From grade school dropout to Academy Award-winning musician, Glen Hansard has one of the most impressive and unlikely success stories in professional music. Here are the top Glen Hansard songs ranked in order, including music from The Frames, The Swell Season, the soundtrack to Once and his solo work.
Falling Slowly
If Glen Hansard has a lucky star, then it’s his song “Falling Slowly.” The tender ballad can easily be credited with propelling Hansard to international stardom.
Between 2006-2007, three versions of the song “Falling Slowly” were all released featuring Glen Hansard and a variety of other performers. On April 22, 2006, Hansard released his first album without his band The Frames, called The Swell Season. The self-titled album contained a stripped down version of “Falling Slowly” in a collaboration between himself and Marketa Irglova. Later that year, The Frames released a version of “Falling Slowly” for their album The Cost (2006). A year later, Hansard and Irglova starred in the film Once (2007), directed by John Carney, ex-bassist from The Frames. Hansard and Irglova performed most of the songs for the soundtrack, including another version of “Falling Slowly.” All three versions of the song individually have charted and earned prestigious awards.
- Academy Award for Best Original Song (February 2008); Once (Soundtrack)
- 2008 Grammy Award nomination; Once (Soundtrack)
- Billboard: #57 (July 2009); The Frames, The Cost
- Billboard Hot 100: #61 (March 2008); The Swell Season
- Billboard Rock Digital Song Sales: #8 (May 2010), The Swell Season. 1+ million digital downloads in the United States
- Billboard Digital Song Sales: #20 (March 2008), The Swell Season
- Billboard Canadian Hot 100: #8 (March 2008), The Swell Season
- Hot Canadian Digital Song Sales: #12 (July 2009); The Frames, The Cost
- Irish Singles Chart: #2 (October 2008); The Swell Season
- Irish Singles Chart: #16 (Sept 2006); The Frames, The Cost
- Hot Canadian Digital Song Sales: #3 (March 2008); The Swell Season
- Brazil (ABPD): #51 (April 2008); The Swell Season
- Shazam: ~500,000 searches
- iTunes: #1 most downloaded song by The Swell Season
- iTunes: #1 most downloaded song by The Frames
- iTunes: #1 most downloaded song; Once (Music From The Motion Picture)
- Amazon: #3 highest user rated song; Once (Music From The Motion Picture)
Out of all the Glen Hansard songs on this list, Falling Slowly is probably the most overplayed, but it deserves the top slot on this list.
NERD NOTE: “Falling Slowly” is a popular choice for contestants on musical performance shows like American Idol, The X Factor, and The Voice. In the US, covers of the song by Kris Allen and Addison Agen have broken the Top 50 most downloaded songs on iTunes. A video of a contestant singing “Falling Slowly” on The Voice Thailand has over 77 million views on YouTube.
The Moon
“The Moon” was only a modest hit when it was first released by The Swell Season on their self-titled album in 2006. The song became popular in 2010 thanks to its inclusion on the Dear John movie soundtrack. This romantic war-drama stars Amanda Seyfried and Channing Tatum.
- Shazam: 300,000+ searches; Dear John (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
- iTunes: #2 most downloaded song by The Swell Season; Dear John (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
- iTunes: #4 most downloaded song by Glen Hansard
- Amazon:(Amazon link) #1 highest user rated song by The Swell Season; Dear John (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Seven Day Mile
“Seven Day Mile” from the album Dance The Devil (1999) is the 3rd most popular song by The Frames on iTunes. It is also their most searched song by The Frames on Shazam.
- Shazam: 160,000+ searches
- iTunes: #4 most downloaded song; Dance the Devil (1999)
- Amazon: #17 highest user rated song; Longitude (2015)
NERD NOTE: Hansard got his first big break in 1991 when he was cast as the guitarist in Alan Parker film The Commitments. The popularity of the film helped bring extra attention to Hansard and his band The Frames in the early 1990s.
Low Rising
- Shazam: 80,000+ searches
- iTunes: #1 most downloaded song by The Swell Season; Strict Joy (2009)
- Amazon: #3 highest user rated song by The Swell Season; Strict Joy (2009)
Into The Mystic
As a young musician, one of Hansard’s major influences was fellow Irish musician Van Morrison. One of Hansard’s favorite songs by Van Morrison is “Into The Mystic”. The 2012 film,(Amazon link) The Five-Year Engagement starring Jason Segel and Emily Blunt, features a cover of “Into The Mystic” by The Swell Season.
