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Richard Paul Ashcroft (born 11 September 1971) is an English singer and songwriter. He was the lead singer and occasional rhythm guitarist of the
alternative rock Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from Popular culture, mainstre ...
band The Verve from their formation in 1990 until their original split in 1999. Songs he wrote for the band include "
Bitter Sweet Symphony "Bitter Sweet Symphony" is a song by the English rock band the Verve, from their third studio album, ''Urban Hymns'' (1997). It was produced by Youth and released on 16 June 1997 by Hut Recordings and Virgin Records as the album's lead single. ...
", " 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 RPA & The United Nations of Sound were a British alternative rock band formed by vocalist Richard Ashcroft, former lead singer of The Verve. Ashcroft announced the formation of the band (which is a pseudonym more than a real band) and presented ...
, 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. In May 2019, Ashcroft received the Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers, and Authors. Chris Martin of Coldplay has described Ashcroft as "the best singer in the world".


Early life

Ashcroft was the only son of office worker Frank and hairdresser Louise Ashcroft (née Baxter); he also has two younger sisters. His middle name, Paul, is also the name of a paternal uncle. When Ashcroft was 11, his father died suddenly of a brain haemorrhage. Ashcroft soon "fell under the influence of his stepfather", who belonged to the Rosicrucians. Ashcroft attended
Up Holland High School Up Holland High School is a coeducational secondary school located in Up Holland, Lancashire, England. It is a non-denominational comprehensive school. Prior to 1977 Up Holland High School was known as Up Holland Secondary Modern School and pr ...
in West Lancashire, along with future bandmates Simon Jones,
Peter Salisbury Peter Anthony Salisbury (born 24 September 1971) is an English rock drummer, best known as the drummer for The Verve, whom he co-founded in 1990. Personal life Salisbury resides in Derbyshire with his wife Pam, sons Ben and Isaac, and step s ...
and Simon Tong, and then attended nearby
Winstanley College Winstanley College is a sixth-form college in the Billinge Higher End area of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, Greater Manchester. Admissions In the academic year 2022-23 it had approx 2300 full-time students. The catchment area spreads across ...
, where he met
Nick McCabe Nicholas John McCabe (born 14 July 1971) is an English musician best known as the lead guitarist of the Verve. Early life McCabe is the son of a bus driver father and a social worker mother and has two older brothers, Alan and Paul. When asked ...
. His teachers referred to him as "the cancer of the class", though one member of staff recalled him being "incredibly intelligent". Ashcroft was an avid
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
player, playing junior football for
Wigan Athletic Wigan Athletic Football Club () is an English professional association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, England. The team competes in the Championship, the second tier of the English football league system. Founded in 1932, ...
. For some time, Ashcroft wanted to be a professional football player, idolising
George Best George Best (22 May 1946 – 25 November 2005) was a Northern Irish professional footballer who played as a winger, spending most of his club career at Manchester United. A highly skilful dribbler, Best is regarded as one of the greatest pla ...
, but as he grew older he lost interest in this, turning to music instead.


The Verve

Ashcroft formed The Verve (originally just Verve) in 1990 with McCabe, Jones, and Salisbury. The band signed to Hut Records and became well known for their appetite for both psychedelic music and drugs. They also became a part of the Britpop movement. The band split in 1995, and around this time Ashcroft wrote a collection of songs he intended to release as his first solo album. However, by 1997 he had changed his mind and asked McCabe to return (alongside new member Tong), reforming the Verve and releasing the very successful album '' Urban Hymns''. Ashcroft was at the forefront of the band's popularity, receiving an Ivor Novello Award for his songwriting and being referred to by the press as "the unmistakable face of the Number One rock band in England". However, the pressures of touring and the tensions within the band led to McCabe's departure in mid-1998 and the announcement of the band's break-up in April 1999. In early 2007, Ashcroft made peace with McCabe and Jones and the Verve's reunion was announced in June. The band played gigs later that year and continued touring in 2008, headlining at several festivals around the world. A new album, ''
Forth Forth or FORTH may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''forth'' magazine, an Internet magazine * ''Forth'' (album), by The Verve, 2008 * ''Forth'', a 2011 album by Proto-Kaw * Radio Forth, a group of independent local radio stations in Scotla ...
'', was released in August. In August 2008, the Verve broke up for the third time, though it was not announced until the following year.


