Sinead O'Connor

Sinead O'Connor's first album, The Lion and The Cobra was released in 1987, and its popular and critical acclaim made her a star of pop music. She produced her second album, a critical success that included her hit single "Nothing Compares 2 U," a song written by Prince. O'Connor was as well-known for her political beliefs as for her music (she once shredded a photo of Pope John Paul II on U.S. television), but in recent years she has been less publicly controversial. In 2003 she announced her retirement from the music business.