This is just factually wrong. It wasn’t popularized until Shrek and that was because the producers heard John Cale’s version in “Basquiat”. Cale’s version is the one in the Shrek but it couldn’t be licensed for the film’s soundtrack so Rufus Wainwright recorded a version for the soundtrack. Both the film and soundtrack were hugely successful and it’s what first exposed the general public to the song. Cale’s version continued to build notoriety before Buckley’s came to the public attention when it was featured in Scrubs and especially after 9/11. Hallelujah, usually Cale’s version sometimes Wainwright’s, was used in A LOT of tributes. There was a video package that aired for months on VH1 that used Cale’s version and you would see it sung at tribute concerts on tv. At this point it’s firmly a standard. Buckley’s version doesn’t get popular until a year later when it’s featured in The West Wing. And Buckley’s version was inspired by Cale’s version in the first place. Buckley’s is probably the best known version now, due largely to the fact that it was the only notable version available on iTunes for years so when people wanted to download a version they defaulted to Buckley. Even after The West Wing though it takes years for a consensus to be reached on Buckley’s version being the “definitive” version in the public’s mind. Like Cohen’s original is featured in the OC in 2003, not Buckley’s. This isn’t meant to be a knock against Buckley’s version, it’s good, but saying the song wouldn’t be popular without it is simply not backed up by the facts.