Chapman & Combs Deliver Emotional Grammy Duet
In one of the most talked about moments of the 2024 Grammy Awards, Tracy Chapman made a rare public appearance to perform her 1988 hit song “Fast Car” alongside country singer Luke Combs. Their emotional duet left the audience in tears and immediately went viral online.
Chapman had not performed publicly in over 15 years. So fans were thrilled when she agreed to join Combs, who scored a major crossover pop and country hit in 2022 with his cover version of “Fast Car.”
Their Grammy collaboration was a powerful meeting of genres that highlighted the timeless, relatable lyrics that resonate with listeners even 36 years later.
Streams Surge Over 300% Post-Grammys
The iconic Grammy performance resulted in a massive streaming spike for both Chapman’s original and Combs’ cover of “Fast Car.”
On February 7th, just 1 day after the Grammy broadcast, US streams for Chapman’s 1988 version tripled to around 637,000. Combs also saw a 46% increase with over 500,000 additional streams.
The boost is well-deserved recognition for Chapman, who made history as the first Black female artist with a solo #1 country songwriting credit thanks to Combs’ smash hit rendition. She continues earning royalties from both recordings.
Beyond those two versions, Chapman’s full catalog saw a 268% surge with 1.81 million total streams post-Grammys. Proving that a timeless song performed with authentic heart can overcome genres and generations.
Grammy Bumps For Other Winners
“Fast Car” wasn’t the only older track to benefit from Grammy herb exposure. Joni Mitchell saw a 427% streaming increase after her long-awaited live debut at the event.
Among contemporary stars, Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers” nearly doubled following her Record of the Year win. While Andre 3000, Killer Mike, and Boygenius also saw their winning songs enjoy leapt in Spotify streams.
The 2024 Grammys provided both a moving tribute to Chapman’s signature song and proof that she deserves more credit as a still-vital creative voice. Perhaps it can spark further opportunities for her to share the stage with newer artists.
