The Top 5 Irish Psychedelic Rock Bands

In this blog post, we will be countdown the top 5 Irish psychedelic rock bands of all time. These bands have been chosen based on their popularity, critical acclaim, and influence on the genre.

The Psychedelic Furs

Formed in 1977, The Psychedelic Furs were one of the first bands to sign to Columbia Records in the UK. Their self-titled debut album was released in 1980 and was a huge success, reaching number three in the UK charts. The band’s biggest hit single, “Love My Way”, was released in 1982 and reached number twelve in the UK. The Psychedelic Furs continued to be successful throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, releasing a further four albums before going on hiatus in 1991. The band reformed in 2000 and have toured extensively since then.

My Bloody Valentine

My Bloody Valentine is an Irish rock band formed in Dublin in 1983. The band’s founding members were guitarist and vocalist Kevin Shields, bassist Debbie Googe, drummer Colm Ó Cíosóig and guitarist David Conway. The band moved to London in 1987 and recorded its eponymous debut mini-album the following year.

The band’s sound is characterized by distortion, feedback and noise, with elements of pop, trance and krautrock. They have been credited with being one of the first Shoegazing bands. My Bloody Valentine’s groundbreaking sonic approach was extremely influential on the development of alternative rock in the 1990s. The group signed to Creation Records in 1988 and released their first full-length album, Isn’t Anything (1988), to critical acclaim. They followed this with Loveless (1991) on which they perfected their sonic template. After a long period of recording and touring, lead singer Bilinda Butcher and drummer Kevin Haskins left the band; Haskins would later form retro-psychedelic act Belly. Shields subsequently became the band’s only remaining original member as Ó Cíosóig quit in 1995 due to creative differences during work on a proposed third album that was eventually scrapped.

My Bloody Valentine reunited in 2007 and toured extensively for several years before going on hiatus again in 2013. In May 2018, it was announced that the band would headline San Francisco music festival Noise Pop 2018; they also headlined All Tomorrow’s Parties that December. In 2019, they were nominated for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame but failed to receive enough votes for induction.

The Cranberries

The Cranberries are an Irish rock band formed in Limerick, Ireland, in 1989 by lead singer Niall Quinn, guitarist Noel Hogan, bassist Mike Hogan, and drummer Fergal Lawler. The band rose to international fame with their debut album, Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?, which was released in 1993. The album sold more than 5 million copies worldwide and made the top 10 of the Billboard 200 chart in the United States.

The band’s second album, No Need to Argue, was released in 1994 and was even more successful than their debut, reaching number 1 in Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. It also features the band’s biggest hit single, “Zombie”. In 1996, the Cranberries released their third album, To the Faithful Departed. The album was not as successful as its predecessors but still managed to sell over 2 million copies worldwide.

The band took a hiatus in 2003 but reunited in 2009 and have released two more albums since then: Roses (2012) and Something Else (2017). The Cranberries are one of the most successful Irish bands of all time, selling over 40 million records worldwide.

The Pogues

The Pogues were an Irish Celtic punk band formed in London in 1982, as part of the post-punk revival movement. The group reached their peak of popularity in the mid-1980s, when they were associated with the Britpop genre. The band’s debut album, Red Roses for Me (1984), is credited with popularizing Irish traditional music in a rock context, and paving the way for bands like Flogging Molly and Dropkick Murphys.

The Pogues’ musical style combines elements of traditional Irish folk music, such as tin whistle and accordion, with punk rock and a strong Celtic influence. The band’s lyrics are often political or autobiographical, dealing with topics such as alcoholism, poverty, love, religion, and death.

The Pogues were one of the most successful Irish bands of the 1980s and 1990s. They released eight studio albums between 1984 and 1996, three of which reached the top 10 in the UK Albums Chart. They also conquered Europe with their stage show, which was known for its chaotic energy and wild performances. The band disbanded in 2014 following the death of founding member Shane MacGowan.

Thin Lizzy

Formed in 1969, Thin Lizzy became one of the first Irish rock bands to find international success. The band’s sound was a unique blend of hard rock and Celtic folk influences, and they were one of the first groups to successfully fuse these two genres. Thin Lizzy had a string of hits in the 1970s, including “The Boys Are Back in Town” and “Whiskey in the Jar.” The band continued to tour and record until lead singer Phil Lynott’s death in 1986.