Irish singer and Oscar-winning musician Glen Hansard died on 29 July 2026 following a motorcycle crash in Lucan, Dublin, prompting tributes from artists including Bruce Springsteen and Rachel Zegler. Shortly before his death, he had spoken in an interview about his 15-year friendship with Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder, a bond that began after Vedder reached out to him following a traumatic incident at one of his shows.

Hansard told Track Star last month that in 2010 a young man died by suicide on stage during one of his gigs, leaving him deeply shaken and unsure whether to continue the tour. Vedder called him unexpectedly and spoke with him daily for five days, later inviting him to Seattle, where they recorded a cover of The Everly Brothers' "Sleepless Nights" together. The pair went on to tour extensively, with Hansard supporting Vedder's solo dates in 2011, 2012, 2017 and 2019, joining his backing band "Earthlings" for the 2022 album "Earthling", and performing together at a Teenage Cancer Trust show in 2024.