Mirror Ball is the 23rd studio album by Canadian-American musician Neil Young, and features members of American rock band Pearl Jam.

As grunge peaked in popularity in the early 1990s, some of the bands expressed admiration for Young's career and influence.

At least one music writer noted a similarity in ethos and style between the emerging genre and Young's work, dubbing him the "Godfather of Grunge".

Pearl Jam appeared as an opening act on Young's 1993 tour of North America with Booker T. & the M.G.'s.

In September, Young joined the group to perform "Rockin' in the Free World" at the 1993 MTV Video Music Awards.

In January 1995, Young asked Eddie Vedder to induct him into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

"[6]The album's recording sessions took place in January 1995 and February 1995 at Ann and Nancy Wilson's Bad Animals Studio in Seattle.

[9] On February 7, the group captured "I'm the Ocean" and "Truth Be Known" and Young recorded "What Happened Yesterday" solo on pump organ.

Young recorded "Fallen Angel" at one final solo session on February 26, again on pump organ.

[9] Mike McCready told Guitar World, "We'd be jamming, and I'd look over and say to myself, 'That's Neil Young, and he's playing leads.

"[9] He said that Young "played his ass off on every take at every session," and added, "I can't say enough good things about him.

[11] Vedder explained that he was "in the midst of a pretty intense stalker problem," adding that "leaving the house wasn't the easiest thing to do.

[12] Pearl Jam guitarist Stone Gossard said that Mirror Ball "came at a time when we needed it, that Neil thought we were a band that would be good to make a record with.

William Ruhlmann of AllMusic said that, "Pearl Jam boasts spirited rhythms and dense guitar interplay that Young makes excellent use of in a series of songs built out of simple, melodic riffs.

"[13] On the lyrical content of Mirror Ball, Young said, "There's idealism and reality, the two have got to come together yet there are always major problems when they do.

"[9] "I'm the Ocean" acknowledges the difficulty of living in the moment and how easy it is for life to become a series of quick flashes of different experiences.

Young explains in a 2018 post to his Archives website: "Too may times in this life, we miss what is going on right in front of us......I try but sometimes i don't see.

Lots of love to the searchers..."[14] He elaborates in a contemporary radio interview: "It's kind of like a bunch of flashes of things going on all at the same time or something.

The reference to Led Zeppelin was partly inspired by Young's performance with the band at the 1995 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, where they played "When the Levee Breaks" together.

"[6] The album closes with the extended "Scenery" featuring the group with Brendan O'Brien on piano and "Fallen Angel" which reprises the melody of "I'm the Ocean" with Young alone on pump organ.

Following the completion of Mirror Ball, the members of Pearl Jam (minus Vedder) and producer O'Brien (on keyboards) joined Young in August 1995 for an eleven-date tour in Europe to promote the album.

In the review, Mirror Ball is called "another fine Neil Young album....the record's sound is...big, woolly, live and booming.

Considine gave Mirror Ball four out of five stars, saying, "Though Young is clearly the dominant partner—it's his concept, after all, his songs and his album—it's Pearl Jam who ultimately end up determining the music's shape and feel, providing a level of input and energy that goes well beyond the normal purview of a backing band.

The review said, "Sometimes it's easier to string together some power chords and a few forlorn references to religion, fame and suicide than to actually write songs.

However, Browne criticized the album's lyrics, calling them "mostly jumbled rehashes of standard Young imagery.

"[24] Time reviewer Christopher John Farley said that "Pearl Jam serves as an extraordinary backup band on the new album."

"[28] Allmusic staff writer William Ruhlmann gave the album three out of five stars, saying that "Mirror Ball is typically uneven.

The fault is less with Pearl Jam, who thrash so awkwardly they make Crazy Horse sound like Steely Dan, than with Young’s unmemorable songs.

[30] Album cover artist Gary Burden was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Recording Package.