Solo career


''Alone with Everybody'' and ''Human Conditions'': 2000–2004

Ashcroft's first solo single, "
A Song for the Lovers "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 releas ...
", peaked at No. 3 in the UK charts in April 2000. It was followed by the single " Money to Burn" which reached the UK Top 20 at No. 17. The album, ''
Alone with Everybody ''Alone with Everybody'' is the first solo album by English singer-songwriter Richard Ashcroft, released via Hut Records in June 2000 (see 2000 in British music). The songs " A Song for the Lovers", " C'mon People (We're Making It Now)" and "New ...
'', was released in June, reaching number 1 and receiving platinum status in the UK. Album reviews were generally positive. In September, a third single was released – "
C'mon People (We're Making It Now) "C'mon People (We're Making It Now)" is a song by English singer-songwriter Richard Ashcroft, included as the 10th track on his 2000 debut solo album, ''Alone with Everybody''. Released on 11 September 2000 (Ashcroft's 29th birthday) as the thi ...
" – entering the charts at No. 21. Richard does not publish the lyrics to his songs in the inlay cards of his albums or singles as he feels they are personal to him. Ashcroft began work on his second album '' Human Conditions'' in 2002. The lead single, "
Check the Meaning "Check the Meaning" is a song by English singer-songwriter Richard Ashcroft. It is the opening track on his second studio album, ''Human Conditions'' (2002). The song was released on 7 October 2002 as the first single from the album in the United ...
", was released in early October, and peaked at No. 11 on the UK Singles Chart. The album was released later that month and reached No. 3 in the UK Album Chart. Reception to the album was generally positive. Review aggregating website
Metacritic Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
reports a normalised score of 61% based on 15 reviews. In response to negative reaction to the album, Coldplay's Chris Martin – a fan of both Ashcroft and the Verve – defended the album's merits which "made an impression" on Ashcroft. The appreciation shown would later result in a support slot for Ashcroft, serving as the opening act for Coldplay during a European tour. The album's second single, "
Science of Silence "Science of Silence" is a song by English singer-songwriter Richard Ashcroft and is the sixth track on his 2002 album '' Human Conditions''. The song was also released on 6 January 2003 as the second single from that album in the United Kingd ...
", was released the following January and charted at No. 14 in the UK. On 26 March, Ashcroft made his first live appearance of 2003 at London's
Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London. One of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, it is held in trust for the nation and managed by a registered charity which receives no govern ...
as part of the third annual Teenage Cancer Trust charity fundraising event, before "
Buy It in Bottles "Buy It in Bottles" is a song by English singer-songwriter Richard Ashcroft and is the second track on his 2002 album '' Human Conditions''. The song was also released as the third and final single from that album in the United Kingdom on 7 Apr ...
", the third and final single to be taken from the album, was released on 7 April, charting at No. 26. Aside from a limited number of appearances in 2003, Ashcroft was absent from the music business for about two years. He later explained this in 2006, stating that " eryone got it into their heads over the last few years that I was in my ivory tower like Lennon, baking bread all day. The fact of the matter was that I was bringing up kids".


Live 8 and ''Keys to the World'': 2005–2007

Ashcroft began playing gigs again in mid-2005, and, on 2 July at the Live 8 concert in
Hyde Park Hyde Park may refer to: Places England * Hyde Park, London, a Royal Park in Central London * Hyde Park, Leeds, an inner-city area of north-west Leeds * Hyde Park, Sheffield, district of Sheffield * Hyde Park, in Hyde, Greater Manchester Austra ...
, Coldplay invited him to perform with them during their set. They performed the Verve's hit "
Bitter Sweet Symphony "Bitter Sweet Symphony" is a song by the English rock band the Verve, from their third studio album, ''Urban Hymns'' (1997). It was produced by Youth and released on 16 June 1997 by Hut Recordings and Virgin Records as the album's lead single. ...
", after having previously rehearsed the song in Crystal Palace. Ashcroft's performance of the song was introduced by Chris Martin as "the best song ever written, and here's the best singer in the world", helping to create renewed interest in Ashcroft. At Christmas 2005, a documentary entitled ''Live 8: A Bitter Sweet Symphony'' was aired on the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board ex ...
reliving moments of the day featuring a portion of Ashcroft's performance as the show's opening soundtrack. After the disintegration of
Hut Records VC Recordings trading as Hut Records was a British record label brand which was started in 1990 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Virgin Records. Despite being wholly owned by a major label, it was classed as an Independent record label, independe ...
