After the success of “Tracy Chapman,” the songwriter’s sophomore album, “Crossroads,” had a lot to live up to. It was released in 1989, only a year after her debut and just six months after her multiple victories at that year’s Grammys. Though the album was generally well received, it wasn’t the critical darling that her debut was, and its commercial performance was also a step down for Chapman, who decided to take more time over her third album. “Matter of the Heart” arrived in 1992, but where “Crossroads” had still managed to crack the Top 10 of the Billboard 200, “Matter of the Heart” languished at No. 53. The record saw a marked shift in Chapman’s sound, away from the acoustic folk for which she was known, with a step toward alternative rock. The record alienated many of her fans, and for a while it seemed that Chapman had reached a dead end in terms of her artistry.
There was a three-year gap between “Crossroads” and “Matters of the Heart,” after which Chapman once again left the public eye. She eventually re-emerged in 1995, and her return proved triumphant. Her fourth album, the aptly titled “New Beginning,” featuring the hit single “Give Me One Reason,” was an immediate success, with the album going gold the week the single was released. The album eventually went five times platinum, cementing Chapman’s legacy as one of the most important solo artists of her era.
