The Verve’s 1997 music video for “Bitter Sweet Symphony” was directed by Walter Stern.
The video follows singer Richard Ashcroft walking straight along Hoxton Street in London while refusing to alter his path. He bumps into pedestrians, ignores distractions, and continues forward, creating a simple visual metaphor for determination and social friction. The unbroken walking concept became inseparable from the song’s public image.
Walter Stern also directed notable videos for artists including Massive Attack and Prodigy. “Bitter Sweet Symphony” became The Verve’s best-known international hit, although its sampled orchestral arrangement led to a lengthy rights dispute involving music associated with the Rolling Stones. That legal history is separate from the video’s direction.