The Verve were an English rock band formed in Wigan,Greater Manchester,in 1990 by lead vocalist Richard Ashcroft,guitarist Nick McCabe,bass guitarist Simon Jones and drummer Peter Salisbury. Guitarist and keyboard player Simon Tong later became a member in their first reunion only.
Urban Hymns is the third studio album by English alternative rock band the Verve,released on 29 September 1997 on Hut Records. It earned nearly unanimous critical praise upon its release,and went on to become the band's best-selling release and one of the biggest selling albums of the year. As of 2019,Urban Hymns is ranked the 19th best-selling album in UK chart history and has sold over ten million copies worldwide. This is the only Verve album to feature guitarist and keyboardist Simon Tong,who initially joined the band to replace their original guitarist Nick McCabe. McCabe rejoined the band soon after,however,and Tong remained in the band also considered as the fifth member;this makes the album the only one that the band recorded as a five-piece.
Richard Paul Ashcroft is an English musician,singer,and songwriter. He was the lead singer and occasional rhythm guitarist of the alternative rock band The Verve from their formation in 1990 until their original split in 1999. Songs he wrote for the band include "Bitter Sweet Symphony","Lucky Man",and the UK number one "The Drugs Don't Work". He became a successful solo artist,releasing three UK top-three solo albums. The Verve reformed in 2007 but again broke up by summer 2009. Ashcroft then founded a new band,RPA &The United Nations of Sound,and released a new album on 19 July 2010. Ashcroft released his fourth solo album,These People,on 20 May 2016. Ashcroft went on to release the album Natural Rebel in 2018,and the compilation of acoustic versions of his best hits,Acoustic Hymns Vol. 1,in 2021.
This is Music:The Singles 92–98 is a singles compilation album by the English alternative rock band the Verve. The compilation was released in November 2004 and included two previously unreleased tracks:"This Could Be My Moment" and "Monte Carlo". Nick McCabe did not participate in the songs,Simon Tong being the one that took the control of the lead guitar. The album was named after a track by the same name off their 1995 album A Northern Soul. The album cover is based on the cover of their 1992 single "She's a Superstar".
"Together Again" is a song by American singer Janet Jackson from her sixth studio album,The Velvet Rope (1997). It was written and produced by Jackson and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis,with additional writing by Jackson's then-husband RenéElizondo Jr. It was released as the second single from the album in December 1997 by Virgin Records. Originally written as a ballad,the track was rearranged as an uptempo dance song. Jackson was inspired to write the song by her own private discovery of losing a friend to AIDS,as well as by a piece of fan mail she received from a young boy in England who had lost his father.
"Never Ever" is a song by English girl group All Saints. Written by All Saints member Shaznay Lewis along with co-writers Robert Jazayeri and Sean Mather and produced by Cameron McVey and Magnus Fiennes,it was released on 10 November 1997 as the second single from their debut album,All Saints (1997).
"Go Deep" is a song by American singer Janet Jackson from her sixth studio album,The Velvet Rope (1997). It was written and produced by Jackson,Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis,with Jackson's husband RenéElizondo Jr collaborating on the lyrics. The song was released as the fourth single from the album on June 15,1998,by Virgin Records. A pop song,"Go Deep" talks about Jackson having a night out clubbing with her friends,and wanting to meet a man to have sex with him. Official remixes for the song were released,featuring Missy Elliott,Teddy Riley and Timbaland.
"Lucky Man" is a song by English rock band the Verve. It was written by singer Richard Ashcroft. The song was released as the third single from the band's third studio album,Urban Hymns (1997). It was released on 24 November 1997,charting at number seven on the UK Singles Chart. The song was the band's second top-20 hit on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart in the United States,climbing to number 16. In Canada,"Lucky Man" peaked at number 25 on the RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart. It also reached the top 40 in Finland,Iceland,Ireland,and New Zealand.
"The Drugs Don't Work" is a song by English rock band the Verve. The song was written by Richard Ashcroft and is featured on their third studio album,Urban Hymns (1997). It was released on 1 September 1997 as the second single from the album,debuting at number one on the UK Singles Chart. The beginning of the video shows the band walking down the street,following on from the end of "Bitter Sweet Symphony".
