No Need to Argue

Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use Hiberno-English {{safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst-infobox||$params=italic_title,name,type,longtype,artist,cover,border,alt,caption,released,recorded,venue,studio,genre,length,language,label,director,producer,compiler,chronology,prev_title,prev_year,year,next_title,next_year,misc|$extra=italic_title,longtype,border,caption,language,director,compiler,chronology,year,misc|$aliases=italic title>italic_title,Italic title>italic_title,Name>name,Type>type,image>cover,Cover>cover,Border>border,Alt>alt,Caption>caption,Longtype>longtype,Artist>artist,Released>released,Recorded>recorded,Venue>venue,Studio>studio,Genre>genre,Length>length,Language>language,Label>label,Director>director,Producer>producer,Compiler>compiler,Chronology>chronology,Misc>misc|$flags=override|$B={{#ifeq:{{#invoke:Is infobox in lead|main|[Ii]nfobox [Aa]lbum}}|true|{{#if:Template:Has short description | |Template:Short description|noreplace}}}}{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template otherTemplate:Category handlerTemplate:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox album with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y|italic_title |type |name |image |cover |border |alt |caption |longtype |artist |released |recorded |venue |studio |genre |length |language |label |director |producer |compiler |prev_title|prev_year|next_title|next_year|chronology|year|misc}}{{#if:{{#invoke:String|match|error_category=Music infoboxes with Module:String errors|A|1=Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?1993To the Faithful Departed1996studioNo Need to ArgueCranberriesNoNeedToArgueAlbumcover.jpgyesThe CranberriesTemplate:Start dateNovember 1993 – August 1994*The Manor, Shipton-on-Cherwell, UK<ref name="studios">Template:Cite AV media notes</ref>

• Townhouse, London, UK<ref name="studios"/>
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No Need to Argue is the second studio album by Irish alternative rock band the Cranberries, released on 3 October 1994, through Island Records. It is the band's best-selling album, and has sold over 17 million copies worldwide as of 2014.<ref name="Leas2014-10-03"/> It contains one of the band's most well-known songs, "Zombie". The album's mood is considered to be darker and harsher than that on the band's debut album Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?, released a year prior.

Composition

In some of the songs, the band decided to take on a rockier and heavier side, using distortion and increasing the volume. Drummer Fergal Lawler said the musical change happened because after two years of touring to promote their debut album, "we had been used to hearing ourselves loud on stage and everything, so maybe that's a natural thing that happened then." During a week off in New York City, the band decided to record demos for the upcoming album, and after calling producer Stephen Street and having him fly in from London, recorded early versions of six songs at the Magic Shop recording studios.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The song "Yeats' Grave" is about William Butler Yeats, and quotes one of his poems, No Second Troy.

The O'Riordan written track "Zombie" is, according to her, about the Warrington IRA bombings in 1993 that resulted in the death of two children.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> "The Icicle Melts" a track written by O'Riordan, she states in a 1994 issue of Vox magazine<ref>" November 1994 Vox magazine Issue of The cranberries"</ref> as well as a 1994 Hot Press article <ref>"January 1994 issue of Hot Press magazine featuring The Cranberries"</ref> that the song was written about the case of James Bulger and her reaction. O'Riordan also states in the 1994 Hot press article that the original title of the song was "The Liverpool child" a reference to where James Bulger was murdered.

Cover art

For the sleeve design, art director Cally re-enlisted photographer Andy Earl and hired the same sofa that featured on the debut album. The sofa was transported by hand to many locations in and around Dublin including Dalkey Island, coming to rest in a photo studio in Dublin where the white room had been constructed for the cover shot. The band, somewhat influenced by a recent Blur photo, decided to dress up and wear suits. The hand lettering was by Charlotte Villiers, video coordinator at Island Records and distant relative of the Villiers engine manufacturing family.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Each single sleeve featured the band on the sofa in a different location. These images also appeared in the album's booklet. The disc itself featured a photo of just the sofa in the same room. The sofa later appeared in the video for "Alright" by the British band Supergrass in 1995.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Critical reception

