Online Encyclopedia
The Cranberries
The Cranberries was an Irish rock and roll band popular in the 1990s.
Noel and Mike Hogan, two brothers from Limerick City formed the band with drummer Fergal Lawler in 1990. Dolores O'Riordan auditioned for and won the role of lead singer, writing a song called "Linger" based around the band's existing demo. The band was originally named The Cranberry Saw Us.
Their homemade demo tape sold well locally, and the band soon recorded a demo tape that earned much popular and critical interest. After a major-label bidding war, The Cranberries signed to Island Records to record "Uncertain". Their debut single was not successful. After ditching their manager, the Cranberries recorded Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?. The second single, "Linger", became a huge hit in both the United Kingdom and the United States. The single "Dreams " also became a hit reaching #14 on the U.S. charts.
In 1994, O'Riordan married Don Burton, the band's tour manager. O'Riordan's status as frontwoman was causing tensions within the group as they recorded No Need to Argue another hit album that included "Zombie" and "Ode to My Family". "Zombie", one of the band's most famous songs, was a protest about the violence between Protestant and Catholic extremists in Northern Ireland in the time of The Troubles [1].
Amidst rumors of O'Riordan's imminent departure, the band released To the Faithful Departed to limited success. During the next few years, the band cancelled a large tour and rumors of a breakup were widespread, though the band released Bury the Hatchet to mixed reviews in 1999.
In 2001 they released Wake Up And Smell The Coffee to rave reviews. The album debuted at number 54 in the U.S. charts. The band seemed back on track.
In 2003 a 'Best of' compilation entitled Stars was released, along with a DVD of groundbreaking award-winning videos is released. A new single, the title-track off their greatest hits CD, "Stars", charted in Europe and Asia.
However, in 2004, The Cranberries announced they were disbanding and pursuing individual careers. Dolores went on to record a solo album (to be released early 2006) and Noel launched into the recording of a guitar album. Dolores sings the title track to The Passion of the Christ, "Ave Maria".
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Releases
Albums
- Uncertain EP – 1992
- Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Canīt We? – 1993
- In Concert at the BBC – 1994 (limited UK release)
- No Need to Argue – 1994
- Doors And Windows – 1995 (Multimedia Disk )
- To the Faithful Departed – 1996
- Bury the Hatchet – 1999
- – 2000 - (26 track release)
- Wake Up and Smell the Coffee – 2001
- Stars - The Best of 1992 - 2002 – 2002
DVDs and Videos
- Children Of Bosnia
- Beneath The Skin - Live In Paris
- Stars - The Best of 1992 - 2002 – 2002