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The Cranberries

Background informationAlso known asThe Cranberry Saw Us
(1989–1990)OriginLimerick, IrelandGenres

Years active

Labels

Associated actsJetlagWebsitecranberries.com
Members

• Mike Hogan
• Noel Hogan
• Fergal Lawler

Past members

• Niall Quinn
• Dolores O’Riordan

The Cranberries are an Irish rock band formed in Limerick in 1989 by lead singer Niall Quinn, guitarist Noel Hogan, bassist Mike Hogan, and drummer Fergal Lawler. Quinn was replaced as lead singer by Dolores O’Riordan in 1990.^[2] The band officially classify themselves as an alternative rock group, but noted incorporations of indie pop, post-punk, Irish folk, and pop rock into their sound.^[3]

The Cranberries rose to international fame in the 1990s with their debut album, Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?, which became a commercial success. The band has sold over 40 million records worldwide, and achieved four top 20 albums on the Billboard 200 chart (Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?; No Need to Argue, To the Faithful Departed and Bury the Hatchet)^[4] and eight top 20 singles on the Modern Rock Tracks chart (“Linger“, “Dreams“, “Zombie“, “Ode to My Family“, “Ridiculous Thoughts“, “Salvation“, “Free to Decide“, and “Promises“).^[4]

In early 2009, after a six-year hiatus, the Cranberries reunited and began a North American tour, followed by shows in Latin America and Europe.^[5][6] The band recorded their sixth album Roses in May 2011, and released it in February 2012. Something Else, an album covering earlier songs together with the Irish Chamber Orchestra, was released in April 2017.^[7]

On 15 January 2018, lead singer Dolores O’Riordan was found dead of drowning in a London hotel room. She had recently arrived in London for a recording session.

Zombie (song)

Single by The Cranberriesfrom the album No Need to ArgueReleased19 September 1994Format

Recorded1993 at Windmill Lane StudiosGenre

Length

LabelIslandSongwriter(s)Dolores O’RiordanProducer(s)Stephen StreetThe Cranberries singles chronology

“Linger“ (1993)

“Zombie“ (1994)

“Ode to My Family“ (1994)

Music video“Zombie” on YouTubeAudio sample

“Zombie” is a protest song by Irish rock band The Cranberries, written about the 1993 IRA bombing in Warrington, and in memory of two young victims, Johnathan Ball and Tim Parry.^[1] It was released in September 1994 as the lead single from their second studio album, No Need to Argue (1994). It preceded the release of No Need to Argue by two weeks. The song was written by the band’s lead singer Dolores O’Riordan, and reached No. 1 on the charts in Australia, Belgium, France, Denmark and Germany.

It won the “Best Song” award at the 1995 MTV Europe Music Awards.^[2]

In 2017, the song was released as an acoustic, stripped down version on the band’s Something Else album.^[3]