Grace  by Jeff Buckley

Grace by Jeff Buckley, released in August 1994, is today considered one of the most important and influential albums of all time. Although it did not achieve immediate commercial success at the time, its value skyrocketed after Buckley's untimely death in 1997. Andy Wallace (known for mixing Nirvana's Nevermind) took on the production, managing to harness Buckley's often "scattered" creative impulses.

Grace is an eclectic mix of alternative rock, folk, jazz, and soul, with strong influences from Led Zeppelin to Edith Piaf. The album was recorded in the fall of 1993 at Bearsville Studios in Woodstock, New York. Buckley experimented heavily with the arrangements, recording over 20 different takes for Hallelujah, a cover of Leonard Cohen's famous song. His cover of Leonard Cohen's song is now the most famous rendition of the piece, even though it was never released as a single during his lifetime. Buckley's voice is the hallmark of the album. Jeff Buckley had the ability to transition with incredible ease from a whisper to "Led Zeppelin" screams, masterfully using falsetto and vibrato. Many of his peers, such as Robert Plant and Chris Cornell, considered him one of the top singers of his generation.

Initially, the album's sales were low, reaching only No. 149 on the Billboard 200. In contrast, it achieved great success in Australia, reaching No. 9. To date, Grace has sold over 2,000,000 copies worldwide and has gone platinum in the U.S., UK, and Australia. David Bowie described it as one of the best albums ever made, Jimmy Page considered it his favorite album of the decade, and Bob Dylan called Buckley one of the greatest songwriters of the decade!