RIP Glen Hansard

I woke up this morning to the news that Glen Hansard had passed. He died Wednesday, July 29, 2026, following a motorcycle crash in Dublin. He was 56. His management's statement asked that the privacy of his family, colleagues, and friends be respected. Beyond the Oscar-winning song "Falling Slowly" from the wonderful film Once, I remember having the pleasure of seeing a documentary that followed the success of that film, simply called The Swell Season. It reminded me a bit of Wilco's I Am Trying to Break Your Heart, showcasing in beautiful B&W the trials and tribulations of being in a band, reckoning with success while also trying to maintain a relationship on the road.

As much as I love Once and nearly all the songs featured in it, I plan to revisit that documentary sooner rather than later, because it really did present Glen as imperfectly human, sometimes to the point of being overwhelmed, downright rude and confrontational. It didn't always paint him in a positive light, which was refreshing to see. It’s probably one of those painful experiences to revisit for Marketa especially now. Even as it showed him flawed and wrestling with doubt offstage, the film managed to capture the power of live performance as cathartic and necessary to survival as an artist who once struggled.

There's also a rather intense moment involving an outdoor dinner between him and Markéta Irglová (co-star of Once and co-lead singer of The Swell Season) that reminded me of conversations I've had when I felt a certain disconnect between me and my partner. She's confronting him; he's shutting down, in denial about his pain. It's an argument that hit painfully close to home as it might for many others. Not too long after the documentary came out, Markéta and Glen parted ways and became lifelong friends and collaborators. The Swell Season even put out a brand-new album last year in 2025.

My obsession with Glen came even before Once, while he was fronting a band called The Frames, recommended to me by my dear friend Collin Souter. Their live album Set List remains an all-time favorite live record for the sheer fact that this band is certainly good on record but incredible live. They would intersperse segments from other favorite songs, much like Greg Dulli would do while performing. When I saw the band at the Metro for their record Burn the Maps, I was completely taken by Glen's stage presence, not to mention how cool it was that the band employed a violinist to accompany nearly every song. To realize that there will never be a reunion of The Frames with Glen on stage fills my heart with incredible sadness.

I'll admit, I only dabbled in his solo work, though I most definitely found songs of his to commend and recommend. But there really was something remarkable about his time fronting an indie rock band out of Ireland, and then about his pairing with the transcendent voice of Markéta in The Swell Season. There's a reason Once appealed to nearly everyone: the feelings captured both in song and on screen were universal. It didn't just speak to underpaid, busking musicians out there on street corners in Ireland; just about everyone could recognize what it's like to build a personal connection with someone through the creation of art.

I met Glen briefly when The Frames played Lollapalooza, and I did the silly thing that, well, no struggling musician should do: I handed him a CD-R of my songs. He smiled and looked grateful. I didn't expect him to listen, nor did I expect it to lead to anything, but my feeling is always, "Give something back to the people who have meant something to you." A song for a song. An album for an album. I always explain it that way. When I gave a CD to music critic Greg Kot once, I honestly didn't expect him to listen to it on the way home — but within a week he wrote back with a quote about my music that I could use. Anyway, Glen seemed like a truly warm, compassionate soul who always spoke the truth through his music. I know his initial courting of Markéta is complicated, to say the least, but I’d rather focus on the fact that his music meant a lot to me and the work he left behind is worth revisiting and celebrating from this point forward.

When I met Glen, we got to talking about Wilco because I was wearing a Wilco hat. "Did you see our set when we played a snippet of 'Reservations'?" he asked. "That made me so happy to hear!" I replied. Ditto for nearly all things Glen. His music lifted my spirits and inspired me to pick up a guitar and write songs. Most importantly, he connected with millions of fans over the years by belting out covers or originals, always doing it with vulnerability, purity, and a genuine love of song. A song like “Falling Slowly” only comes along once in a lifetime and not only does it remain a favorite of mine, but Glen Hansard will always be an all-time favorite songwriter for me. Rest in power, in peace and my thoughts go out to all his friends, fans and family today. Below are my favorite compositions of his that I plan to listen to today and in the future forever.

Favorite Glen Hansard Songs

Between Us There Is Music (Glen Hansard)

Dream Awake (The Frames)

Falling Slowly (The Frames / The Swell Season)

Feeling the Pull (The Swell Season)

Finally (The Frames)

Fitzcarraldo (The Frames)

Giving It All Away (The Frames)

Great Weight (The Swell Season)

Happy (The Frames)

High Hope (Glen Hansard)

I'll Be You, Be Me (Glen Hansard)

In These Arms (The Swell Season)

Lies (The Swell Season)

Love Don’t Leave Me Waiting (Glen Hansard)

Movin' On (Glen Hansard)

Pavement Tune (The Frames)

People We Used to Be (The Swell Season)

Red Chord (The Frames)

Revelate (The Frames)

Say It to Me Now (The Frames)

Setting Forth (Glen Hansard)

Song For Someone (The Frames)

Stuck in Reverse (The Swell Season)

Suffer In Silence (The Frames)

The Answer is Yes (The Swell Season)

The Rain (The Swell Season)

The Stars Are Underground (The Frames)

The Storm, It’s Coming (Glen Hansard)

What Happens When the Heart Just Stops (The Swell Season)

When Your Mind's Made Up (The Frames)

You Will Become (Glen Hansard)