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Dolores O’Riordan dies aged 46

By Paul Sinclair

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45

Irish musician and singer-songwriter Dolores O’Riordan, who came to fame as lead singer of The Cranberries, has died suddenly aged 46.

The band’s facebook page was updated two hours ago with the following message:

“Irish and international singer Dolores O’Riordan has died suddenly in London today. She was 46 years old. The lead singer with the Irish band The Cranberries, was in London for a short recording session. No further details are available at this time.

Family members are devastated to hear the breaking news and have requested privacy at this very difficult time.”

The Cranberries released seven studio albums during their career and enjoyed international success with their 1994 long-player No Need To Argue. Produced by Stephen Street, that album has sold 17 million copies to date and features the single Zombie –  a number one hit in Australia, Germany and France.

Less than a year ago The Cranberries issued Something Else an album that featured unplugged and orchestral versions of ten previously released singles and three new songs. The band’s 1993 debut Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We? received an audiophile vinyl reissue last year, courtesy of US label Analog Spark.

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45 thoughts on “Dolores O’Riordan dies aged 46”

  2. Pingback: The Cranberries / Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We? reissue | superdeluxeedition
  3. Pingback: The Cranberries resume box set plans | superdeluxeedition

  5. I never understood the Cranberries hype and Zombie was played to death on German Radio Stations. Still I am sad to read this. I will be 50 this year. Sigh… Peace. Health. Seeds of Love SDE.

  7. All the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and now 90’s rock talents are going away year after year. This leaves us with Ed Sheran and Miley Cirus ? I hope not..

  8. I am genuinely upset about this. I loved the Cranberries, such a good band. And Dolores had the most astonishing voice. Such a sad loss. She was younger than me, way too young to leave us :(

  9. Linger is my favourite song of the 1990’s.
    An incredible voice and presence , 46 is a desperately young age to lose such a talent.

    RIP

  10. I first saw The Cranberries when they supported Mike Oldfield at the Royal Albert Hall in 1993. They were obviously just on the verge of being signed and had ‘THAT’ something extra that you see from support bands who clearly are going places.
    I’m pretty sure her husband managed Duran for a while too – very sad being so young.

    1. That was the Cranberries? I was at that concert, well one of them anyway so I assume that the support act would have been the same, I had no idea as, to my shame, I paid them no attention. Well well….That’ll teach me.

  12. Never been inclined to buy any of her records, but I did enjoy ‘Ode to My Family’ and ‘Zombie’ (which was huge in Germany) in the mid-nineties. Sad news for her family and friends.

  13. Huge fan great band lovely voice unique and instantly recogniseable much too young you will be missed after Ray Thomas the Year is indeed not starting out too well RIP

  18. Was a fan of their first album but then the 2nd album and the faux-grunge “Zombie” just threw me and I stopped following the band, as they seemed to just go in a myriad of directions without logic or plan…still, sucks she passed on, as Dolores was NOT talentless…RIP, thoughts with her family, friends and band…

  21. Completely idiosyncratic and the type of musician in a band that just wouldn’t get a look-in in today’s commercial pop environment. Had her demons too, at least she’s at peace now.

  22. She was the same age as me. I have all their albums. Even the recent one. I LOVED her voice. And the Bands music and arrangements. She was also a Virgo as I am, born the same year just a few weeks before me. I heartbroken. And when I say I loved their albums, I mean there was not one bad song on each of their albums. I have them all. And I was a fan from the beginning. Seeing the video for “Linger” on MTV. I’m so sad and shocked. RIP

  24. Blessed to see them play at Bristol’s Fleece and Firkin, shortly after the Uncertain EP. A very different prospect, in those days. Magical.

    Thoughts with family and friends..

  25. This feels so very hard to post, having been a fan of the band since hearing ‘Linger’ for the first time approx. 25 years ago as a new entry on the modern rock charts and following them ever since. Reading the news this evening, I couldn’t believe what I saw on the tv screen. Such a talented person and so very Young. Her voice was not everyone’s taste for sure, but definetely unique and it made the band in a kind of love or dislike way. Many of the songs have meant so much over those years + will stay in my heart forever. It feels very strange to dream ones dreams now without Dolores singing.
    R.I.P. and deepest condolences to her family.

  26. What sad news for someone to die so young. My thoughts and prayers go out to Dolores O’Riordan’s family and friends. Her distinctive Irish voice cracked with pain, love and vehemence. Dolores and the Cranberries made a wonderful contribution to pop music. I wish more contemporary singers and songwriters had her unabashed passion. Now she sings with the angels. God bless Dolores.

  29. Sorry to hear, was never a fan though, found her voice v grating. Saw the Cranberries supporting American Music Club at the Astoria in April 93 and watched sadly as AMCs career went down the pan while the Cranberries’ went into stratosphere! RIP anyway

  32. it’s such a shame that for us to listen to the best it is sometimes the result of a tortured soul, I hope she can now lay those demons to rest. RIP

  33. I first heard her lovely voice on “Soon is never soon enough”, on Moose’s XYZ album, which made me curious about her band. I really liked their debut, but then I didn’t like Zombie at all and I lost sight of them. This is a very sad reason to explore the rest of their work.

    1. Like you I had only just watched “Click” on Sky this morning where the Cranberries had a cameo. So very sad, 46 is no age, I’m sure many of us here are well past it ( in more than one sense) too young to go.

  39. Awww, that’s horrible. I was just listening to “Linger” on Pandora yesterday, and thinking about buying their CDs. 2018 is not starting out very well.

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