Middle era (1996–2000)

The band's heavier third album, To the Faithful Departed, failed to garner the same reception as its predecessors. On its spring release the album entered the charts, peaking at number 2 on the UK Album Chart and number 4 on the Billboard 200. Despite favorable reviews, the album did not match the sales of No Need to Argue. The album only went double platinum in the US and Gold in the UK, which was considerably less than its two predecessors' which were certified seven times platinum. The first single from the album was "Salvation" which peaked at number one on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. The second single from the album was "Free To Decide"; the single's peak in the UK was 33. During the autumn of 1996, the group cancelled their Australian and European tour, sparking rumors that O'Riordan was about to launch a solo career. In November 1996 "When You're Gone" was released as a single in the United States, peaking at 22 on the Billboard Hot 100, thereby becoming the second single to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 from the album; the first was "Free To Decide".

In 1999, the group released their fourth studio album Bury the Hatchet. The first single "Promises" was released in February. "Promises" would be the only single from the album to chart in the US and last single before their hiatus. The album peaked at 7 in the UK and 13 in the US. The album was certified gold in the US.The second single from the album was "Animal Instinct", which didn't chart in the UK, although it did chart in France, Austria and many others. The third and fourth singles were "Just My Imagination" and "You & Me", respectively. The band had a guest appearance on popular television series Charmed, performing "Just My Imagination" on the fifth episode of the second season, "She's a Man, Baby, A Man!". The group started a world tour in April 1999 and it finished in July 2000. It was the biggest and most successful tour of the Cranberries' career.

The tour brought them back to Ireland for their first date since May 2000. They performed at Millstreet in County Cork. As the tour rolled on, the band released Bury The Hatchet – The Complete Sessions, a double CD featuring B-sides as well as live tracks taken from a live show in Paris.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHoHIL2ABVQ