Dolores O’Riordan, lead singer of legendary Irish alternative rock band The Cranberries, has died. She was 46.
She died suddenly while in London for a recording session, according to a statement from the band. No cause of death has been revealed.
O’Riordan and The Cranberries enjoyed massive success in the early 90s, with songs like Linger, Dream, and anti-terrorism anthem Zombie contributing to 40 million record sales.
Their record Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We? enjoyed modest success upon release in 1993, but its addition to MTV playlists later that year helped shoot the album to the top of the U.K. and Irish album charts and #18 on the U.S. Billboard 200 Album chart.
No Need to Argue, released the year after, spawned Zombie. That song was voted #1 in the Triple J Hottest 100 of 1994, beating songs from alternative rock contemporaries Nirvana, Silverchair, and Soundgarden.
After another two records, The Cranberries went on hiatus in 2001. O’Riordan put out two solo records before the band reunited in 2009.
Plans for the band to tour their most recent album, 2017’s Something Else, were shelved after concerns about O’Riordan’s recovery from a back problem. O’Riordan also announced her diagnosis with bipolar disorder last year.
In a statement, Irish President Michael Higgins said “It is with great sadness that I have learned of the death of Dolores O’Riordan, musician, singer and song writer.
Dolores O’Riordan and The Cranberries had an immense influence on rock and pop music in Ireland and internationally.
I recall with fondness the late Limerick TD Jim Kemmy’s introduction of her and The Cranberries to me, and the pride he and so many others took in their successes.
To her family and all those who follow and support Irish music, Irish musicians and the performing arts her death will be a big loss.”
RIP.