"Star Guitar" is a song by English electronic music duo the Chemical Brothers,released as the second single from their fourth album,Come with Us (2002). It reached number eight on the UK Singles Chart,number two on the US Billboard Dance Club Play chart,and number one on the UK Dance Chart. The song was greeted with praise from critics.
"A Song for the Lovers" is a song by English singer-songwriter Richard Ashcroft,included as the opening track on his 2000 album,Alone with Everybody,as well as his first solo single following the break-up of the Verve. The song was released on 3 April 2000 as the first single from the album in the United Kingdom and Australia. "A Song for the Lovers" was originally written by Richard Ashcroft as a demo track for the Verve's studio album Urban Hymns;three different versions were recorded,but the song did not make the final cut. It was inspired by Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart".
"Music Sounds Better with You" is the only song by the French house trio Stardust,released on 20 July 1998. Stardust comprised the producer Thomas Bangalter,the DJ Alan Braxe and the vocalist Benjamin Diamond. They wrote "Music Sounds Better With You",a dance track,using a guitar riff sampled from the 1981 Chaka Khan song "Fate".
"Got 'til It's Gone" is a song by American singer Janet Jackson,featuring American rapper Q-Tip and Canadian singer Joni Mitchell,from her sixth studio album,The Velvet Rope (1997). It was written by Jackson,Jam and Lewis,with additional writing by RenéElizondo Jr.,Mitchell,and Kamaal Ibn Fareed. The song was produced by Jackson,Jam and Lewis. It was released as the lead single from The Velvet Rope in 1997,by Virgin Records. The song was recorded at Flyte Tyme Studios in Edina,Minnesota. For "Got 'til It's Gone",Jackson opted for a less polished sound which resulted in an authentic blend of R&B,pop,and hip hop with traces of reggae influences.
"Sonnet" is a song by the English rock band the Verve and is featured on their third album,Urban Hymns (1997). It was released on 2 March 1998 as the final single from the album. The ballad has the same instrumental layout as "The Drugs Don't Work",consisting of acoustic and electric guitars backed up with a string section mainly consisting of violins.
"Vindaloo" is the debut single by British band Fat Les,released in 1998 and recorded for the 1998 FIFA World Cup. The music was co-written by Blur bassist Alex James and bassist Guy Pratt. The lyrics were written by comedian Keith Allen. The song was originally written as a parody of football chants,but was adopted as one in its own right and became a classic.
"The Last Time" is a song by the English rock band the Rolling Stones featuring the Andrew Oldham Orchestra,and the band's first original song released as an A-single in the UK. Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards,and recorded at RCA Studios in Hollywood,California in January 1965,"The Last Time" was the band's third UK single to reach number one on the UK Singles Chart,spending three weeks at the top in March and early April 1965. It reached number two in the Irish Singles Chart in March 1965,and was released on the US version of the album Out of Our Heads on 30 July 1965.
The discography of English alternative rock band The Verve consists of four studio albums,two compilation albums,two video albums,three extended plays,fourteen singles,two promotional singles and fifteen music videos.
"Block Rockin' Beats" is a song by British big beat duo the Chemical Brothers. Released in March 1997 as the second single and opening track from their second studio album,Dig Your Own Hole (1997),it topped the UK Singles Chart and peaked at number 40 on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. It received a Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance.
"Love Is Strong" is a song by English rock band the Rolling Stones,released as the opening track,and first single,from their 20th British and 22nd American studio album,Voodoo Lounge (1994). Issued as a single on 4 July 1994 by Virgin,the song preceded the release of Voodoo Lounge by a week. "Love Is Strong" peaked at No. 14 in the band's native United Kingdom and at No. 2 in Canada and Finland but stalled at No. 91 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Despite this,it peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart. The song's accompanying music video received heavy rotation on MTV Europe.
"Bittersweet Goodbye" is a song by English musician Issey Cross,released on 30 June 2023. Produced by Australian musician Luude,the song heavily samples the song "Bitter Sweet Symphony",released by the Verve in 1997,which itself samples an orchestral version of the song "The Last Time" by The Rolling Stones,and charted at No. 19 on the UK Singles Chart.
