The Cranberries were a vital rock’n’roll force, who sounded like no one we’d heard before.

The influence of indie and punk legends like Siouxsie & the Banshees, The Smiths and fellow Irish singer Sinéad O’Connor shone through a little, but this band was a unique beast.

Frontwoman Dolores O’Riordan was a powerful leader, her band versatile enough to be both uncompromisingly heavy and wonderfully delicate in the way they backed up her often-impassioned performances.

In the lead up to the release of the band’s eighth and final album, and in celebration of O’Riordan – who we lost just over a year ago – The J Files celebrates the legacy of this incredible pillar of 90s alternative rock.

Join Gemma Pike for The Cranberries J Files, Thursday 7 February from 8pm (AEDT).