And the first platinum rock record of 2018 is…
Last November, LA’s Bad Wolves recorded a version of the Cranberries’ “Zombie” and sent word to singer Dolores O’Riordan that they’d like her help on the final version of the song. She agreed and the band flew to London for a studio session. But on the morning she was to join them, Dolores was found dead in her hotel room.
[Sidebar: We still don’t have the official cause of death. A toxicology report was promised in April. It’s now mid-August and still nothing. There are rumblings that this was an accidental fentanyl overdose and that the family doesn’t want this news to come out.]
Bad Wolves released their version of the song anyway, promising to give the proceeds to Dolores’ children. (Which they did, by the way: $250,000 so far.)
The song became a huge rock hit, ascending to #1 on rock charts in 17 countries. It hit #1 on Spotify’s viral charge in over 40 counties and went to #1 on all kinds of iTunes.
The Recording Industry Association of America has now confirmed Bad Wolves’ “Zombie” to the first platinum-certified rock song of the year.