Start / Professor of Rock / The cranberries almost got dropped by their label until linger changed everything

The Cranberries Almost Got Dropped by Their Label Until “Linger” Changed Everything

20 min • 11 mars 2024

It started with an audition… a strange girl named Dolores O’Riordan in a pink tracksuit walked in to try out to be a singer for an indie band that was going nowhere… The Cranberries. She was surrounded by a bunch of guys who laughed at her mockingly. However, this Dolores had a secret weapon… one of the most powerful and recognizable voices of a generation A few minutes later these jokers were picking their jaws up off the floor. She could really sing…. but could she write? This band sent Dolores home with the music to a song they’d written. They wanted to see what this rookie could do. Only thing is… Dolores had never actually written a song before. She came back with a song called Linger. It was filled with infatuation, deception, betrayal, blind devotion… and a tranquility in the delivery that would put them at the top of the charts. Only thing is Linger bombed when it was released. And The Cranberries were afraid their label was gonna drop ‘em, but what happened next would change the fortunes of this band forever…. the story is NEXT on the Professor of Rock.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Senaste avsnitt

The Cranberries Almost Got Dropped by Their Label Until “Linger” Changed Everything

Senaste avsnitt

FROM THE VAULT: When The Beatles Took on The Who with “Helter Skelter”

Countdown: The Greatest Songs of 1961 Including Roy Orbison’s Vocal Masterpiece

When Ego Ruined Everything: Rock’s Most Infamous Self-Destruct Moments

The Story Behind Supertramp’s “The Logical Song” – A Classic Rock Masterpiece

How “Love Is a Battlefield” Was Rewritten and Became an ’80s Anthem

FROM THE VAULT: Randy Bachman on How “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet” Became an Accidental #1 Hit

7 Hilarious Non-Parody Rock Songs You Won’t Believe Aren’t Jokes

FROM THE VAULT: How George Harrison Inspired Led Zeppelin to Write The Rain Song

1993’s Top Songs: R.E.M., Billy Joel, Duran Duran, Whitney Houston & Blind Melon

5 Unsolved Rock Mysteries: The Strangest Lost Songs Ever Found

Nick Kershaw’s “Wouldn’t It Be Good”: The 80s Anthem That Live Aid and Pretty in Pink Reimagined

Styx's “Renegade”: The Accidental Hit That Made Tommy Shaw a Rock Legend

Improv Magic: The Untold Stories Behind Pink Floyd, The Who, and More

FROM THE VAULT: How David Gilmour’s Voice Elevated Pink Floyd’s Greatest Songs

Oldies But Goldies: The Untold Stories Behind the 1962 Hits That Changed Music

Ozzy Osbourne’s Greatest Songs: A Tribute to Heavy Metal’s Icon

How Living Colour’s “Cult of Personality” Broke Barriers on MTV and Rock Radio

FROM THE VAULT: Interview with Geoff Downes: How "Video Killed the Radio Star" Became an 80s Icon Despite Peaking in the 70s

England Dan & John Ford Coley: The Soft Rock Duo Who Rivaled Zeppelin

BONUS: Adam and Janda Lane remember Ozzy Osbourne on the Behind The Song podcast

Top 10 Albums of 1979: Fleetwood Mac, The Clash, AC/DC & More

FROM THE VAULT: How Cream Turned a Poem About Real Estate into the Psychedelic Rock Classic “White Room”

Top 10 Songs of 1992: From Nirvana’s Revolution to Metallica’s Surprising Ballad

How Cake’s “The Distance” Became the Coolest Song of the ’90s

Weird Al Yankovic’s Greatest Parodies: From “White & Nerdy” to “Amish Paradise”

Jimi Hendrix’s Final Days, Wild Legends, and the Truth About “Purple Haze”

How Walter Egan Turned a Crush on Stevie Nicks Into a 1978 Classic

Remembering Ozzy Osbourne – Ozzy’s Post–Sabbath Comeback Begins with “Crazy Train” and Randy Rhoads

Remembering Ozzy Osbourne – The Redemption Behind “Mama, I’m Coming Home”

The Lost Rebel Anthem: How Rock’s Boldest Hit Disappeared from Culture

The Power of the Rock Community: Why We Won’t Back Down in the Music Rights Fight

FROM THE VAULT: Motley Crue’s 'Home Sweet Home': The Epic Music Video MTV Had to Stop Playing

