For a country with just over 5 million people, there are a surprising number of famous musicians from Ireland. Irish culture is rooted in music, with traditional Celtic music dating back over 2,000 years. From classic rock stars to modern-day pop singers, Ireland has produced its fair share of musical talent.
In this article, I’ll break down 14 of the most famous musicians from Ireland. Let’s get straight to it!
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1. U2
It should come as no surprise that U2 sits comfortably at the top of this list. As one of the most successful rock bands of all time, U2 is a national treasure in Ireland. The band was formed in 1976 by lead singer Bono, guitarist “The Edge”, bassist Adam Clayton, and drummer Larry Mullen Jr.
U2 has sold more than $175 million records, making the band the best-selling Irish group of all time by a long shot. The band has produced 15 studio albums, the most popular of which is the 1987 release, The Joshua Tree.
2. Sinéad O’Connor
Famous for her unique and powerful vocals, Sinéad O’Connor was one of the most iconic musicians from Ireland. The singer was catapulted to fame in 1987 with her cover of “Nothing Compares 2 U,” a song originally written by Prince.
Throughout her career, Sinéad O’Connor was known for having strong, controversial opinions, including an incident in which she publically tore up a photo of Pope John Paul II on live TV in protest of child abuse in the Catholic Church—an incident that ultimately derailed her career.
3. The Cranberries
One of the most successful rock bands of the 90s, the Cranberries sold more than 50 million albums throughout their career. The Cranberries were formed in Limerick, Ireland, in 1989, but lead singer Dolores O’Riordon didn’t join the band until 1990. O’Riordon had a unique style of singing that gave the band an indistinguishable sound, using yodeling and other unusual vocal techniques.
The Cranberries made their major international breakthrough with the release of No Need to Argue in 1994, which sold more than 17 million copies. The album featured “Zombie,” the band’s most popular song, which was written in protest to the Northern Irish Troubles.
4. Van Morrison
Van Morrison, the first musician on this list from Northern Ireland, is easily one of the most successful musicians on the island. After releasing his debut single, “Brown Eyed Girl,” in 1967, the singer was launched into the spotlight, quickly becoming one of the biggest names of the decade.
His 1970 release Moondance has been named one of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time by Rolling Stone Magazine. Throughout his career spanning more than 5 decades, Van Morrison has sold around 50 million records.
5. Snow Patrol
An iconic band from the early 2000s, Snow Patrol has sold over 10 million albums. Snow Patrol was formed in Dundee, Scotland, in 1994, but both founding members were from Northern Ireland. Interestingly, the band didn’t see much success for nearly a decade, with the release of their third studio album, Final Straw, in 2003.
While Final Straw brought them into the limelight, it was Snow Patrol’s 4th album, Eyes Open, that really kicked things up a gear. This album featured the band’s most popular song, “Chasing Cars”.
Fun fact: “Chasing Cars” was used in the season two finale of Grey’s Anatomy, which helped boost the song’s popularity.
6. Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy is one of my absolute favorites and the premier classic rock band from Ireland. Formed by bassist and lead singer and bass player Phil Lynott and drummer Brian Downey. In 1972, the band released their version of the traditional Irish ballad “Whiskey in the Jar,” which brought the band onto the world stage.
In 1975, Thin Lizzy released their breakthrough album Jailbreak. The album went on to sell more than 500,000 copies in the USA and included their most iconic song, “The Boys Are Back In Town.”
Phil Lynott was one of only a few black men of his time to lead a classic rock band and one of the most famous black Irishmen of all time.
7. Hozier
I’ve been singing along to Hozier’s songs for more than a decade. After Hozier released his debut EP for free on YouTube, the track “Take Me to Church” went viral. This gained the 23-year-old from County Wicklow major international recognition. The Irish musician then released his debut self-titled album in 2014, which has sold more than 4 million copies and topped the charts in Ireland.
Hozier has a bluesy style and often uses deep literary themes in his lyricism.
