On this week’s episode hosts Brittany Spanos and Rob Sheffield break down Jeff Buckley's "Grace" as well as his much-too-short career due to his tragic passing at age 30. The pair are joined by Rolling Stone senior writer David Browne, who penned the 2001 biography about Jeff and his father Tim Buckley titled Dream Brother: The Life and Music of Jeff and Tim Buckley. Browne had been an early fan of the younger Buckley, having been one of the singer's first interviews.

In the early Aughts, Buckley’s heartbreaking cover of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" became a radio staple and minor hit for the singer. Upon the release of his debut album however, Grace performed poorly and received mixed reviews, with Buckley's emotional intensity being a turn-off to some critics and listeners. When Buckley died it felt like a young singer-songwriter's promising, burgeoning career was cut much too short. At the time of his death, Buckley's place in music was still unclear.

No one could have anticipated that three decades on, Buckley would more famous than ever. Thanks to the internet, millennial and now Gen Z fans have emerged as a massive audience for Buckley's music. His sweeping romanticism mixed with the lore surrounding his passing has made him a tragic hero of sorts, on par with Kurt Cobain, Elliott Smith and River Phoenix. Buckley not only showed incredible promise as a songwriter but also as an interpreter of great music, and there was so much more he was working to showcase on his sophomore album, which ended up being released posthumously.

On this week’s episode hosts Brittany Spanos and Rob Sheffield break down Jeff Buckley's "Grace" as well as his much-too-short career due to his tragic passing at age 30. The pair are joined by Rolling Stone senior writer David Browne, who penned the 2001 biography about Jeff and his father Tim Buckley titled Dream Brother: The Life and Music of Jeff and Tim Buckley. Browne had been an early fan of the younger Buckley, having been one of the singer's first interviews.
In the early Aughts, Buckley’s heartbreaking cover of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" became a radio staple and minor hit for the singer. Upon the release of his debut album however, Grace performed poorly and received mixed reviews, with Buckley's emotional intensity being a turn-off to some critics and listeners. When Buckley died it felt like a young singer-songwriter's promising, burgeoning career was cut much too short. At the time of his death, Buckley's place in music was still unclear.
No one could have anticipated that three decades on, Buckley would more famous than ever. Thanks to the internet, millennial and now Gen Z fans have emerged as a massive audience for Buckley's music. His sweeping romanticism mixed with the lore surrounding his passing has made him a tragic hero of sorts, on par with Kurt Cobain, Elliott Smith and River Phoenix. Buckley not only showed incredible promise as a songwriter but also as an interpreter of great music, and there was so much more he was working to showcase on his sophomore album, which ended up being released posthumously.

This exclusive podcast from Rolling Stone tells the stories behind the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time." Hosts Brittany Spanos and Rob Sheffield dissect Rolling Stone's iconic list and explore the magic and mythology behind the songs on this in-depth new series. From classics like Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” to The Ronettes' “Be My Baby,” and modern-era hits like The Killers' “Mr. Brightside,” and Britney Spears' “...Baby One More Time," we talk to artists and insiders about what makes these the greatest songs of all time.

This exclusive podcast from Rolling Stone tells the stories behind the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time." Hosts Brittany Spanos and Rob Sheffield dissect Rolling Stone's iconic list and explore the magic and mythology behind the songs on this in-depth new series. From classics like Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” to The Ronettes' “Be My Baby,” and modern-era hits like The Killers' “Mr. Brightside,” and Britney Spears' “...Baby One More Time," we talk to artists and insiders about what makes these the greatest songs of all time.

Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs

How Jeff Buckley’s Legacy Was Immortalized with “Grace”

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/09ce5ac5-f7e6-4e76-8745-b1770154c7f4/transcript

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