FROM THE VAULT: The Story Behind The Beatles’ Perfect Double A-Side – Penny Lane & Strawberry Fields Forever

Top 10 B-Sides That Became Iconic Hits: Queen, Fleetwood Mac, Pearl Jam & More

Michael Anthony Reveals How Van Halen Conquered Rock ‘n’ Roll

FROM THE VAULT: How Def Leppard Defied the Odds to Create Hysteria – An 80s Rock Masterpiece

FROM THE VAULT: Rob Halford on Writing Breaking the Law and How Judas Priest Brought Metal to MTV

Top 10 Albums of 1985: Tears for Fears, Dire Straits, Kate Bush & More

Wind of Change, Enter Sandman, and the Songs That Rocked 1991

The Rise and Fall of Creedence Clearwater Revival: The Tragedy Behind “Have You Ever Seen the Rain”

FROM THE VAULT: Interview with Thomas Dolby: Playing Live Aid With David Bowie and Writing for Michael Jackson

When Rock Songs Go Wrong: The Bizarre True Stories Behind Music’s Darkest Myths

The Untold Story of Rush’s Biggest Hits: Interviews with Two Rock Legends

The Story of “More Than Words” by Extreme: A Power Ballad That Changed Everything

Stevie Nicks, Dolores O’Riordan & Alanis: Rock’s Most Unique Female Singers

FROM THE VAULT: How a Schoolteacher Wrote Elvis Presley’s “Heartbreak Hotel” and Made Music History with Her Son

The Beatles' Chart Takeover and 10 More Iconic Songs of 1964

The Bee Gees Comeback: From Disco Backlash to "You Win Again"

The Greatest Music Records of All Time—And Why No One Will Ever Top Them

A Tribute to Dan Fogelberg – The Unsung Hero of ’70s and ’80s Songwriting

From Steely Dan to the Doobie Brothers: The Origins of ‘What a Fool Believes’

The Craziest One-Hit Wonder Stories in Rock History

FROM THE VAULT: How The Beatles’ “A Day in the Life” Redefined Rock Music Forever

Alice Cooper’s Most Controversial Hit: The True Story of “School’s Out”

Countdown: The Greatest Rock Songs of 1990 and the Stories Behind Them

Guilty Pleasures Countdown: The Songs We Secretly Love to Sing

How Eagles Became Rock Icons: Producer Bill Szymczyk Tells All

Inside the Greatest Supergroup Ever: The Untold Story of “We Are the World”

Van Halen, The Beatles & More: The Most Misunderstood Songs in Rock History

1968’s Greatest Songs: Janis, Otis, The Beatles, and a Chilling Surprise

FROM THE VAULT: Why Beastie Boys Hated Their Own Hit "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (to Party)

The Secret Behind Led Zeppelin’s “Ramble On” and Its Mysterious Drums

Top ’90s TV Theme Songs: Friends, Seinfeld, X-Files & More

How Soul Asylum’s “Runaway Train” Saved Lives and Changed the World

Exclusive Interview: Gary Numan on His UK Success, U.S. One-Hit Wonder, and Finding Peace

FROM THE VAULT: How the Bee Gees Rose from Collapse to Conquer the 70s: Top 5 Songs of the Gibb Brothers

When Kiedis Bombed Live and Loggins Got Fired—Then They Made History

The Untold Stories of 1972’s Greatest Hits: Bowie, Seals & Crofts, and The Hollies

The Genius of Brian Wilson: A Farewell to Pop’s Most Profound Composer

FROM THE VAULT: How Bon Jovi Rose to Fame with Anthems of Hope and Resilience

The Wildest Rock Supergroups That Almost Happened: Michael Jackson, Freddie Mercury, and Llamas

He Lost the Bet...Then Wrote Their Biggest Hit in Minutes!

Kenny Rogers on “The Gambler”: The Song That Made Him a Legend

Celebrating Brian Wilson: The Musical Genius Behind The Beach Boys | Bonus Tribute Episode

Banned by MTV, Rejected by Radio: The ’80s Hits Too Hot to Handle

FROM THE VAULT: How Tom Petty Proved His Label Wrong with Free Fallin’

The 16-Year-Old Who Outsold The Beatles —Top 11 Songs of 1967

How Rick Astley’s Label Hated His Song—Then It Took Over the World