With the encouragement of their parents, Jim took guitar lessons, Sharon played the violin, Caroline studied the drums, and Andrea took up the tin whistle. They were also taught the piano by their father. Throughout their teenage years, the children would practice in Jim's bedroom at a rented house. Andrea sang lead vocals, Sharon played the violin, and Caroline and Jim played the keyboards.

While Caroline and Andrea were still attending school, Jim and Sharon began playing as a duo, often at their aunt's pub, McManus's. In 1990, Jim and Sharon added their younger siblings to their existing duo, to form a quartet. Their career took off in 1991 when they auditioned for the film The Commitments. Jim, Sharon, and Caroline each had small parts as musicians, while Andrea had a speaking part as Sharon Rabbitte. John Hughes noticed them when they auditioned for the movie, and agreed to become their manager.

In 1994, the American ambassador to Ireland, Jean Kennedy Smith, invited them to perform at the 1994 FIFA World Cup in Boston after seeing them play a gig at Whealans Music Bar in Dublin. After an appearance at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, The Corrs joined Celine Dion's worldwide Falling into You Tour as a supporting act.

The Corrs signed to Atlantic Records. They extended their stay in the US for over five months to record their debut album, Forgiven, Not Forgotten, which featured six instrumental selections among its Celtic-influenced tracks. The album sold well in Ireland, Australia, Japan, Norway and Spain. Major success in the US and the UK however was not immediately forthcoming. Eventually, the album reached platinum status in the UK and Australia, and quadruple platinum in Ireland, making it one of the most successful debuts by an Irish group.

The Corrs' next album, 1997's Talk On Corners, was produced by Glen Ballard, who was respected for his collaboration with Alanis Morissette. The album met with lukewarm responses and was only successful in Ireland. The band re-released Talk on Corners, with new remixes of "What Can I Do?", "So Young" and "Runaway". The special edition topped the charts worldwide, and again reached multi-platinum status in the UK and Australia.

In 1999, The Corrs received a BRIT Award for Best International Band. In 2000, they returned to mainstream success with their third album. Unlike their previous albums, In Blue moved towards mainstream pop. In Blue hit number one in its first sales week in the UK, Ireland, Australia, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria and debuted at #2 in France and Norway. It climbed to the top spot during its second week in Sweden and Spain.

The Corrs collaborated with Robert Lange to produce a mainstream hit single, "Breathless", which reached number 34 in the Billboard Hot 100, number seven in Australia, number three in Ireland and New Zealand, and topped the charts in the UK. The album went straight to number one in the Irish Albums Chart, the third highest single-week sales in the history of the charts. In Blue achieved platinum sales in the US, double platinum in the UK, and quadruple platinum in Australia.

In 2001, The Corrs released their first compilation album, Best of The Corrs. The album featured previously released songs and new tracks, such as the singles "Would You Be Happier", "Make You Mine" and "Lifting Me". The album did not chart highly in Ireland but reached platinum status in Australia.

The band dedicated their 2005 album, Home, to their deceased mother. Home is regarded as a traditional Irish album; the band covered traditional Irish songs taken from their mother's songbook to commemorate their 15 years as a band.

The Corrs have been on hiatus since 2006. Sharon, Jim, and Caroline are raising their own families while Andrea pursues a solo career. She released her first solo album, Ten Feet High, on June 25, 2007.