The Cranberries

The success of the Cranberries' 1993 single "Linger" was certainly the result of their near-flawless sound. One listen to Dolores O'Riordan's voice -- an intense, piercing wail that soars emotively or shifts, at note's end, to a keen yelp -- and anyone within earshot is transfixed. Combined with the band's shimmering, folk-influenced guitar pop and excellent studio production, the Cranberries' popularity and chart success seems only logical. The singles that followed "Linger," "Zombie" and "Ode to My Family," both soared up the American and U.K. charts, resulting in multiplatinum album sales. By the time of their third LP, To the Faithful Departed, the band were already a household name on both sides of the Atlantic.