in 2004, Ashcroft signed to Parlophone where he released his third solo album, '' Keys to the World'', on 23 January 2006. The first single from the album, "
Break the Night with Colour "Break the Night with Colour" is a song by English singer-songwriter Richard Ashcroft, included as the third track on his third studio album, '' Keys to the World'' (2006). It was released as the first single from the album on 9 January 2006, pe ...
", was released on 9 January 2006, and entered the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
at number 3. Following his performance at Live 8, Ashcroft was booked as a support act for Coldplay's
Twisted Logic Tour The Twisted Logic Tour was the third concert tour undertaken by British rock band Coldplay. It was launched in support of their third studio album, '' X&Y'' (2005) on 15 June 2005, in Hamburg. Before the concert run, they embarked in a series ...
throughout North America and the UK, which started on 14 March in
Ottawa Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...
, Canada. Ashcroft saw the support slot as "a good chance to play to a significant amount of people and say, 'I’m back. And this is what I do'". The album's second single, "
Music Is Power "Music is Power" is a song by English singer-songwriter Richard Ashcroft, the second track on his third studio album, ''Keys to the World'' (2006). The song features a sample from Walter Jackson's "It's All Over", written by Curtis Mayfield. It ...
", charted at number 20. On 18 April 2006, he recorded the ''Live from London EP'', the ninth in a series of EPs released exclusively as digital downloads from Apple's iTunes Store. The EP was released just 6 days later on 24 April. With the release of ''Keys to the World'', the general consensus was that Ashcroft was "back at the top of his musical game", as he announced his largest UK tour for years for May 2006, culminating in three nights at London's Brixton Academy. Following the tour, Ashcroft had hoped to perform two "Homecoming" shows at
Wigan Athletic Wigan Athletic Football Club () is an English professional association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, England. The team competes in the Championship, the second tier of the English football league system. Founded in 1932, ...
's 25,000 seater JJB Stadium in June 2006, but was unable to do so as the proposed venue lacked the "appropriate licence". As a consequence, he chose to play at
Lancashire County Cricket Club Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in English cricket. The club has held first-class status since it was founded in 1864. Lancashire's home is Old Trafford Cricket Ground, although the team also play ...
in
Old Trafford Old Trafford () is a football stadium in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, England, and the home of Manchester United. With a capacity of 74,310 it is the largest club football stadium (and second-largest football stadium overall after Wemb ...
, in what was to be his biggest solo show to date. He was supported at the gig by acts such as
Razorlight Razorlight are an English indie rock band, formed in 2002 in London by lead singer and guitarist Johnny Borrell. Along with Borrell, the current line-up of the band is composed of founding members Björn Ågren on guitar and bassist Carl Delemo ...
and the Feeling, whilst
DJ Shadow Joshua Paul Davis (born June 29, 1972), better known by his stage name DJ Shadow, is an American DJ, songwriter and record producer. His debut studio album, '' Endtroducing.....'' was released in 1996. Biography Early years (1989–1995) DJ Sha ...
joined Richard on stage during his set to perform "Lonely Soul", their UNKLE collaboration from 1998's ''
Psyence Fiction ''Psyence'' is the second album by Japanese musician hide, released on September 2, 1996. It topped the Oricon Albums Chart and was certified double platinum by the RIAJ for sales over 500,000 copies. The album was re-released on the Japan onl ...
'' LP. Another UK tour followed five months later, culminating in a show at Manchester's M.E.N. Arena on 30 November. Ashcroft did not tour ''Keys to the World'' outside of Europe. Ashcroft hinted at the possible release of a new version of his previous single "C'mon People (We're Making It Now)" for the
Bobby Moore Robert Frederick Chelsea Moore (12 April 1941 – 24 February 1993) was an English professional footballer. He most notably played for West Ham United, captaining the club for more than ten years, and was the captain of the England natio ...
Cancer Fund, which would coincide with
England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
's participation in the
2006 Football World Cup The 2006 FIFA World Cup, also branded as Germany 2006, was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which had won the right to host the ...
, but the single never materialised. Instead, his next release was "
Words Just Get in the Way "Words Just Get in the Way" is a song by English singer-songwriter Richard Ashcroft and is featured on his 2006 album, '' Keys to the World''. It was released on 10 July 2006 as the third single from that album, charting at 40 on the UK Single ...
", which charted lower than his previous single, peaking at No. 40 in the UK Singles Chart. On 4 December, the
double a-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record company ...
"Why Not Nothing" / "Sweet Brother Malcolm" was released on limited edition 7" vinyl.