- Shazam: #3 most searched song by The Swell Season with 30,000+ searches
- Amazon:(Amazon link) #2 highest user rated song by The Swell Season; The Five-Year Engagement (Music from the Motion Picture)
- Amazon:(Amazon link) #2 highest user rated song by The Swell Season
Rise
- Shazam: 25,000+ searches
- iTunes: #9 most downloaded song by The Frames; The Cost (2007)
- Amazon:(Amazon link) #1 user rated song by The Frames; The Cost (2007)
This Gift
The song “This Gift” is from Hansard’s 2012 solo album Rhythm and Repose. The song gained considerable attention after being included in the Disney film The Odd Life Of Timothy Green starring
- Shazam: 100,000+ searches
- iTunes: #24 most downloaded song from Hansard’s solo discography
- Amazon:(Amazon link) #3 highest user rated song by Glen Hansard; Rhythm and Repose (2012)
- Amazon:(Amazon link) #4 highest user ratings; The Odd Life of Timothy Green (2012)
Mind’s Made Up / When Your Mind’s Made Up
Similar to “Falling Slowly”, Hansard recorded the song “When Your Mind’s Made Up” separately with The Frames, The Swell Season and for the Once soundtrack. Each version of the song has its own distinct sound. The Frames’ version incorporates a full band, producing a more complex arrangement. The Swell Season’s rendition has a stronger emphasis on the piano, creating a more somber and emotive atmosphere. Finally, Once’s version is characterized by a prominent acoustic guitar mix, resulting in a more stripped-down and intimate sound.
- Shazam: 45,000+ searches; Once (Music From The Motion Picture)
- Shazam: #17 most Shazamed song by The Frames
- iTunes: #6 most downloaded song by The Frames
- iTunes: #6 most downloaded song from Once (Music From The Motion Picture)
- iTunes: #7 most downloaded song by The Swell Season
- Amazon:(Amazon link) #5 highest user ratings
Revelate
- Shazam: #5 most searched; 10,000+
- iTunes: #20 most downloaded; Fitzcarraldo (1996)
- Amazon:(Amazon link) #6 highest user ratings; Fitzcarraldo (1996)
Star Star
- Shazam: #11 most searched
- iTunes: #8 most downloaded; Dance the Devil (1999)
- Amazon:(Amazon link) #7 highest user ratings; Dance The Devil (1999)
Lay Me Down
The song “Lay Me Down” is about loving someone so much that you want to be buried next to them. When Glen Hansard was a teenager, he bought a grave plot for his girlfriend. He was so in love with her that he wanted to be buried next to her. He presented the “gift” to her on Christmas Eve and she was understandably freaked out.
- Shazam: #6 most searched; 8,000+ searches
- iTunes: #14 most downloaded; For The Birds (2001)
- Amazon:(Amazon link) #15 highest user ratings; Set List (2001)
Roll On Slow
- Billboard Triple-A Songs: #18 (March 2018)
- Shazam: #9 most searched song by Glen Hansard with 25,000+ searches
- iTunes: #32 most downloaded song by Glen Hansard; Between Two Shores (2018)
- Amazon:(Amazon link) #26 highest user ratings; Between Two Shores (2018)
People Get Ready
- Shazam: #10 most searched song by The Frames
- iTunes: #7 most downloaded song by The Frames; The Cost (2007)
- Amazon:(Amazon link) #23 highest user ratings; The Cost (2007)
Finally
- Ireland Singles Top 100: #6
- Shazam: #9 most Shazamed song by The Frames
- iTunes: #31 The Frames; Burn The Maps (2008)
- Amazon:(Amazon link) #22 highest user ratings; Burn The Maps (2008)
Sad Songs
After “Falling Slowly”, the second most popular song by The Frames on Apple Music, is “Sad Songs” from the album The Cost (2007). While “Falling Slowly” brings attention to every song on The Cost album, “Sad Songs” remains a popular choice among fans.
- iTunes: #3 most downloaded song by The Frames; The Cost (2007)
- Amazon:(Amazon link) #32 highest user ratings; The Cost (2007)
Song For Someone
- Shazam: #16 most Shazamed song by The Frames
- iTunes: #5 most downloaded song by The Frames; The Cost (2007)
- Amazon:(Amazon link) #25 highest user ratings; The Cost (2007)
Drive All Night
Bruce Springsteen cover featuring Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam) and Jake Clemons (Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band).
