Sinéad O’Connor – Nothing Compares 2 U

The Tear That Broke Global Hearts – How One Song Changed Everything

When Sinéad O’Connor released “Nothing Compares 2 U” in January 1990, few expected a soulful cover — a song written by Prince — to turn into a worldwide phenomenon. But from the first haunted note and those real tears streaming down her face in the video, it was clear this was more than a hit. It became a raw outpouring of grief and loss — and a defining moment for O’Connor.

The song shot to number one across more than a dozen countries, including the US and the UK, and stayed atop the US Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks straight. It ripped through charts at a moment when upbeat pop ruled airwaves — proving that vulnerability could still dominate the radio. For a fresh-faced artist, it was a staggering leap — and she landed.

Originally penned by Prince for his 1985 band the Family, the song was only modestly noticed then. O’Connor stumbled on the track while looking for material for her second album, and something in the lyrics resonated: loss, longing, emptiness. During filming of the video, she unexpectedly began to cry — triggered by memories of her mother, who died in a car accident when O’Connor was 18. She decided to let the tears flow. That raw moment changed the song forever.

Recorded in London for her album I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got, O’Connor kept the arrangement spare — soft synth pads, subtle drums, her voice front and center. Producer Nellee Hooper helped steer the mood clear of artifice. The result: a minimalist backdrop that let her emotional volatility shine — from soft vulnerability to a near-crying wail. It was as if the song was breathing.

That album marked a turning point — from Dublin pub singer to international star. Before this, she had some buzz, but nothing that suggested global fame. With “Nothing Compares 2 U,” she didn’t just rise — she exploded. And the world felt every word.

In the years since, the song has been covered, referenced, mourned, and celebrated repeatedly. It resurfaced in cultural remembrance when O’Connor died — a stark reminder of how deeply a voice can echo. Many artists have cited it as a turning point for how heartbreak could be sung in pop. It remains a benchmark for vulnerability in music.

What keeps the song alive today isn’t nostalgia — it’s the way Sinéad made silence feel as heavy as sound. Every pause, every soft crack in her voice still feels like she’s letting you overhear something private. “Nothing Compares 2 U” isn’t a statement or a slogan; it’s a moment where someone let their guard drop completely, and the world happened to be listening. Decades later, that honesty still lands like a punch — quiet, simple, impossible to forget.