RPA & The United Nations of Sound, ''These People'', ''Natural Rebel'': 2009–present

Ashcroft is contractually obligated to record another album for Parlophone. Ashcroft played a solo gig on 25 August 2008 as part of the Last Days of Summer Festival in
Buckingham Buckingham ( ) is a market town in north Buckinghamshire, England, close to the borders of Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire, which had a population of 12,890 at the 2011 Census. The town lies approximately west of Central Milton Keynes, sou ...
. The Verve broke up for a third time sometime between the last rehearsals in late 2008 and the summer of 2009. It was announced in August 2009 by a band's friend. A b-side compilation was considered a possibility, as Richard's team has asked the fans through his site about their feelings on such an album, but it's now very unlikely. In December 2009, Richard contributed the lead soundtrack song for the documentary ''The Journey''. A video of the song was posted at Ashcroft's site. Also, through his blog ''BRAIN'', he stated that he would release a new album in 2010. Sources revealed he worked on a number of new songs in New York, Los Angeles and London with producer No I.D., who Richard sought after because he liked his work in the
Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
song "
D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune) "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)" is a song written by American rapper Jay-Z. It was produced by No I.D. The song was released as a digital download on June 23, 2009, and as the first single from Jay-Z's 11th studio album, '' The Blueprint 3''. The s ...
" and read an interview where he states how many producers destroy records to boost sales. Ashcroft is currently working with a new band called
RPA & the United Nations of Sound RPA & The United Nations of Sound were a British alternative rock band formed by vocalist Richard Ashcroft, former lead singer of The Verve. Ashcroft announced the formation of the band (which is a pseudonym more than a real band) and presented ...
, who have released a promo single from the album called "Are You Ready?". The album "United Nations of Sound" (former working title "Redemption") and the first proper single "Born Again" were released on 19 July 2010. The full album leaked on 15 July and the NME started streaming the album the following day. The new sound seems to emulate many of Richard's influences described over the years in interviews and seems to close a circle for his solo career. Strings, beats, rock-guitar-riffs, voice-loops, ballads and heroic-choir-anthems are the core of the album's sound with Ashcroft's craft for pop tunes and unique melody-making. Also found in the songs are the ever-present spiritual lyrics for Richard, although here in fuller form. On 15 October 2010, Ashcroft released through his website a second fanclub-only track, "Here We Go Again". On the same day the song "Are You Ready?" was released as the first official single from the new album in the United States. During the same month Ashcroft had signed with the record company
Razor & Tie Razor & Tie was an American entertainment company that consisted of a record label and a music publishing company. It was established in 1990 by Craig Balsam and Cliff Chenfeld. Based in New York City (with additional offices in Los Angeles an ...
in the United States. The radio edit of "Are You Ready?" is available for free on the US version of Richard's website. The album United Nations of Sound was released across the Atlantic on 22 March 2011 under the name "Richard Ashcroft" and the lead single "Are You Ready?" was featured over the closing credits of the film '' The Adjustment Bureau'' in March 2011, along with the new song "Future's Bright", written and performed specifically for the film's opening by Richard and ten-time Oscar-nominated composer Thomas Newman. For the US release of "Are You Ready?", Richard Ashcroft and Big Life Management commissioned Giorgio Testi for the promo – to be created out of live footage from a show at Shepherd's Bush Empire. The video premiered on 7 February on the official website of Pulse Films, the production company. On 1 March the song "Future's Bright" was premiered on
Stereogum ''Stereogum'' is a daily Internet publication that focuses on music news, reviews, interviews, and commentary. The site was created in January 2002 by Scott Lapatine. ''Stereogum'' was one of the first MP3 blogs and has received several award ...
. On the official website of the movie '' The Adjustment Bureau'' there is also a video created for the song by director George Nolfi. After six years' absence, Ashcroft released his comeback fifth studio album, '' These People'', in May 2016. The album received largely positive reviews from music critics. The album was followed by 2016 UK and Europe tour, an abbreviated North American tour, and—for the first time in Ashcroft's career—festival dates in Latin America. In January 2018, it was confirmed that in June 2018, Ashcroft would be supporting Liam Gallagher at his two concerts in Malahide Castle and Gardens in Dublin and Belsonic at Ormeau Park in Belfast. In March 2018, it was announced that Ashcroft would tour with Gallagher in North America in May 2018. On 11 June 2018, it was announced that Ashcroft would support Gallagher at his show at
Lancashire County Cricket Club Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in English cricket. The club has held first-class status since it was founded in 1864. Lancashire's home is Old Trafford Cricket Ground, although the team also play ...
on 18 August 2018. In August 2018, Ashcroft announced his sixth solo album, ''
Natural Rebel ''Natural Rebel'' is the fifth studio album by English singer and musician, Richard Ashcroft. The album was released on 19 October 2018 through Righteous Phonographic Association and BMG Rights Management. This is the first Ashcroft album not p ...
'', which was released October 19, preceded by the single "Surprised By The Joy" in September and subsequent teasers "Born To Be Strangers" and "That's When I Feel It." The LP debuted at #4 on the UK album charts. On February 17, 2021, Richard Ashcroft posted on facebook a new single would be released on Friday, February 19. When the single was released it was a cover of John Lennon’s "
Bring On the Lucie (Freda Peeple) "Bring on the Lucie (Freda Peeple)" is a protest song written and performed by John Lennon from his 1973 album ''Mind Games''. Background The song dates from late 1971, starting out as little more than a chorus, after Lennon acquired a National ...
" (track 5 on Lennon's 1973 album ''
Mind Games Playing mind games (also power games or head games) is the largely conscious struggle for psychological one-upmanship, often employing passive–aggressive behavior to specifically demoralize or dis-empower the thinking subject, making the a ...
''). On 29 October 2021, Ashcroft released his sixth album ''Acoustic Hymns Vol. 1''. It features acoustic versions of Ashcroft's songs with The Verve and his solo career.


Personal life

Ashcroft is married to
Kate Radley Kate Radley (born 19 February 1967) is an English keyboard player, best known for her work with the British rock band Spiritualized. She was a member during the time period which saw the release of the ''Lazer Guided Melodies'', ''Pure Phase'' an ...
, a former member of Spiritualized. They married in 1995 and it was years before it was publicly revealed that the pair had married. Together, they have two sons: Sonny, born in 2000, and Cassius, born in 2004. The family lives in Taynton in
Gloucestershire Gloucestershire ( abbreviated Glos) is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn and the entire Forest of Dean. The county town is the city of Gl ...
and
Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...
in London. Ashcroft is a
Manchester United Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of City of Salford, Salford to ...
fan, and regularly attends matches. He is good friends with
Oasis In ecology, an oasis (; ) is a fertile area of a desert or semi-desert environment'ksar''with its surrounding feeding source, the palm grove, within a relational and circulatory nomadic system.” The location of oases has been of critical imp ...
's Noel Gallagher, Liam Gallagher and Coldplay's Chris Martin. For a long time the Gallagher brothers have expressed great respect for Ashcroft, with Noel Gallagher fondly nicknaming Ashcroft 'Captain Rock'. The Oasis track " Cast No Shadow", from the successful 1995 album ''
(What's the Story) Morning Glory? ''(What's the Story) Morning Glory?'' is the second studio album by English rock band Oasis. Released on 2 October 1995 by Creation Records, it was produced by Owen Morris and the group's guitarist and main songwriter Noel Gallagher. The struc ...
'' is dedicated to him, possibly as a response to Ashcroft having dedicated the title track of ''
A Northern Soul ''A Northern Soul'' is the second studio album by English alternative rock band The Verve. The album was released in the United Kingdom on 20 June 1995 on the Hut label and in the United States on 3 July 1995 on Vernon Yard Records. The title ...
'' to Noel Gallagher. Ashcroft also provided backing vocals on the Oasis song " All Around the World" in 1997, for Oasis' '' Be Here Now''. In a 2006 interview, Ashcroft mentioned taking
Prozac Fluoxetine, sold under the brand names Prozac and Sarafem, among others, is an antidepressant of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) class. It is used for the treatment of major depressive disorder, obsessive–compulsive disorde ...
to help him with
clinical depression Major depressive disorder (MDD), also known as clinical depression, is a mental disorder characterized by at least two weeks of pervasive low mood, low self-esteem, and loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities. Introdu ...
, but said that it did not help, referring to the pills as "very, very synthetic." Ashcroft has said that he's always been "a depressive, someone who suffers from depression", and that music and creativity help him cope with his illness.


