Simone Joyner/Getty ImagesThe Verve‘s Richard Ashcroft should already be seeing some “Bitter Sweet Symphony” royalties. The song has seen an increase in downloads following the news the Rolling Stones members Mick Jagger and Keith Richards have relinquished their songwriting credits on the 1997 hit.
According to Billboard, “Bitter Sweet Symphony” received a 132 percent increase in downloads, and now sits at number 13 on the Hot Rock Songs chart, which combines radio airplay with sales and streaming data.
For over 20 years, Jagger and Richards received the royalties from “Bitter Sweet Symphony,” which sampled an orchestral version of the Stones song “The Last Time,” due to a lawsuit filed by the band’s former manager. However, on May 23, Verve frontman Ashcroft announced that the duo was transferring the song’s royalties and songwriting credits solely to him.
“This remarkable and life-affirming turn of events was made possible by a kind and magnanimous gesture from Mick and Keith, who have also 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,” Ashcroft wrote.
“Bitter Sweet Symphony” is The Verve’s biggest worldwide hit, having peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100.
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