Rock music in Ireland
Rock music in Ireland, also known as Irish rock, has been a part of the music of Ireland since the 1960s, when the British Invasion brought British blues, psychedelic rock and other styles to the island. The Irish music scene in the 1960s and much of the 1970s was dominated by the unique Irish phenomenon of the 'Showbands' which were groups of professional performers who played at dancehalls and clubs across the country putting on a professional 'show' and playing all the American and British hits of the era. From the mid-1970s onwards rock music in Ireland has followed a similar path to rock music in Britain.
Rock music in Ireland
1970s[edit]
The early 1970s saw a growth of Irish rock music. One band that rose to international prominence was the hard rocking Thin Lizzy, led by Phil Lynott. Another Irish band, Horslips, broke new ground by mixing hard rock with traditional Irish music to create a new genre – Celtic rock. They challenged the idea that an Irish band had to leave the country to be successful. They stayed in Ireland instead of moving abroad to chase success. They were successful in Ireland but never achieved much international success. The early 1970s paved the way for another band that would remain based in Ireland but would go on to dominate the music world – U2. U2 began their musical career in 1976 and went on to become internationally known. Irish success in this period on a more commercial basis was led by Waterford born pop singer/songwriter Gilbert O'Sullivan, whose achievements included two UK No. 1 singles ("Clair" and "Get Down") and one United States No. 1 ("Alone Again (Naturally)")
In the mid-70s, with a roots revival of traditional music burgeoning, folk rock fusion groups such as Planxty and Moving Hearts as well as singer-songwriters like Christy Moore and Paul Brady rose to prominence.
The late 1970s saw the height of the punk rock movement. Irish bands such as Northern Ireland's Stiff Little Fingers and The Undertones as well as Dublin's The Radiators from Space, The Boomtown Rats, Berlin, The Blades are an Irish new wave band who formed in the late 1970s in the South Dublin neighbourhood of Ringsend, with Paul Cleary on bass and vocals, his brother Laurence on guitar and friend Pat Larkin on drums. The original line-up released two seven inch singles: "Hot For You" and "Ghost of a Chance", the latter of which they performed on The Late Late Show in 1981., The Vipers and the avant-garde The Virgin Prunes were in the midst of the new genre.
2010s[edit]
In the late 2000s and 2010s many unsigned bands emerged from both north and south of the border, such as, Hozier, Fontaines D.C., Axis Of, Time Is a Thief, Jody Has A Hitlist, Girl Band, LaFaro, Fighting with Wire, RUN iN RED, Podracer, Dead Label!, Chewing on Tinfoil, Kasper Rosa, Black Svan, Words That Burn & Two Glass Eyes, and the best of the bunch, Strangers With Guns.