Tracy Chapman's original 'Fast Car' re-enters the Billboard Hot 100
Update: 2/13/24 at 3:00 PM ET.
Chapman's success continued off the iTunes chart and into the Billboard Hot 100. Her original version of “Fast Car” re-entered the charts 35 years after its initial release, reaching No. 42 on the chart for the week of February 17. The number was sandwiched between Gunna'Fukumean' and Paul Russell'Lil Boo Thang'.
Chapman's “Fast Car” turned out to have more gas in the tank. A week after topping the iTunes chart, it remained a Top 10 hit. On February 13, it was positioned between Cyrus' 'Flowers' and Usher's 'U Got It Bad', a song that enjoyed a huge sales boost following its headlining performance at the halftime show of the 2024 Super Bowl.
Original story:
You have a fast car, Tracy Chapman has a plan to get out of here – and now a #1 song on iTunes.
Chapman, 59, appeared at the 2024 Grammy Awards on February 4 and performed Luke Combs for a duet of 'Fast Car'. Combs' cover of Chapman's 1988 hit dominated country radio and earned accolades at country music awards shows, so the moment at Sunday's event was a chance for her to collect her flowers from the crowd gathered at the Crypto.com- arena and from those watching at home.
It was also a chance to remind viewers that Chapman's original version of the song was available on iTunes, and soon her original “Fast Car” topped the platform's charts. As of Monday, February 5, Chapman's “Fast Car” was No. 1 on iTunes' Top Song charts, ahead of the new Grammy winner Miley Cyrus (“Flowers”), Billy Joel (“Turn the Lights Back On”) and Combs' rendition of “Fast Car.”
Jerod Harris/Getty Images; Mickey Bernal/Getty Images The most anticipated performance of the 2024 Grammy Awards sees two icons come together to perform one of the biggest songs of the past 40 years: “Fast Car.” Tracy Chapman, who wrote the classic song, will join country superstar Luke Combs at the ceremony on Sunday, February 4 in […]
Chapman's 1988 self-titled debut, which included “Fast Car,” also rose to No. 1 on the Top Albums chart, surpassing Taylor Swift's latest Album of the Year winner, Midnights. Chapmans Greatest hits compilation was at number 3.
The original “Fast Car” peaked at number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 upon its release in 1988. It was nominated for Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 1989 Grammys, winning the latter. Tracy Chapman was also up for Album of the Year. Although it lost to George Michael'S To trustthe self-titled album won the award for Best Contemporary Folk Album.
In the 35 years since Chapman's debut, her legacy has grown (thanks in part to her rare public appearances, which made her duet at the 2024 Grammys even more special.) “Tracy Chapman is such an icon, and one of the greatest artists I've ever heard of.” have ever seen. I think one of us will be there to see it,” Combs said in a video about Chapman's legacy and the impact “Fast Car” has had since its release. “For me the circle is complete. Just to be associated with her in any way is super humiliating to me.
For almost as long as the Grammys have existed, musicians have criticized the voting process, the nominations and the winners. Grammy disses have taken many forms over the years, but in the 21st century, much of the commentary has focused on the awards show's history of excluding women and black artists from major categories. […]
Comb's rendition of “Fast Car” from his 2023 album Getting oldearned a nomination for Best Country Solo Performance at the 2024 Grammys. It lost to Chris Stapleton'The White Horse'.
Other songs that enjoyed a post-Grammy bump were included Billie Eilish'What was I made for?', Joni Mitchell'Both sides now' and Olivia Rodrigo'Vampire'. Eilish, 22, Rodrigo, 20, and Mitchell, 80, also performed at the ceremony.