Dylan Yadav of Immortal Reviews wrote: "No Need To Argue, their 1994 record that cemented their importance in Irish music". Yadav described that the "rustic upbringing" of O'Riordan's childhood—reflected on "Ode to My Family", "gives credence to the rest of the album and it's personal, grassroots presence". "Yeats' Grave", in "similar fashion" of "Zombie", "is dark and describes those struggles", Yadav opined. He finished the retrospective review by stating that "the Cranberries turned their struggles to art in No Need To Argue, an album that helped bring to light what the culture of Ireland was. Dolores O'Riordan made it all happen with her voice, and that's not to discredit the rest of the band; but that voice is what made the Cranberries stand out amongst the rest. She voiced the struggle of a whole country".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In a contemporary review, J. D. Considine wrote that some songs reminded the vocal styles of other artists like "Ridiculous Thoughts" recalling Sinéad O'Connor, "particularly the way O'Riordan handles the phrase 'Twister, aow' and "Zombie" is a bit too much like early Siouxsie and the Banshees". Though Considine positively added, "neither song makes that debt seem especially problematic". The reviewer praised O'Riordan for her performance; "the most memorable thing about her delivery is its unvarnished emotionality".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In a retrospective review, AllMusic noted a progression in O'Riordan's way of singing: "No Need to Argue starts to see O'Riordan take a more commanding and self-conscious role", notably on the heavy rock track "Zombie". However, reviewer Ned Raggett stated; "where No Need succeeds best is when the Cranberries stick at what they know, resulting in a number of charmers like "Twenty One," the uilleann pipes-touched "Daffodil's Lament," [...] and the evocative "Disappointment"."<ref name=allmusic />

Legacy

On 5 August 1995, Billboard stated that No Need to Argue was PolyGram's highest selling album of the year to date, with 5.1 million copies sold in six months.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> On 10 March 1996, the Cranberries won a Juno Awards for Best-Selling Album.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2009, No Need to Argue was ranked No. 90 on Billboard magazine: "300 Best-Selling Albums of All Time".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In July 2014, Guitar World placed No Need to Argue at No. 41 in their "Superunknown: 50 Iconic Albums That Defined 1994" list.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Personnel

Personnel adapted from No Need to Argue liner notes

The Cranberries

• Dolores O'Riordan – vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, keyboards, string arrangements
• Noel Hogan – electric and acoustic guitars
• Mike Hogan – bass guitar
• Fergal Lawler – drums, percussion

Chart positions

Weekly charts

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Initial chart performance for No Need to Argue

Chart (1994–95)	Peak position
Danish Albums (IFPI)<ref name="hitsoftheworld">Template:Cite magazine</ref>	1
European Albums (Billboard)<ref name="hitsoftheworld"/>	1
Irish Albums (IFPI)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	2
Italian Albums (Musica e Dischi)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }} Set "Tipo" on "Album". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Cranberries".</ref>	3
Portuguese Albums (AFP)<ref name="hitsoftheworld"/>	2
Spanish Albums (AFYVE)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	1

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Chart performance for No Need to Argue upon Dolores O'Riordan's death

Chart (2018)	Peak position

Chart (2025)	Peak position
Greek Albums (IFPI)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	25

Year-end charts

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1994 year-end chart performance for No Need to Argue

Chart (1994)	Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	25
European Albums (European Top 100 Albums)<ref name = "EuropeAlbum">Template:Cite magazine</ref>	84
Swedish Albums & Compilations (Sverigetopplistan)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	36

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1995 year-end chart performance for No Need to Argue

Chart (1995)	Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	3
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	6
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	5
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	2
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	11
European Albums (European Top 100 Albums)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	1
French Albums (SNEP)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	2
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	2
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	1
Spanish Albums (AFYVE)<ref name="Spain YEC">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	4
Swedish Albums & Compilations (Sverigetopplistan)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	17
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	3
UK Albums (OCC)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	24
US Billboard 200<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	12

1996 year-end chart performance for No Need to Argue

Chart (1996)	Position
European Albums (European Top 100 Albums)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	98
French Albums (SNEP)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	49
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	34