Jeff Buckley Posthumously Earns First Top 100 Hit 29 Years After Death

Buckley's 1994 song "Lover, You Should've Come Over" hit the Billboard Hot 100 chart thanks to TikTok virality.

Jan. 28, 2026 at 6:07pm

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Jeff Buckley's acoustic ballad "Lover, You Should've Come Over" has posthumously hit the Billboard Hot 100 chart, reaching No. 97 as of the week of January 31, 2026. The song, which was originally released in 1994 on Buckley's sole album Grace, gained newfound popularity after going viral on TikTok in 2025, over three decades after the singer's tragic death.

Why it matters

Buckley's music has continued to resonate with new generations of listeners, even decades after his passing. The unexpected chart success of "Lover, You Should've Come Over" highlights the enduring impact of his artistry and the power of social media to revive interest in classic songs.

The details

"Lover, You Should've Come Over" was featured on Buckley's 1994 album Grace, which became a platinum seller and peaked at No. 149 on the Billboard 200 in June 1995. In April 2025, the song debuted on the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart at No. 22, thanks to a resurgence of interest fueled by social media and the July 2025 documentary about Buckley's life, "It's Never Over, Jeff Buckley." By December 2025, Grace had reached No. 82 on the Billboard 200.

  • In April 2025, "Lover, You Should've Come Over" debuted on the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart at No. 22.
  • In July 2025, the documentary "It's Never Over, Jeff Buckley" provided an intimate look at the singer's life and career.
  • By December 2025, Buckley's album Grace had reached No. 82 on the Billboard 200.

The players

Jeff Buckley

An American singer-songwriter whose sole studio album, Grace, became a critical and commercial success, though he tragically died at the age of 30 in 1997.

Mary Guibert

Buckley's mother, who spoke about her son's aspirations to live a long life and continue performing music.

Rebecca Moore

Buckley's partner and muse, who said that audiences were 'lucky' to receive his 'beautiful gift' of music, which 'triumphed over a lot of personal things.'

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What they’re saying

“He fantasized about being onstage in a wheelchair. He envisioned a life in which he could put his guitar on his shoulder, and people would want to hear him sing, and he could write whatever was in his soul. And that would be all life would ask of him.”

— Mary Guibert, Buckley's mother (PEOPLE)

“Other people cry about the artist loss. And I do think his art was a gift to the world. But for me, it was like the gift of him. Audiences were 'lucky' to receive his 'beautiful gift', which she said 'triumphed over a lot of personal things.'”

— Rebecca Moore, Buckley's partner and muse (PEOPLE)

The takeaway

Jeff Buckley's music continues to captivate new generations of listeners, even decades after his untimely passing. The unexpected chart success of "Lover, You Should've Come Over" demonstrates the enduring power of his artistry and the ability of social media to revive interest in classic songs, ensuring Buckley's legacy lives on.