8. Enya
Enya has sold more than 80 million albums, making her the second-best-selling Irish musician (after U2). The artist is a native Irish speaker and often sings and records music in her native tongue. Enya saw major success with her second studio album, Watermark, released in 1988. This album contained her hit single “Orinoco Flow.” This song itself sold more than 11 million copies!
Enya was also featured on the soundtrack for Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings films and even sang songs in the fantasy Elvin language of Sindarin.
9. Gilbert O’Sullivan
A singer-songwriter from Waterford, Gilbert O’Sullivan is a national treasure in Ireland. The musician has recorded 19 full-length studio albums throughout his 5-decade career. O’Sullivan was a huge success in the 1970s with several chart-topping hits, including “Alone, Alone” and “Clair.” In 1972 alone, Gilbert O’Sullivan sold more than 10 million albums, making him easily one of the most successful Irish stars of the 1970s.
While O’Sullivan hasn’t had many hits in recent years, he continues to release new music and play live shows.
10. The Script
Formed in 2001 in Dublin, The Script saw immediate success after releasing their debut self-titled album in 2008. The album peaked at #1 on both the UK and Irish charts. This album contained two of The Script’s most popular songs, “The Man Who Can’t Be Moved” and “Breakeven.”
Since their debut, The Script has released seven more studio albums and sold more than 20 million albums around the world. They are easily one of the most beloved Irish bands of all time.
11. The Dubliners
The Dubliners are one of the most internationally successful Irish folk bands ever. As the band’s name suggests, The Dubliners were formed in Dublin in 1962 by Ronnie Drew, Ciarán Bourke, and Barney McKenna. Throughout the early 1960s, the band was mildly successful in Ireland, but it wasn’t until an appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1967 that they saw significant international recognition.
The Dubliners contributed significantly to the global appreciation of Irish folk music and influenced many modern bands, including the Celtic punk band from the late 90s, The Dropkick Murphys. The band had a career spanning more than 5 decades, recording 30 full-length albums and selling more than 30 million!
12. Niall Horan
One-fifth of 2010’s British boy band sensation One Direction, Niall Horan, is originally from Ireland. He joined the British singing competition X-Factor in 2010 and was placed in a group with Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, and Louis Tomlinson. One Direction went on to sell more than 70 million records, making them one of the best-selling boy bands of all time.
After being catapulted to fame by One Direction’s success, Horan set off on his solo career in 2016 with his debut single “This Town.” In 2017, the Irish musician released his first full-length album, Flicker, which was certified Platinum in the USA, selling more than 1,000,000 copies.
13. Christy Moore
Another world-famous Irish folk musician, Christy Moore, blends storytelling and political testaments into his slow and emotional songs. Moore’s songs are typically stripped-down songs simply comprising of an acoustic guitar, a traditional Irish drum called a Bodhrán, and vocals. His songs discuss complex real-world themes ranging from the Troubles of Northern Ireland to the Spanish Civil War and denuclearization.
Christy Moore has sold more than a million albums and continues to record new music to this day. He is one of Ireland’s most popular and beloved folk singers.
14. Imelda May
Imelda May is one of Ireland’s most versatile musicians. Her music style is best described as a blend of rockabilly, blues, jazz, and punk. She played a major role in the rockabilly revival of the late 90s and early 2000s. Born in Dublin, Imelda May gained widespread recognition in 2008 with her breakthrough album Love Tattoo. This record was May’s second full-length album and became one of the best-selling albums by an Irish female musician.
Over the years, Imelda has evolved her sound, incorporating more contemporary influences, which can be seen in her 2017 album Life. Love. Flesh. Blood.
Wrapping up
Ireland undoubtedly has produced its fair share of famous musicians, especially for such a small country. In fact, Ireland’s music industry is a huge economic driver, contributing 500 million euros to the economy each year and supplying nearly 12,000 jobs! Music is engrained in Irish culture, a culture that has given birth to some of the world’s most famous and successful musicians.
Looking to learn about more amazing musicians? Check out my list of the best New Zealand artists.
