The song “Hallelujah” was written by Canadian singer‑songwriter Leonard Cohen and first released on his 1984 album Various Positions.

Quick Scoop: Who wrote the “Hallelujah” song?

If you’re wondering who wrote the original “Hallelujah” song everyone keeps covering , the answer is Leonard Cohen , not Jeff Buckley, Rufus Wainwright, Pentatonix, or any of the other popular voices you might recognize.

Cohen wrote the song in the early 1980s and released it in 1984, and it only became a global classic years later through powerful cover versions.

Fast facts

  • Original songwriter: Leonard Cohen.
  • First release: 1984, on the album Various Positions.
  • Nationality: Canadian poet, singer‑songwriter.
  • Famous covers: John Cale, Jeff Buckley, Rufus Wainwright, k.d. lang, Pentatonix, Alexandra Burke, and many more.

Why do so many people think someone else wrote it?

Because the most famous versions are covers:

  • John Cale’s 1991 version helped revive the song and influenced later interpretations.
  • Jeff Buckley’s 1994 cover is often considered the “definitive” version and introduced it to a new generation; many casual listeners associate the song with him first.

So in forums and comment sections, you’ll often see people ask things like, “Did Jeff Buckley write Hallelujah?” The short answer: no —he delivered one of the most celebrated covers of a song written by Leonard Cohen.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.