Crossroads (Tracy Chapman album)

Crossroads
Studio album by Tracy Chapman
Released	October 3, 1989
Studio	Powertrax Studio, Hollywood, California
Genre	Contemporary folk folk rock [1]
Length	42:32
Label	Elektra
Producer	Tracy Chapman David Kershenbaum
Tracy Chapman chronology
Tracy Chapman (1988) Crossroads (1989) Matters of the Heart (1992)
Singles from Crossroads
"Crossroads" Released: 1989 "All That You Have Is Your Soul" Released: 1989 "Subcity" Released: 1990

Crossroads is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman, released in 1989. Chapman was also a producer on this album, the first time she had taken on such a role. The song "Freedom Now" is dedicated to Nelson Mandela.

Track listing

All songs written by Tracy Chapman.

1. "Crossroads" – 4:11
2. "Bridges" – 5:24
3. "Freedom Now" – 4:02
4. "Material World" – 3:02
5. "Be Careful of My Heart" – 4:39
6. "Subcity" – 5:09
7. "Born to Fight" – 2:46
8. "A Hundred Years" – 4:20
9. "This Time" – 3:43
10. "All That You Have Is Your Soul" – 5:16

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
Christgau’s Consumer Guide	B [3]
Hi-Fi News & Record Review	A*:1 [4]
NME	8/10 [5]
Rolling Stone	[6]
Tom Hull	B [7]

Personnel

Musicians

• Tracy Chapman – acoustic guitar, harmonica (tracks 6, 10), electric guitar (tracks 3, 8), vocals, background vocals (track 3), 12 string guitar (tracks 6, 9), stagecoach guitar (track 10)
• Charlie Bisharat – viola (track 6), electric violin (track 6), violin pizzicato (track 1)
• Peggie Blu – background vocals (track 3)
• Marc Cohn – piano (track 2)
• Paulinho da Costa – tambourine (track 3), conga (track 8)
• Carolyn Dennis – background vocals (track 3)
• Denny Fongheiser – drums (tracks 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8)
• Bobbye Hall – percussion (tracks 1, 4, 5), conga (tracks 3, 6), tambourine (track 7)
• Jack Holder – banjo (track 3), piano (tracks 2, 7), acoustic stagecoach guitar (track 9), organ (track 9)
• Larry Klein – bass guitar (tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9)
• Danny Kortchmar – electric guitar (track 8)
• Russ Kunkel – drums (tracks 2, 6, 9)
• Jim Lacefield – cello (track 10)
• Tim Landers – bass guitar (tracks 3, 7)
• Steve Lindley – electric piano (track 8)
• Bob Marlette – keyboards (tracks 1, 2)
• Frank Marocco – accordion (track 1)
• Sheila Minard – background vocals (track 3)
• Scarlet Rivera – violin (track 9)
• Roz Seay – background vocals (track 3)
• G.E. Smith – acoustic picking guitar (track 1), mandolin (track 5), electric guitar (track 4)
• William D. "Smitty" Smith – organ (tracks 4, 6, 8)
• John X. Volaitis – piano (track 9)
• Elesecia Wright – background vocals (track 3)
• Snooky Young – trumpet (track 7)
• Neil Young – acoustic guitar (track 10), piano (track 10)

Production

• Producers: Tracy Chapman, David Kershenbaum
• Kevin W. Smith – engineer, mixing
• Herb Ritts – cover photography

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1989) Peak position Australian Albums (ARIA) [8] 4 Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [9] 3 Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [10] 5 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [11] 1 New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) [12] 1 Norwegian Albums (VG-lista) [13] 3 Spanish Albums (AFYVE) [14] 3 Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan) [15] 8 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [16] 2 UK Albums (OCC) [17] 1 US Billboard 200 [18] 9 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [19] 72

Year-end charts Chart (1989) Position Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [20] 40 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [21] 58 New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) [22] 1 Portugal Albums (AFP) [23] 10 Chart (1990) Position Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [24] 27 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [25] 16 New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) [26] 30 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [27] 30 US Billboard 200 [28] 73 Singles Year Single Chart Position 1989 "Crossroads" Mainstream Rock Tracks 26 1989 "Crossroads" Modern Rock Tracks 7 1989 "Crossroads" The Billboard Hot 100 90

