Mysterious Death Claims Cranberries Lead Singer Dolores O’Riordan at 46

Fans of the Irish rock band the Cranberries are stunned by the news and asking themselves how Dolores O’Riordan could possibly have died at 46.

The death of the group’s lead singer was announced today by her publicist, who did not provide O’Riordan’s cause of death in the statement.

O’Riordan’s brash alto immediately cut through much of the clutter of much ’90s radio, as the band charted a respectable run of hit singles and albums. Forged in the same punk/pop fires that launched bands like Blondie and later Garbage and No Doubt, the Cranberries were a dependable source of smart pop hooks welded to grunge-tinged instrumentals.

In the statement issued today O’Riordan’s publicist said little more than that the singer had died in England. “Irish and international singer Dolores O’Riordan has died suddenly in London today,” Lindsey Holmes wrote in a release e-mailed to the press, adding only that the singer had been in London to attend a recording session.

The announcement did suggest that the singer had died unexpectedly and that family members were “devastated to hear the breaking news” and “requested privacy at this very difficult time.”

The Cranberries were formed in Limerick City, Ireland in 1990 — a part of the world overshadowed by the international success of U2 and Van Morrison. Unlike them however, the Cranberries wore their Celtic backgrounds on their sleeve, with O’Riordan’s keening style leading the way.

Her bandmates included brothers Mike Hogan (bass), and Noel Hogan (guitars), as well as drummer and percussionist Fergal Lawler. To date, the Cranberries and have sold more than 40 million albums, and were often a staple of Adult Album Alternative stations across the United States. They’re perhaps best known for its now-classic songs “Dreams,” and “Zombie,” as well as their most recognizable hit, “Linger,” which spent an impressive 24 weeks on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart before peaking at No. 8 back in 1994.