Discovering Jeff Buckley Again (and the Music That Shaped Him)
Lately, I’ve been letting my Discover Mix run in the background a bit more—just hitting play and seeing what the algorithm sends my way. It’s hit or miss, honestly. Sometimes it plays like my own private greatest hits station, and sometimes it makes me question everything I’ve ever listened to.
But last week, it hit. A few Jeff Buckley songs came up, and I was reminded of how much his voice cuts through everything else. There’s something about it—like slipping into your favorite hoodie. Familiar, a little mysterious, and still perfect.
That led me to a little side quest: learning more about who Jeff Buckley actually was. Because while I’ve listened to Grace plenty of times, I realized I didn’t really know much about the person behind the songs.
Turns out, Buckley was kind of a musical shapeshifter. He only released one full studio album before his sudden death in 1997, but in that short window, he managed to channel about five lifetimes’ worth of influence. Jazz, rock, qawwali, folk, blues, opera—he was all over the place in the best way.
He wasn’t religious in the traditional sense, but he had this deep spiritual relationship with music. He once said, “Music comes from a spiritual place… It’s like a prayer.” You can hear it. His songs feel like they’re reaching for something just out of reach—grace, truth, or maybe just a better version of yourself.
He pulled from everywhere: Nina Simone, Led Zeppelin, Cocteau Twins, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Miles Davis, Bob Dylan, Edith Piaf, and even his father, Tim Buckley. And somehow, it all made sense when it came through his voice.
I put together a playlist to connect the dots—Buckley’s music paired with the artists that helped shape his sound. It’s not definitive, but it’s a vibe.
Playlist: Jeff Buckley – Echoes & Origins
If you’re into musical deep dives, or just want to hear one of the most unique voices in rock (and everything else), this might be a good place to start. Or start over.
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