Dolores O’Riordan, lead singer of Irish rock band The Cranberries, has died. She was 46 years old.
A spokesperson for O’Riordan confirmed the news to The Associated Press. A cause of death is not yet known. O’Riordan had been in London with The Cranberries for a short recording session, the spokesperson added.
The Cranberries were formed in 1989 by brothers Mike and Noel Hogan. Less than a year later, following the departure of the band’s first singer, O’Riordan joined the fold after responding to an advertisement for a female singer. With O’Riodran leading the way, The Cranberries went on to achieve international fame, having sold over 40 million records worldwide to date. The band’s 1993 debut, Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?, and 1996’s To the Faithful Departed, both went No. 1 in their native Ireland. Both of those albums, as well as 1994’s No Need to Argue and 1999’s Bury the Hatchet, also cracked the top 20 in the US, with To the Faithful Departed peaking at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 album charts. Their song, “Linger”, was a top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.
In early 2009, after a six-year hiatus, The Cranberries reunited for a North American tour. In 2012, they released Roses, their first album in 11 years. Last year they put out Something Else, a compilation of “unplugged” and orchestral re-recording of past singles, as well as three new songs.
In a statement, the surviving members of The Cranberries said, “We are devastated on the passing of our friend Dolores. She was an extraordinary talent and we feel very privileged to have been part of her life from 1989 when we started The Cranberries. The world has lost a true artist today.”
We are devastated on the passing of our friend Dolores. She was an extraordinary talent and we feel very privileged to have been part of her life from 1989 when we started the Cranberries. The world has lost a true artist today.
Noel, Mike and Fergal— The Cranberries (@The_Cranberries) January 15, 2018
This is a developing story…
