hit The Last Time.

Classic music video for Bitter Sweet Symphony by The Verve sees Richard Ashcroft walking down a London road

But Ashcroft’s management recently approached Jagger and Richards, who immediately agreed to hand back the rights.

In a statement, Ashcroft hailed “this remarkable and life- affirming turn of events”.

He said the pair “agreed that they are happy for the writing credit to exclude their names and all their royalties derived from the song they will now pass to me”.