The Cranberries vs. ILLENIUM | Head 2 Head

In the 29th edition of Head 2 Head (2025), The Cranberries and ILLENIUM contend for the best rendition of “Zombie.”

Welcome to Head 2 Head! On Head 2 Head, we pit at least two musicians performing the same song and compare their performances.  After deliberation, we decide which performance is the best or moves us more subjectively.  In the 29^th edition of Head 2 Head (2025), The Cranberries and ILLENIUM contend for the best rendition of “Zombie”. So, without further ado, let the Head 2 Head commence! 

1. The Cranberries, “Zombie” 

“In your head, in your head / Zombie, zombie, zombie-ie-ie / What’s in your head, in your head? / Zombie, zombie, zombie-ie-ie-ie.” To this day, that’s a truly glorious, timeless chorus – one for the ages. That head– and zombie-driven chorus hails from “Zombie”, a once-in-a-lifetime song from the Irish alternative rock band, The Cranberries.  The Cranberries were fronted by the late Delores O’Riordan, who died in 2018 at only 46 years old. O’Riordan penned this classic, which appeared on the band’s 1994 album, No Need to Argue. Julie Gardner and Stephen Street produced it.   

“Zombie” is not just any kind of song.  It is a protest song that conveys the  unrest between Ireland and England. “It’s the same old theme, since 1916,” Dolores memorably sings in the second chorus.  She adds, “With their tanks, and their bombs, and their bombs and their guns / In your head, in your head, they are dyin’.” Specifically, O’Riordan focuses on a 1993 bombing by the Irish Republican Army that killed two English children. “Another head hangs lowly / Child is slowly taken,” she informs us in the first verse, continuing, “And the violence caused such silence / Who are we, mistaken?” A deep, thought-provoking song, “Zombie” references conflict as well as seeking peace.

~ Table of Contents ~

2. ILLENIUM, Excision, Wooli & Valerie Broussard, “Zombie”

In 1994, the Irish alternative rock band The Cranberries (R.I.P. Dolores O’Riordan) released a protest song for the ages: “Zombie”.  A fair share of musicians have covered “Zombies,” including Bad Wolves, Miley Cyrus, and dance/electronic musicians ILLENIUM, Excision, and Wooli.  ILLENIUM, Excision, and Wooli tapped Valerie Broussard to channel her inner Dolores O’Riordan on their striking and transformative cover/remix of “Zombie”. 

Fittingly, “Zombies” in ILLENIUM and company’s hands begin in a foreboding, moody fashion. Early on, you can hear the updated sound palette, which fits a dance/electronic cut.  Valerie Broussard shines with her lovely, expressive vocals. Despite the contrast in voices, Broussard does a fabulous job, particularly the vocal nuances that appear during the chorus (lyrics excerpted earlier). Backtracking, the synths that enter during the pre-chorus  (“But you see, it’s not me, it’s not my family…”) add to the colorful musical accompaniment.  Beyond the chorus, the drop is sick, fierce, mean-sounding, and robust; it kicks ass and takes names! More ass is kicked when the super-aggressive, nasty synths arrive after the two-minute mark, built around repeated key lyrics, “What’s in your head?” After drifting from the traditional form, some of the refinement of the original song returns after the 2:35 mark (Broussard sings “eh-oh…”), with the second verse arriving at the 2:50 mark. A sick beat, and calmer, mellower pads and synths anchor the second verse. No worries! The chorus returns in all its glory at 3:37 in.  “Zombie” ratchets up again by the four-minute mark with assertive, harder synths and a heavier beat. At the 4:27 mark, ILLENIUM and company bring it down.  It is an arduous task to reimagine a classic successfully.  That’s what ILLENIUM, Excision, Wooli, and Valerie Broussard do on “Zombie”, 30 years after its arrival.

~ Table of Contents ~

The Verdict 👨🏿‍⚖️ 

So, which version of “Zombie” hits the hardest? Is it the original, thought-provoking protest song by The Cranberries or the transformative, electro-centric cover by ILLENIUM, Excision, Wooli, and Valerie Broussard?  The ILLENIUM, etc. remix goes hard, PERIOD.  The synths are striking, the drop is I-L-L, and Valerie shines on vocals. It’s a vibe-and-a-half! BUT, it is hard to top the original. 🏅 The Cranberries’ version captures events of historical importance and does so with incredible emotion, passion, and sincerity. In Dolores’ hands, the angst hits different.

~ Table of Contents ~ » ~ Intro ~