One of the things I like to do to prepare for a trip is put on some music from the country I plan on visiting as I pack my bags.
Irish musical acts have been making waves for the past few decades. Some of their names are recognizable – like U2 – but even if you haven’t heard their names, you’ve likely heard their songs.
Here are my top 12 picks for contemporary Irish acts – and my pick for their best songs!
Fair warning: my undying love for 90s and early 2000s music may be over-represented here.
Table of Contents
1. U2: Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For
From: Dublin
More about the artist: From in 1976, U2 is perhaps the best known Irish musical act of all time. Composed of lead singer Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen, Jr., U2 has sold more than 170 million albums and won 22 Grammys – more than any other band. They’ve even been nominated for two Academy Awards.
Release date: May 25, 1987
Album: The Joshua Tree
About the song: Inspired by Gospel music, the song talks about spiritual doubt. Peaking at number 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 Chart, it was nominated for two Grammy Awards at the 1988 Grammys, for Record of the Year and Song of the Year.
Travel tip: The Little Museum of Dublin has a permanent exhibition dedicated to U2.
Check out the music video here.
2. The Corrs: Breathless
From: Dundalk, County Leath
More about the artist: Composed of siblings Andrea, Sharon, Caroline, and Jim, The Corrs have sold more than 40 million albums worldwide and been nominated for two Grammy awards. Their success even inspired English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran to write “Galway Girl.”
Release date: June 2000
Album: In Blue
About the song: “Breathless” is a pop song that helped the band achieve mainstream success. Number one in several countries, it peaked at number 34 in the US, the band’s only top 40 hit in that country.
Check out the music video here.
3. Boyzone: No Matter What
From: Dublin
More about the artist: Formed in 1993, Boyzone was originally comprised of five members. Tragically, co-lead singer Stephen Gately died suddenly in 2009, a couple of years after the group reunited. Boyzone is the among the bestselling boy bands in UK history.
Release date: August 3, 1998
Album: Where We Belong
About the song: “No Matter What” was written by musical theater composer Andrew Lloyd Webber for the musical Whistle Down the Wind. Boyzone recorded it for the premiere of the musical’s UK production. The Boyzone version sold over a million copies in the UK.
Check out the music video here.
4. Snow Patrol: Chasing Cars
From: Dundee, Scotland
More about the artist: Though formed in Dundee, Scotland, Snow Patrol’s members hail from the Emerald Isle. After changing their name a few times, they settled on “Snow Patrol.” Their albums have sold over 10 million copies worldwide.
Release date: June 6, 2006
Album: Eyes Open
About the song: “Chasing Cars” is a gentle love song. It’s been played on TV shows such as Grey’s Anatomy and garnered the band numerous accolades, including a Grammy nomination. It is said to be the most played song in the UK in the 21st century.
Check out the music video here.
5. Sinéad O’Connor: Nothing Compares 2 U
From: Dublin
More about the artist: One of Ireland’s best-known and controversial singers, Sinéad O’Connor made headlines for her activism and personal life as much as for her beautiful voice. Known for her activism for causes including child abuse and women’s rights, she converted to Islam and changed her name to Shuhada’ Saqadat. She died in 2023.
Release date: January 8, 1990
Album: I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got
About the song: “Nothing Compares 2 U” is from Sinéad’s first album. It topped charts in several countries worldwide, including the UK and US. Despite being written by American musician Prince, the song and the album it came from was Sinéad’s biggest commercial success.
Check out the music video here.
6. The Script: The Man Who Can’t Be Moved
From: Dublin
More about the artist: Formed in 2001, The Script released their first album seven years later. Since then, their songs have appeared in several TV shows, including 90210, The Hills, EastEnders, and The Vampire Diaries. They performed for Queen Elizabeth II in 2013.
Release date: July 25, 2008
Album: The Script
About the song: While “Hall of Fame” is the band’s biggest single, “The Man Who Can’t Be Moved” is nevertheless one of their most popular songs. It went 3x platinum in the UK and was used in the 2009 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.
Check out the music video here.
7. Westlife: Uptown Girl
From: Sligo and Dublin
More about the artist: Three of the band’s members were schoolmates in Sligo, Ireland, back in the 1990s. Not only does Westlife have 11 albums and sold over 55 million records, they are also the holders of 4 Guinness World Records.
Release date: March 5, 2001
Album: World of Our Own
About the song: This cover of a Billy Joel song did very well in the UK, where it went double platinum and is a million-selling single. Check out the music video here and see if you can spot some British actors you may know (and a certain German model).
8. Enya: Only Time
From: Dore, Gweedore, County Donegal
More about the artist: Hailing from the Gaelic-speaking part of Ireland, Enya’s stage name is a phonetic rendering of her birth name, Eithne. Her ethereal music is often classified as New Age, and she often integrates elements of Celtic music into her songs. She is Ireland’s best-selling solo artist, and the country’s second best-selling musical act, after U2.
Release date: November 6, 2000
Album: A Day Without Rain
About the song: The song reached the top spot in several countries, including Canada, Germany, and Switzerland. In the US, it peaked at #10 (Enya’s only top 10 single in the US), where it was used as an anthem for the victims of the September 11th attacks.
Check out the music video here.
9. Niall Horan: Nice to Meet Ya
From: Mullingar
More about the artist: Horan rose to prominence as a member of the mega-popular boyband One Direction (and the only Irish member). Since the band’s hiatus in 2016, Horan has gone onto a successful solo career.
Release date: October 4, 2019
Album: Heartbreak Weather
About the song: I once heard this song on the radio on my way to the airport, and it was stuck in my head for the rest of my flight. Co-written by Horan himself, the song’s best performance was in Belgium, where it peaked at #3.
Check out the music video here.
10. The Cranberries: Zombie
From: Limerick
More about the artist: The Cranberries didn’t initially have their sights set on worldwide fame, but success came from their first album. Over the course of their career, they sold nearly 50 million albums and were nominated for a Grammy. The band disbanded in 2019 shortly after the death of lead singer Dolores O’Riordan.
Release date: September 19, 1994
Album: No Need to Argue
About the song: Released as the lead single of their second album, “Zombie” was written by lead singer Dolores O’Riordan about the violence gripping Ireland during the time of The Troubles, the sectarian conflict between Protestants and Catholics in Northern Ireland. It became an anthem of anti-violence and anti-war.
Check out the music video here.
11. B*Witched: C’est La Vie
From: Dublin
More about the artist: Formed in 1997, girl group B*Witched enjoyed their greatest successes in the late 90s and early 2000s. Despite a 10-year hiatus, they celebrated their 25th anniversary in 2023.
Release date: May 25, 1998
Album: B*Witched
About the song: Co-written by the members of B*Witched themselves, “C’est La Vie” is a bubblegum pop song that featured more innuendos than you probably caught as a child. The song was a hit and reached #1 in several countries.
Check out the music video here.
12. Samantha Mumba: Gotta Tell You
From: Dublin
More about the artist: The daughter of an Irish mother and Zambian father, singer-songwriter Samantha Mumba has only put out one album, but released several singles. She’s even tried her hand at acting – she starred in the 2002 movie The Time Machine alongside Guy Pearce.
Release date: June 2, 2000
Album: Gotta Tell You
About the song: Mumba’s biggest hit was “Gotta Tell You,” which was an international hit in 2000. Peaking at #1 in Ireland and New Zealand, it reached #4 in the US, where it spent 22 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Check out the music video here.
Which 12 Irish contemporary musical artists will you choose as part of your travel playlist?
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