The cover of Tracy Chapman’s ballad has become a radio juggernaut in just a few weeks time
Luke Combs has been performing his cover of Tracy Chapman’s 1988 hit “Fast Car” every night on his current stadium tour (and for years before that). He captured one of those massive sing-alongs back in May during a stop at Minneapolis’s U.S. Bank Stadium and releases it today as a live music video.
Combs’ version of Chapman’s song has been a radio juggernaut and marks its third consecutive week at Number One on the Billboard Country Airplay chart and its first at Number One on the MediaBase country chart. (It’s also nestled in the Number Two slot on Billboard’s Hot 100, just behind Morgan Wallen’s multi-week chart-topper “Last Night.”) Released 16 weeks ago, Combs’ version has just been certified platinum.
“Fast Car” appears on the North Carolina native’s latest album Gettin’ Old and the song’s ascent to Number One on the chart made Chapman the first ever Black woman songwriter to have a country chart-topper as the sole writer. “I never expected to find myself on the country charts, but I’m honored to be there,” Chapman told Billboard. “I’m happy for Luke and his success and grateful that new fans have found and embraced ‘Fast Car.’”
Combs resumes his World Tour this weekend with a pair of concerts at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.