The Cranberries were an Irish rock band formed in Limerick in The band classified themselves as an alternative rock group, but incorporated elements of indie rock , jangle pop , dream pop , folk rock , post-punk , and pop rock into their sound. Their second album, No Need to Argue , brought the band to international fame and included the single " Zombie " which became a stadium anthem and one of the band's most recognizable songs.
Their fifth album, Wake Up and Smell the Coffee , did not meet the commercial success of their preceding albums, and the band cited their dissatisfaction with MCA's promotion. Following a six-year hiatus from to , the Cranberries embarked on a North American tour which was followed by shows in Latin America and Europe. They released their sixth album, Roses , their first album in eleven years since Wake Up and Smell the Coffee , and expanded their musical style with their seventh acoustic album, Something Else Following O'Riordan's death from drowning due to alcohol intoxication in , Noel Hogan confirmed that the remaining members chose to disband out of respect for her.
They disbanded after the release of their acclaimed final album, In the End The Cranberries were one of the best-selling alternative acts of the s, having sold nearly 50 million albums worldwide as of The music video for "Zombie" is the first by an Irish band to reach one billion views on YouTube. Shortly afterwards, Quinn left the band to return to his previous group Hitchers, although they remained on good terms.
On a Sunday afternoon in mid, year-old Dolores O'Riordan cycled to the audition at Xeric Studios dressed in a tracksuit and with a broken Casio keyboard under her arm. It was a lovely potential band but they needed a singer — and direction". In July , the group performed their first gig with O'Riordan at a hotel basement called Ruby's Club, Cruises Hotel, Limerick, performing six original songs to an audience of 60 people including three other local groups.
After a difficult recording session, intended for their first album on Island Records in January , the band scrapped their work and fired Gilmore. On that occasion they sang 12 songs. When the band embarked on a tour supporting Suede , they caught the attention of MTV , which put their videos into heavy rotation. It reached No. It would go on to peak at No. Within a year it went triple platinum, spawning the number-one hit " Zombie " and the No. On 15 May , the Cranberries had planned an impromptu free acoustic set for 3, people at National Sylvan Theater in Washington, D.
