Oscar-Winning Singer-Songwriter Glen Hansard Dies At 56
The Irish musician built a career spanning more than three decades, earning acclaim for his work across music, film, and theater.
Courtesy of ATC Management.
Courtesy of ATC Management.
Irish musician and actor Glen Hansard has died at the age of 56 following a motorcycle crash in Dublin on July 29, 2026.
Hansard’s passing was confirmed by ATC Management in a statement posted on his official website: “With broken hearts we announce the passing of Glen Hansard in the early hours of this morning. We are still dealing with the shock of it all, so we kindly ask that the privacy of Glen’s family, colleagues, and friends is respected at this difficult time.”
Following the announcement, tributes poured in from across the music industry, with Bruce Springsteen, Ed Sheeran, and U2 frontman Bono among those honoring the singer-songwriter.
Best known for co-writing and performing the Academy Award-winning song, “Falling Slowly,” Hansard rose to international prominence through the 2007 independent film Once, in which he starred opposite Czech singer-songwriter Markéta Irglová.
The pair won an Oscar for Best Original Song in 2008, while the film later inspired a Broadway adaptation that earned eight Tony Awards in 2012.
Marking one of Hansard’s earliest appearances on screen, he also appeared in Alan Parker’s 1991 musical-comedy The Commitments as guitarist Outspan Foster. The film became a critical success, winning four BAFTA Awards and receiving Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations.
Born in Dublin in 1970, Hansard began his career as the longtime frontman of the acclaimed Irish rock band, The Frames, in 1990 before forming the folk duo, The Swell Season, with Irglová in 2005.
Hansard also maintained a successful solo career, earning a Grammy nomination for Best Folk Album with his 2015 release Didn’t He Ramble. Earlier this year, he released Don’t Settle Volumes 1 and 2, continuing a recording career that spanned more than three decades.
Revisit the heartfelt soundtrack of the 2007 Oscar-winning film Once below:
Frequently Asked Questions
Glen Hansard died in a single-vehicle motorcycle crash in Dublin on July 29, 2026, at age 56, according to a statement from his management, ATC Management.
Hansard is best known for co-writing and performing “Falling Slowly,” the Academy Award-winning song from the 2007 film Once, alongside Markéta Irglová.
Hansard and Markéta Irglová won the 2008 Oscar for Best Original Song for “Falling Slowly,” and the film’s Broadway adaptation later earned eight Tony Awards in 2012.
Hansard fronted Irish rock band The Frames from 1990 and later formed folk duo The Swell Season with Markéta Irglová in 2005, alongside a solo career.
Before Once, Hansard appeared in Alan Parker’s 1991 musical-comedy The Commitments as guitarist Outspan Foster, a film that won four BAFTA Awards.