Certifications and sales

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Argentina (CAPIF) [29]	Gold	30,000^
Australia (ARIA) [30]	2× Platinum	140,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria) [31]	Platinum	50,000*
Canada (Music Canada) [32]	Platinum	100,000^
Finland (Musiikkituottajat) [33]	Gold	30,906 [33]
France (SNEP) [34]	Platinum	300,000*
Germany (BVMI) [35]	2× Platinum	1,000,000^
Hong Kong (IFPI Hong Kong) [36]	Gold	10,000*
Italy sales in 1989	—	300,000 [37]
Netherlands (NVPI) [38]	Gold	50,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ) [39]	Platinum	15,000^
Portugal (AFP) [40]	Gold	20,000^
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [41]	2× Platinum	200,000^
Sweden (GLF) [42]	Gold	50,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) [43]	2× Platinum	100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [44]	Platinum	300,000^
United States (RIAA) [45]	Platinum	1,000,000^
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Awards

32nd Annual Grammy Awards

Grammy Awards
Year	Work	Award	Result	Ref
1990	Crossroads	Best Contemporary Folk Album	Nominated	[46]

References

1. "Crossroads - Tracy Chapman". AllMusic .
2. Henderson, Alex. Crossroads at AllMusic
3. "Robert Christgau review". Robertchristgau.com. Retrieved February 3, 2012.
4. Fariner, Neville (December 1989). "Review: Tracy Chapman — Crossroads" (PDF). Hi-Fi News & Record Review (magazine). Vol. 34, no. 12. Croydon: Link House Magazines Ltd. p. 140. ISSN   0142-6230. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 3, 2021. Retrieved September 27, 2021– via World Radio History.
5. Kirsch, Michele (October 7, 1989). "Long Play: Dred Good!". NME . p. 38.
6. Rolling Stone review Archived August 18, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
7. Hull, Tom. "Grade List: Tracy Chapman". Tom Hull – on the Web . Retrieved April 10, 2025.
8. "Australiancharts.com – Tracy Chapman – Crossroads". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
9. "Austriancharts.at – Tracy Chapman – Crossroads" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
10. "Dutchcharts.nl – Tracy Chapman – Crossroads" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
11. "Offiziellecharts.de – Tracy Chapman – Crossroads" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
12. "Charts.nz – Tracy Chapman – Crossroads". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
13. "Norwegiancharts.com – Tracy Chapman – Crossroads". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
14. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN   84-8048-639-2.
15. "Swedishcharts.com – Tracy Chapman – Crossroads". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
16. "Swisscharts.com – Tracy Chapman – Crossroads". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
17. "Tracy Chapman | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
18. "Tracy Chapman Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
19. "Tracy Chapman Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
20. "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1989". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
21. "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
22. "Top Selling Albums of 1989". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
23. Music & Media, vol. 7, issue 13; Mar 31, 1990
24. "Jahreshitparade Alben 1990". austriancharts.at. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
25. "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
26. "Top Selling Albums of 1990". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
27. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1990". hitparade.ch. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
28. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1990". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 23, 2015. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
29. "Discos de oro y platino" (in Spanish). Cámara Argentina de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Archived from the original on July 6, 2011. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
30. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (pdf ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 54.
31. "Austrian album certifications – Tracy Chapman – Crossroads" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved October 15, 2012.
32. "Canadian album certifications – Tracy Chapman – Crossroads". Music Canada . Retrieved October 15, 2012.
33. "Tracy Chapman" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland . Retrieved October 15, 2012.
34. "French album certifications – Tracy Chapman – Crossroads" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique . Retrieved October 15, 2012.
35. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Tracy Chapman; 'Crossroads')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie . Retrieved October 15, 2012.
36. "IFPIHK Gold Disc Award − 1990". IFPI Hong Kong.
37. Caroli, Daniele (December 9, 1989). "Italy > Talent Challenges" (PDF). Billboard Magazine. 101 (49): I-8. ISSN   0006-2510 . Retrieved July 25, 2020– via World Radio History.
38. "Dutch album certifications – Tracy Chapman – Tracy Chapman" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers.Enter Tracy Chapman in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 1989 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
39. "New Zealand album certifications – Tracy Chapman – Crossroads". Recorded Music NZ . Retrieved November 20, 2024.
40. Tenente, Fernando (April 14, 1990). "INTERNATIONAL: Floyd, Kaoma Top Sellers In Portugal Certs" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 102, no. 15. p. 69. Retrieved November 28, 2020– via World Radio History.
41. Sólo Éxitos 1959–2002 Año A Año: Certificados 1979–1990 (in Spanish). Iberautor Promociones Culturales. ISBN   8480486392.
42. "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 17, 2011. Retrieved October 15, 2012.
43. "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Crossroads')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved October 15, 2012.
44. "British album certifications – Tracy Chapman – Crossroads". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved October 15, 2012.
45. "American album certifications – Tracy Chapman – Crossroads". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved October 15, 2012.
46. "Tracy Chapman". Grammy Awards. Retrieved July 21, 2019.