Controversies

Controversy exists over the Verve's biggest hit, "
Bitter Sweet Symphony "Bitter Sweet Symphony" is a song by the English rock band the Verve, from their third studio album, ''Urban Hymns'' (1997). It was produced by Youth and released on 16 June 1997 by Hut Recordings and Virgin Records as the album's lead single. ...
", on which Ashcroft is the sole band member to share a co-writing credit.''Urban Hymns'' sleevenotes The song uses a sample of
Andrew Oldham Orchestra The Andrew Oldham Orchestra was a musical side project in the mid-1960s created by Andrew Loog Oldham, the original manager and record producer of the Rolling Stones. There was no actual orchestra per se. The name was applied to recordings made ...
's recording of
The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically d ...
' 1965 song " The Last Time". The Verve had negotiated this legally; however, the Rolling Stones' record company successfully sued and argued that they had used "too much." The Verve was subsequently forced to give ABKCO 100 percent of the
royalties A royalty payment is a payment made by one party to another that owns a particular asset, for the right to ongoing use of that asset. Royalties are typically agreed upon as a percentage of gross or net revenues derived from the use of an asset o ...
from "Bitter Sweet Symphony", and
Mick Jagger Sir Michael Philip Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English singer and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the lead vocalist and one of the founder members of the rock band the Rolling Stones. His ongoing songwriting partnershi ...
and Keith Richards were given songwriting credits along with Ashcroft. On 23 May 2019, Ashcroft announced that Jagger and Richards had signed over the rights to him. He now has sole writing credit, and will receive all future royalties. On 19 June 2006, Richard Ashcroft was arrested in
Wiltshire Wiltshire (; abbreviated Wilts) is a historic and ceremonial county in South West England with an area of . It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset to the southwest, Somerset to the west, Hampshire to the southeast, Gloucestershire ...
after bursting into a youth centre and asking to work with the teenagers present at the club. He began swearing and refusing to leave so employees called the police, resulting in Ashcroft being arrested and receiving an £80 fine for disorderly behaviour. In July 2021, Ashcroft pulled out of the headline slot at Sheffield's
Tramlines Festival The Tramlines Festival is an annual music festival held in Sheffield, UK. The festival was originally free to attend, but now requires tickets. The line-up consists of national and local artists. The festival was curated and organised by a pan ...
after it became part of the UK government's pilot events programme.


Awards and nominations

{, class=wikitable , - ! Year !! Awards !! Work !! Category !! Result , - , rowspan=2, 1998 , Ivor Novello Awards , rowspan=2, Himself , Songwriter of the Year , , - , Denmark GAFFA Awards , Best Foreign Songwriter , , - , rowspan=2, 2000 ,
Mercury Prize The Mercury Prize, formerly called the Mercury Music Prize, is an annual music prize awarded for the best album released in the United Kingdom by a British or Irish act. It was created by Jon Webster and Robert Chandler in association with the B ...
, ''
Alone with Everybody ''Alone with Everybody'' is the first solo album by English singer-songwriter Richard Ashcroft, released via Hut Records in June 2000 (see 2000 in British music). The songs " A Song for the Lovers", " C'mon People (We're Making It Now)" and "New ...
'' , Album of the Year , , - , rowspan=2, NME Awards , rowspan=2, Himself , rowspan=2, Best Solo Artist , , - , 2006 , , - , 2011 , UK Music Video Awards , ''Live at Shepherds Bush Empire'' , Best Live Music Coverage , , - , 2017 , NME Awards , rowspan=3, Himself , Best British Male , , - , rowspan=2, 2019 ,
Global Awards The Global Awards are held by Global Media & Entertainment and reward music played on the British radio stations which are part of the Global network, including Capital, Capital XTRA, Heart, Classic FM, Smooth, Radio X, LBC and Gold, with the a ...
, Best Indie , , - , Ivor Novello Awards , Outstanding Contribution to British Music ,


Discography


Albums

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Certifications Certification is the provision by an independent body of written assurance (a certificate) that the product, service or system in question meets specific requirements. It is the formal attestation or confirmation of certain characteristics of a ...
, - ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;", UK
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;", AUS
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;",
AUT AUT may refer to the following. Locations *Austria (ISO 3166-1 country code) *Agongointo-Zoungoudo Underground Town, Benin *Aktio–Preveza Undersea Tunnel, Greece *Airstrip on Atauro Island, East Timor (IATA airport code) Organizations *Arriva ...

! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;",
FRA A friar is a member of one of the mendicant orders founded in the twelfth or thirteenth century; the term distinguishes the mendicants' itinerant apostolic character, exercised broadly under the jurisdiction of a superior general, from the ol ...

! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;", GER
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;",
ITA Ita or ITA may refer to : Places and jurisdictions * ITA, ISO 3166-1 country code for Italy * Ita (Africa), an ancient city and former bishopric in Roman Mauretania, presently a Latin Catholic titular see * Itá, Paraguay People * Ita (prin ...

! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;",
IRL IRL may refer to: Places * Republic of Ireland (ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 country code) * Irlam railway station (National Rail station code IRL), England Organizations * International Rugby League, the governing body for the sport of rugby league * I ...

! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;", NL
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;",
SWI SWI may refer to: Places: * Switzerland (this is not the ISO 3166-1 code, which is CHE) * Swindon railway station (National Rail code SWI), serving Swindon, Wiltshire, United Kingdom In science and technology: * SWI-Prolog, a free implementatio ...

! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;", US
, - ! scope="row" , ''
Alone with Everybody ''Alone with Everybody'' is the first solo album by English singer-songwriter Richard Ashcroft, released via Hut Records in June 2000 (see 2000 in British music). The songs " A Song for the Lovers", " C'mon People (We're Making It Now)" and "New ...
'' , * Released: 26 June 2000 * Label: Hut * Formats: LP, CD,
cassette Cassette may refer to: Technology * Cassette tape (or ''musicassette'', ''audio cassette'', ''cassette tape'', or ''tape''), a worldwide standard for analog audio recording and playback ** Cassette single (or "Cassingle"), a music single in the ...
, download , 1 , , 10 , , 18 , , 28 , , 10 , , 4 , , 5 , , 41 , , 39 , , 127 , * BPI: Platinum , - ! scope="row" , '' Human Conditions'' , * Released: 21 October 2002 * Label: Hut * Formats: LP, CD, cassette, download , 3 , , 70 , , 48 , , 67 , , 14 , , 24 , , 11 , , — , , 51 , , — , *BPI: Gold , - ! scope="row" , '' Keys to the World'' , * Released: 23 January 2006 * Label: Parlophone * Formats: CD, download , 2 , , 54 , , 7 , , 78 , , 6 , , 11 , , 6 , , 49 , , 7 , , — , *BPI: Platinum * IRMA: Gold , - ! scope="row" , '' These People'' , * Released: 20 May 2016 * Label: Righteous Phonographic Association,
Cooking Vinyl Cooking Vinyl is a British independent record label, based in Acton, London, England, founded in 1986 by former manager and booking agent Martin Goldschmidt and business partner Pete Lawrence. Goldschmidt remains the current owner and chairman ...
,
Harvest Harvesting is the process of gathering a ripe crop from the fields. Reaping is the cutting of grain or pulse for harvest, typically using a scythe, sickle, or reaper. On smaller farms with minimal mechanization, harvesting is the most labor-i ...
* Formats: LP, CD, download , 3 , , — , , 70 , , 134 , , 51 , , 34 , , 17 , , 92 , , 32 , , — , *BPI: Silver , - ! scope="row" , ''
Natural Rebel ''Natural Rebel'' is the fifth studio album by English singer and musician, Richard Ashcroft. The album was released on 19 October 2018 through Righteous Phonographic Association and BMG Rights Management. This is the first Ashcroft album not p ...
'' , * Released: 19 October 2018 * Label: Righteous Phonographic Association,
BMG BMG may refer to: Organizations * Music publishing companies: ** Bertelsmann Music Group, a 1987–2008 division of Bertelsmann that was purchased by Sony on October 1, 2008 *** Sony BMG, a 2004–2008 joint venture of Bertelsmann and Sony that wa ...
* Formats: LP, CD, cassette, download , 4 , , — , , 71 , , — , , 82 , , 42 , , 18 , , — , , 47 , , — , , - ! scope="row" , ''
Acoustic Hymns Vol 1 ''Acoustic Hymns Vol 1'' is the sixth studio album by English singer and musician Richard Ashcroft. The album was released on 29 October 2021 through Righteous Phonographic Association and BMG Rights Management. Ashcroft's longtime collaborator ...
'' , * Release: 29 October 2021 * Label: Righteous Phonographic Association, BMG * Formats: LP, CD, cassette, download , 2 , , — , , 64 , , 194 , , 37 , , — , , 23 , , — , , 39 , , — , , - , colspan="14" style="font-size:90%" , "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.


Project album

{, class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" , + List of project studio albums, with selected chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:13em;", Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:19em;", Album details ! scope="col" colspan="4", Peak chart positions , - ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;", UK
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;",
AUT AUT may refer to the following. Locations *Austria (ISO 3166-1 country code) *Agongointo-Zoungoudo Underground Town, Benin *Aktio–Preveza Undersea Tunnel, Greece *Airstrip on Atauro Island, East Timor (IATA airport code) Organizations *Arriva ...

! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;", GER
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;",
SWI SWI may refer to: Places: * Switzerland (this is not the ISO 3166-1 code, which is CHE) * Swindon railway station (National Rail code SWI), serving Swindon, Wiltshire, United Kingdom In science and technology: * SWI-Prolog, a free implementatio ...

