Singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman says she does not stream music online because she believes buying hard copies of the music is the only way artistes can be compensated for their work.
The legendary performer said this in an interview with the New York Times while reflecting on the current state of the music industry. Asked how she listened to music these days, she stated:
READ ALSO: Tracy Chapman To Receive Lifetime Achievement Award At 2024 International Folk Music Awards
“I do listen to music still. I don’t listen to as much as I used to, and I’m maybe going to date myself now, or someone’s going to call me a Luddite, but I don’t stream music.
“I only buy music in physical form. Artists get paid when you actually buy a CD or the vinyl. That’s important to me,” she added.
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She admitted that buying hard copies tended to “limit” the variety of music she listened to because it required a physical commitment of going out into the world and “finding things,” but she still “do go out.”
The celebrated artiste touched on her performance at the 2024 Grammys, which she said was “pretty awesome” for “all the young women in all their variety, doing their things.” On that occasion, she performed her classic song Fast Cars alongside Luke Combs.
The performance was said to be her first in nine years and resulted in a 241 percent increase in streams of the 1988 original, soaring from 248,000 daily streams to 949,000.
READ ALSO: 2024 Songwriters Hall of Fame: Tracy Chapman, Timbaland, Public Enemy, Others Nominated
In November 2023, Tracy Chapman was recognized as the first black woman to win Song of the Year in the highly respected Country Music Awards (CMAs).
It was described as a historic victory, as it was the first time in the 57-year history of the awards that a black woman had won a CMA award in any category.
READ ALSO: CMAs: Tracy Chapman Becomes First Black Woman To Win Song of the Year Award
Other outlets claimed that Chapman also made history by being the first black songwriter to win Song of the Year, regardless of gender.
