This 1997 Britpop masterpiece merges rock with orchestral soul, built on a hypnotic string loop sampled from a Rolling Stones arrangement. The Verve’s “Bitter Sweet Symphony” became an instant classic, capturing urban ennui as Richard Ashcroft famously shoulder-barged down a London street in the video. Despite a legal battle over its sample that initially overshadowed its success, the song’s sweeping, cinematic groove and reflective lyrics cemented it as one of the ’90s’ most iconic anthems.