, - ! scope="row" , '' United Nations of Sound'' /sup> , * Released: 19 July 2010 * Label: Parlophone * Formats: LP, CD, download , 20 , , 63 , , 49 , , 50


Extended plays

{, class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" , + List of extended plays ! scope="col" style="width:14em;", Title ! scope="col" style="width:20em;", EP details , - ! scope="row" , ''Live from London'' , * Released: 24 April 2006 * Format: Download , - ! scope="row" , ''Rare Vibration/Guided Halls'' , * Released: 19 October 2018 * Format: CD (
HMV Sunrise Records and Entertainment, trading as HMV (for His Master's Voice), is a British music and entertainment retailer, currently operating exclusively in the United Kingdom. The first HMV-branded store was opened by the Gramophone Company ...
's exclusive market only)


Singles

{, class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1" , + List of singles, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:24em;" , Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" , Year ! scope="col" colspan="10" , Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" , Album , - ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;", UK
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;",
AUT AUT may refer to the following. Locations *Austria (ISO 3166-1 country code) *Agongointo-Zoungoudo Underground Town, Benin *Aktio–Preveza Undersea Tunnel, Greece *Airstrip on Atauro Island, East Timor (IATA airport code) Organizations *Arriva ...

! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;", BEL
(WA)

! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;",
CAN Can may refer to: Containers * Aluminum can * Drink can * Oil can * Steel and tin cans * Trash can * Petrol can * Metal can (disambiguation) Music * Can (band), West Germany, 1968 ** ''Can'' (album), 1979 * Can (South Korean band) Other * C ...

! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;", GER
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;",
ITA Ita or ITA may refer to : Places and jurisdictions * ITA, ISO 3166-1 country code for Italy * Ita (Africa), an ancient city and former bishopric in Roman Mauretania, presently a Latin Catholic titular see * Itá, Paraguay People * Ita (prin ...

! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;",
IRL IRL may refer to: Places * Republic of Ireland (ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 country code) * Irlam railway station (National Rail station code IRL), England Organizations * International Rugby League, the governing body for the sport of rugby league * I ...

! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;", NL
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;", NZ
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;",
SWI SWI may refer to: Places: * Switzerland (this is not the ISO 3166-1 code, which is CHE) * Swindon railway station (National Rail code SWI), serving Swindon, Wiltshire, United Kingdom In science and technology: * SWI-Prolog, a free implementatio ...

, - ! scope="row", "
A Song for the Lovers "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 releas ...
" , rowspan="3", 2000 , 3 , , — , , — , , 6 , , 82 , , 9 , , 11 , , 83 , , 42 , , 78 , rowspan="3", ''
Alone with Everybody ''Alone with Everybody'' is the first solo album by English singer-songwriter Richard Ashcroft, released via Hut Records in June 2000 (see 2000 in British music). The songs " A Song for the Lovers", " C'mon People (We're Making It Now)" and "New ...
'' , - ! scope="row", " Money to Burn" , 17 , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , 38 , , — , , — , , — , - ! scope="row", "
C'mon People (We're Making It Now) "C'mon People (We're Making It Now)" is a song by English singer-songwriter Richard Ashcroft, included as the 10th track on his 2000 debut solo album, ''Alone with Everybody''. Released on 11 September 2000 (Ashcroft's 29th birthday) as the thi ...
" , 21 , , — , , — , , — , , 82 , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , - ! scope="row", "
Check the Meaning "Check the Meaning" is a song by English singer-songwriter Richard Ashcroft. It is the opening track on his second studio album, ''Human Conditions'' (2002). The song was released on 7 October 2002 as the first single from the album in the United ...
" , 2002 , 11 , , — , , — , , 21 , , 94 , , 13 , , 19 , , — , , — , , — , rowspan="3", '' Human Conditions'' , - ! scope="row", "
Science of Silence "Science of Silence" is a song by English singer-songwriter Richard Ashcroft and is the sixth track on his 2002 album '' Human Conditions''. The song was also released on 6 January 2003 as the second single from that album in the United Kingd ...
" , rowspan="2", 2003 , 14 , , — , , — , , — , , — , , 31 , , — , , — , , — , , — , - ! scope="row", "
Buy It in Bottles "Buy It in Bottles" is a song by English singer-songwriter Richard Ashcroft and is the second track on his 2002 album '' Human Conditions''. The song was also released as the third and final single from that album in the United Kingdom on 7 Apr ...
" , 26 , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , - ! scope="row", "
Break the Night with Colour "Break the Night with Colour" is a song by English singer-songwriter Richard Ashcroft, included as the third track on his third studio album, '' Keys to the World'' (2006). It was released as the first single from the album on 9 January 2006, pe ...
" , rowspan="4", 2006 , 3 , , 17 , , 48 , , — , , 45 , , 3 , , 10 , , 90 , , — , , 55 , rowspan="4", '' Keys to the World'' , - ! scope="row", "
Music Is Power "Music is Power" is a song by English singer-songwriter Richard Ashcroft, the second track on his third studio album, ''Keys to the World'' (2006). The song features a sample from Walter Jackson's "It's All Over", written by Curtis Mayfield. It ...
" , 20 , , — , , — , , — , , — , , 42 , , — , , — , , — , , — , - ! scope="row", "
Words Just Get in the Way "Words Just Get in the Way" is a song by English singer-songwriter Richard Ashcroft and is featured on his 2006 album, '' Keys to the World''. It was released on 10 July 2006 as the third single from that album, charting at 40 on the UK Single ...
" , 40 , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , - ! scope="row", " Why Not Nothing?" / " Sweet Brother Malcolm" /sup> , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , - ! scope="row", "Born Again" /sup> , rowspan="2", 2010 , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , rowspan="2", '' United Nations of Sound'' , - ! scope="row", "Are You Ready?" /sup> , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , - ! scope="row", "This Is How It Feels" , rowspan="5", 2016 , 42 , , — , , — , , — , , — , , 89 , , — , , — , , — , , — , rowspan="5", '' These People'' , - ! scope="row", "Hold On" , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , - ! scope="row", "They Don't Own Me" , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , 178 , , — , , — , , — , , — , - ! scope="row", "Out of My Body" , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , - ! scope="row", "These People" , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , - ! scope="row", "Surprised by the Joy" , rowspan="3", 2018 , 53 , , — , , — , , 32 , , — , , 71 , , — , , — , , — , , — , rowspan="3", ''
Natural Rebel ''Natural Rebel'' is the fifth studio album by English singer and musician, Richard Ashcroft. The album was released on 19 October 2018 through Righteous Phonographic Association and BMG Rights Management. This is the first Ashcroft album not p ...
'' , - ! scope="row", "Born to Be Strangers" , — , , — , , — , , 66 , , — , , 23 , , 44 , , — , , — , , — , - ! scope="row", "That's When I Feel It" , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , - ! scope="row", "
Bring On the Lucie (Freda Peeple) "Bring on the Lucie (Freda Peeple)" is a protest song written and performed by John Lennon from his 1973 album ''Mind Games''. Background The song dates from late 1971, starting out as little more than a chorus, after Lennon acquired a National ...
" , 2021 , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , - , colspan="14" style="font-size:90%" , "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.