- Ireland Singles Top 100: #41
- Shazam: #11 18,000+ searches
- iTunes: #23 Glen Hansard; Drive All Night EP (2013)
- Amazon:(Amazon link) #7 highest user ratings; Drive All Night EP (2013)
Fake
- Ireland Singles Top 100: #4
- Shazam: #7 most Shazamed song by The Frames
- iTunes: #23 The Frames; Burn The Maps (2008)
- Amazon:(Amazon link) #19 highest user ratings; Burn The Maps (2008)
Love Don’t Leave Me Waiting
- Shazam: #8 with 27,000+ searches
- iTunes: #27 Glen Hansard; Love Don’t Leave Me Waiting – Single (2012)
- Amazon:(Amazon link) #21 highest user ratings; Rhythm And Repose (2012)
Fitzcarraldo
- Shazam: #12 The Frames; Fitzcarraldo (1996)
- iTunes: #21 The Frames; Fitzcarraldo (1996)
- Amazon:(Amazon link) #9 highest user ratings; Set List (2004)
Say It To Me Now
The song “Say It To Me Know” was first introduced to audiences as part of the 1996 album Fitzcarraldo by The Frames. The song was also included on the soundtrack for Once.
- Shazam: #17 Glen Hansard; Once (Music From The Motion Picture)
- iTunes: #14 most downloaded song by Glen Hansard; Once (Music From The Motion Picture)
- iTunes: #15 most downloaded song by The Frames from the album Fitzcarraldo
- Amazon:(Amazon link) #27 highest user ratings; Once (Music From The Motion Picture)
High Hope
- Shazam: #7 most searched song by Glen Hansard ~30,000 searches; Rhythm and Repose (2012)
- iTunes: #17 most downloaded song by Glen Hansard; Rhythm and Repose (2012)
- Amazon:(Amazon link) #27 highest user ratings; Rhythm and Repose (2012)
Pavement Tune
- Shazam: #15
- iTunes: #16 The Frames; Dance The Devil (1999)
- Amazon:(Amazon link) #47 highest user ratings; Dance The Devil (1999)
Perfect Opening Line
- Shazam: #18 most Shazamed
- iTunes: #27 The Frames; Dance The Devil (1999)
- Amazon:(Amazon link) #53 highest user ratings; Rent Day Blues (1999)
What Happens When The Heart Just Stops
On the album Set List (2001), Hansard tells a touching, but humorous story about a neighborhood dog named “Dfor” (D for Dog). Hansard and his friends built a kennel for the dog on a street corner near his home. After several years, the dog passed away. Hansard and his friends buried Dfor on the same corner. During the story, Hansard tells the audience that the song “What Happens When The Heart Just Stops” was written from Dfor’s point of view.
- Shazam: #19 most Shazamed song by The Frames
- iTunes: #33 most downloaded; Set List (2001)
- Amazon:(Amazon link) #41 highest user ratings; Street Lights (2018)
The Side You Never Get To See
- iTunes: #11 The Frames; The Cost (2007)
- Amazon:(Amazon link) #14 highest user ratings; The Cost (2007)
True
- iTunes: #12 The Frames; The Cost (2007)
- Amazon:(Amazon link) #13 highest user ratings; The Cost (2007)
The Dancer
- Amazon:(Amazon link) #10 The Frames; Another Love Song (1991)
Sideways Down
The Cost
- iTunes: #10 The Frames; The Cost (2007)
- Amazon: #77 highest user ratings; Longitude (2015)
The Top Songs By Glen Hansard
In 1983, at the age of 13, Hansard dropped out of school and started earning money by repairing bicycles and busking on Grafton Street in Dublin, Ireland. After 25 years of hard work, he accepted the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2008. It’s an impressive rise from the very bottom to the top of the music industry.
Throughout his career, Hansard has performed and collaborated with a variety of incredible musicians. His extensive catalog of close to 100 songs has touched and inspired millions of people around the world.
What did you think of this list? Did we leave any of your favorite Glen Hansard songs out? Please let us know what your favorite Glen Hansard songs are in the comments.
The Best Glen Hansard Songs: His Top Songs Of All Time Ranked #GlenHansard Share on X
Frank Wilson is a retired teacher with over 30 years of combined experience in the education, small business technology, and real estate business. He now blogs as a hobby and spends most days tinkering with old computers. Wilson is passionate about tech, enjoys fishing, and loves drinking beer.
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Whoah. Good list. It’s missing a few of my favorites like “Happy” but I guess those were very popular.