Written by: Abbie Alonzo
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! This March 17th, we wanted to take the opportunity to highlight some of our favorite Irish artists who have contributed great works of art to the world! Whether or not you knew these talented individuals were from Ireland, we are sure you have enjoyed their music at one point or another. Come along as we dive into the musical contributions of this beautiful country! 🍀
U2 was formed in Dublin, Ireland in 1976. The rock band consists of lead singer Paul David Hewson (Bono), lead guitarist David Howell Evans (The Edge), bassist Adam Clayton, and drummer Larry Mullen Jr. In 1976, 14-year-old Larry posted an ad on a board at his school seeking other boys to form a band, and after band practices and many name changes, U2 was born. They released their debut album, Boy, under Island Records in 1980 and would go on to release a whopping 16 albums in their career! Their fifth album, The Joshua Tree, changed the course of their careers, as it saw international and commercial success. With hits like “With or Without You” and “Beautiful Day”, U2 brings a classically unique sound to the industry that still influences artists today! 🎵
A band that saw strong influence from U2 is Snow Patrol! This Northern Irish-Scottish alternative rock group came together in 1994 at University of Dundee in Scotland. Gary Lightbody, Mark McClelland, and Michael Morrison came together and played small gigs around the area. They started working with independent label, Jeepster, in 1997 and released their debut album Songs for Polarbears in 1998. The band has seen a bit of a rotation of members in its time and is currently members Gary Lightbody, Jonny Quinn, Nathan Connolly, Paul Wilson, and Johnny McDaid. With four of the five members hailing from Northern Ireland, this band behind “Chasing Cars” is the perfect addition to our list of favorite Irish artists. 🚗
Another group hailing from Dublin is contemporary rock band, The Script! Made up of Danny O'Donoghue, Mark Sheehan, and Glen Power, this trio came together in 2007 and released their debut album, The Script, a year later in 2008 under Photogenic Records. With classic hits like “Breakeven” and “Hall of Fame”, The Script brings a timeless sound to the table. Their newest single, “I Want It All” can be found on their 2021 release, Tales From The Script: Greatest Hits, and is an honest, acoustic song that reflects their trademark sound 13 years later. Also influenced by U2, The Script is a timeless band that will not soon go out of style! 🌟
An Irishman known for his soulful voice and beautiful ballads is none other than Hozier. Born in Bray, Ireland, Hozier picked up a love for music at a young age. He taught himself guitar at around age 15 and sang in his school’s choir. As he got older, he was a struggling musician, often seen at open mic nights around Dublin. However, it was a recording of “Take Me To Church” that gained producer Rob Kirwan’s attention. From there, he began working with Rubyworks Records and created his debut album, Hozier, in 2014. “Take Me To Church” was a success, being called the third-biggest song in the UK in 2015. With raw talent in singing and songwriting, Hozier is not just a one-hit-wonder. His second album, Wasteland, Baby!, was released in 2019, and he was featured on an incredible version of “The Bones” with Maren Morris that same year! 😍
In the spirit of recognizing our favorite Irish artists, we could not forget our king, Niall Horan! Niall was born and raised in Mullingar, Ireland and was first discovered on X Factor in 2010. He was put into a group of five boys which we now revere as One Direction! The group saw five albums and three international tours in their six years as a band. Since they parted ways in 2016, Niall has kept on making music! Finding his individual sound within the soft rock/pop genre, Niall has released three albums since 2017: Flicker, Flicker Featuring the RTÉ Orchestra (Live), and Heartbreak Weather. With Heartbreak Weather coming out in early 2020, we cannot wait to see if this will be the year for NH3! Until then, we will keep hits like “Slow Hands” and “Black and White” on repeat! 😌
On this Irish holiday, it is great to recognize that many Irish artists have influenced the music we listen to today – especially in the soft rock genre! These musicians have graced us with some of our favorite songs and will continue to inspire the music of future artists. Happy St. Patrick's Day! 💚🤍🧡
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