Other releases

{, class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1" , + List of singles, showing year released and album name ! scope="col" style="width:20em;" , Title ! scope="col" , Year ! scope="col" , Album , - ! scope="row", "The Journey" /sup> , 2009 , non-album single , - ! scope="row", "Are You Ready?" /sup> , 2010 , ''United Nations of Sound''


Guest appearances

{, class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1" , + List of guest appearances, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:20em;" , Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" , Year ! scope="col" colspan="2" , Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" , Album , - ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;", UK
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;",
IRL IRL may refer to: Places * Republic of Ireland (ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 country code) * Irlam railway station (National Rail station code IRL), England Organizations * International Rugby League, the governing body for the sport of rugby league * I ...

, - ! scope="row", "Lonely Soul"
( UNKLE, with Ashcroft on vocals) , 1998 , — , , — , ''
Psyence Fiction ''Psyence'' is the second album by Japanese musician hide, released on September 2, 1996. It topped the Oricon Albums Chart and was certified double platinum by the RIAJ for sales over 500,000 copies. The album was re-released on the Japan onl ...
'' , - ! scope="row", "
The Test The Test may refer to: * "The Test" (short story), short story by Franz Kafka * ''The Test'' (Wright novel), novel by Mary Tappan Wright * ''The Test'' (Applegate novel), a 2000 novel in the Animorphs series * "Come with Us"/"The Test", a 2002 ...
"
(
The Chemical Brothers The Chemical Brothers are an English electronic music duo formed by Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons in Manchester in 1989. They were pioneers (along with the Prodigy, Fatboy Slim, the Crystal Method, and other acts) in bringing the big beat genre t ...
, with Ashcroft on vocals)
, 2002 , 14 , , 36 , ''
Come with Us ''Come with Us'' is the fourth studio album by English electronic music duo the Chemical Brothers, released in January 2002 by record labels Virgin and Freestyle Dust in the UK and Astralwerks and Ultra in the US. It features Richard Ashcroft ( ...
'' , - , colspan="14" style="font-size:90%" , "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. Notes *A ^ ''United Nations of Sound'' and the singles taken from it were released under Ashcroft's pseudonym "
RPA & The United Nations of Sound RPA & The United Nations of Sound were a British alternative rock band formed by vocalist Richard Ashcroft, former lead singer of The Verve. Ashcroft announced the formation of the band (which is a pseudonym more than a real band) and presented ...
". *B ^ "Why Not Nothing?" / "Sweet Brother Malcolm" was a limited 7" release. *C ^ "The Journey" was a charity single for
Helen Bamber Helen Rae Bamber OBE, ''née'' Helen Balmuth (1 May 1925 – 21 August 2014), was a British psychotherapist and human rights activist. She worked with Holocaust survivors in Germany after the concentration camps were liberated in 1945. In 1947, s ...
Foundation. *D ^ "Are You Ready?" was a released as a limited edition UK promo CD and vinyl.


References


External links


Official website (UK)

Richard Ashcroft Online
(unofficial website) * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ashcroft, Richard 1971 births Living people Alternative rock guitarists Alternative rock singers British alternative rock musicians English male guitarists English male singers English rock singers English songwriters Music in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan Musicians from Manchester Parlophone artists People from Higher End Shoegaze musicians Space rock musicians The Verve members Virgin Records artists Ivor Novello Award winners Britpop musicians