Patrick Bennet 
The lead singer of the popular Irish alternative rock band, The Cranberries, has died. Delores O’Riordan was just 46 years old. Her publicist announced her death earlier today, but no cause has been reported as of yet.
O’Riordan was recording in London at the time of her passing, but nothing else is known right now, according to her publicist.
The statement went on to say that the family of the singer requested to have their privacy in this very difficult time, and that they were devastated by the loss.
Fans around the globe began posting condolences and sharing their grief for the singer immediately after the news broke.
Fellow Irish rockers, Kodaline, were among the first to tweet their condolences and recall that The Cranberries supported them from the start of their careers.
James Corden, Questlove Gomez and Shappi Khorsandi were among some of the other celebrities who were saddened by the news.
Corden told the story of meeting Delores when he was 15 years old and that she signed his train ticket. He described her as lovely and kind. He also praised her amazing voice.
Questlove simply relayed the news with a damn of disbelief.
The official Cranberries twitter account has been quiet for a few weeks, however, Delores posted just before Christmas to say how she enjoyed a party she’d attended and performed at, for Billboard, and to extend Christmas wishes to their fans.
Hi All, Dolores here. Feeling good! I did my first bit of gigging in months at the weekend, performed a few songs at the Billboard annual staff holiday party in New York with the house band. Really enjoyed it! Happy Christmas to all our fans!! Xo
— The Cranberries (@The_Cranberries) December 20, 2017
The Cranberries went on hiatus in the early 2000s and O’Riordan released two solo albums. “Are You Listening” was released in 2007 and “No Baggage” followed in 2009.
In 2009, her band reunited and also released two more albums. “Roses and Something Else” came in 2012, and just last year they recorded an album of covers along with the Irish Chamber Orchestra.
Delores was born in 1971, in Limerick, Ireland.
She had three children with her ex husband, Don Burton, former manager of rock band Duran Duran. They were married for 20 years, divorcing in 2014.
O’Riordan was a very talented singer and songwriter. Her vocals truly came out with so much feeling and can really be credited as a reason the band found such success. Her plaintive and soaring voice was incredible.
One of the greatest songs from The Cranberries is definitely “Zombie,” which was a protest song written by O’Riordan. It came out in late 1994 and it was the first release from their second album, titled “No Need to Argue.” It reached the top of the charts in many countries including Belgium, Denmark, Australia, Germany, and France. It was also wildly popular in the United States.
Another great tune from the Irish band was “Linger,” which came out in 1993. It was from the album “Everyone Else is Doing it, So Why Can’t We?”
The songs of The Cranberries were the soundtrack to so many people’s lives at one point or another. It’s always sad to lose someone who is so young. She will definitely be missed by her friends, family, and fans all around the world.
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