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Aug 16, 2024 · Here's our ranking of the top 20 most iconic Irish bands of all time (in 2024). Interesting facts about top Irish bands and music. The top Irish bands, listed in order 20-1. 20. The Academic – rising stars of indie rock. 19. The Frames – emotive Irish rock veterans. 18. Ash – pop-punk pioneers from Downpatrick.
- The Best Irish Bands of All Time
- What Top Irish Bands Have We missed?
- FAQs About Famous Irish Groups
There have been many popular Irish bands over the years. Some, like U2, made it worldwide while other Irish rock bands never managed to make it past the UK. Below, you’ll discover everyone from Snow Patrol and the Dubliners to some of the more modern Irish bands. Enjoy!
I’ve no doubt that we’ve unintentionally left out some brilliant Irish music bands from the guide above. In recent months, we’ve had many emails mentioning the likes of The High Kings, The Thrills, Dropkick Murphys and the Wolfe Tones. If you have any Irish groups that you’d like to recommend, let me know in the comments below and I’ll check it out...
We’ve had a lot of questions over the years asking about everything from ‘What famous Irish bands from the 90s never made it out of Ireland?’ to ‘What old Irish music bands are worth a listen?’. In the section below, we’ve popped in the most FAQs that we’ve received. If you have a question that we haven’t tackled, ask away in the comments section b...
- U2. Up first, we have U2. The band was born after drummer Larry Mullen posted an ad looking for musicians, and they’ve come a long way since their early beginnings.
- Cranberries. Consisting originally of Niall Quinn, Noel Hogan, Mike Hogan, and Fergal Lawler, we have the Cranberries, formed in 1989. Soon after their start, Dolores O’Riordan replaced Quinn.
- Thin Lizzy. Formed in 1969, Thin Lizzy banded together with members from both sides of the Irish border. They were one of the first bands to have two lead guitarists, and their sound mix was phenomenal.
- Horslips. The 1970s saw the formation of Irish rock band Horslips. They were the pioneers of their time, interpreting rock with their Irish roots. They’re known most for the songs “Dearg Doom” and “Trouble with a Capital T,” but fans also enjoyed the movement in “King of the Fairies.”
- U2 – Ireland’s most celebrated band. The number one slot, of course, had to go to U2. With 22 Grammy Awards, how could anyone else really compete? Formed in Dublin in 1976, the band, consisting of Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen, have achieved worldwide success and are hands down the most globally successful musical group to come out of Ireland.
- Westlife – another Irish favourite. This Irish boy band have had 34 Top 50 singles and 11 number one albums. Furthermore, they have sold approximately 55 million records to date.
- The Clancy Brothers – easily recognised by their Aran jumpers. The Clancy Brothers are the band most remembered for popularising the Irish folk sound on an international stage.
- The Wolfe Tones – a musical career spanning many decades. The Wolfe Tones have stayed a solid Irish political band since their formation in 1963. They continue to tour extensively across Ireland and America to this day.
- Thin Lizzy. Thin Lizzy is an Irish rock band that was formed by school friends Brian Downey and Phill Lynott in 1969. However, after Downey left the band, the group decided to change their name to Black Star Riders in 2012 and occasionally play early Thin Lizzy songs during their concerts.
- The Cranberries. The Cranberries, initially known as The Cranberry Saw Us, changed their original name when Dolores O’Riordan replaced the band’s lead singer Niall Quinn.
- The Pogues. The Pogues are considered one of the most influential bands of the 80s and have inspired countless musicians in the punk and folk genres. The band is known for its unique music and rowdy live performances.
- The Dubliners. The Dubliners are known for their unique style of music, which combines traditional Irish tunes with elements of British folk. Their song “The Irish Rover,” featuring another Irish band, The Pogues, topped the singles charts in Ireland and the UK.
Dec 19, 2023 · It might surprise you that The Cranberries started as an all-male band with lead singer Niall Quinn in 1989. Hailing from Limerick, Ireland, the members were pals and didn’t realize that they would later become one of the most famous rock bands in the world. A year later, they added Dolores O’Riordan and changed their name to The Cranberries.
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Jul 23, 2020 · Westlife are arguably the most famous Irish boy band this country has ever seen – sorry Boyzone, tough decisions had to be made for this very important list. Nicky, Bryan (that was how he spelt it back then), Shane, Kian and Mark were more than household names in the early 2000s, they were practically royalty.
