Their first album sounds like a greatest hits record, and in a way it was. The Cars came out of Boston in 1978 with “Just What I Needed”, “My Best Friend’s Girl” and “Good Times Roll” all on one debut, and new wave suddenly had an American band built for rock radio. They went on to sell more than 23 million albums in the US alone.
Five players, two voices, one sound
The Cars formed in Boston in 1976. Ric Ocasek wrote the songs and played rhythm guitar. He and bassist Benjamin Orr shared lead vocals, Ocasek quirky and clipped, Orr smooth. Elliot Easton played lead guitar, Greg Hawkes added the synthesizers that set them apart, and David Robinson played drums. It was rock guitar with a futurist’s ear, and it bridged classic rock and the new wave that was just arriving.
The debut that played like a greatest hits
The Cars (1978) is regularly named one of the best debut albums in rock. It went multi-Platinum, and almost every track became a radio favorite: “Just What I Needed”, “My Best Friend’s Girl”, “Good Times Roll”, “You’re All I’ve Got Tonight” and “Bye Bye Love”. The same punk-era moment produced plenty of rough edges. The Cars were polished to a shine.
Candy-O, Panorama and Shake It Up
Candy-O (1979) kept the run going with “Let’s Go” and “It’s All I Can Do”. Panorama (1980) went darker and more experimental without losing the style. Shake It Up (1981) was another big seller, with “Since You’re Gone”, “Victim of Love” and the title track, which is still a staple of rock and new wave radio.
Heartbeat City and the MTV years
In 1984 they made their biggest record. Heartbeat City, produced with Robert John “Mutt” Lange, set rock guitars inside glossy electronic production and threw off hit after hit: “You Might Think”, “Magic”, “Drive”, “Hello Again” and “Why Can’t I Have You”. “Drive”, sung by Orr, became a worldwide ballad. “You Might Think” won Video of the Year at the first MTV Video Music Awards in 1984.
Is The Cars new wave?
Yes. The Cars are one of the defining American new wave bands. Greg Hawkes’ synthesizers, Ocasek’s cool, clever songs and their clean, punchy production put them at the center of late-’70s and ’80s new wave radio, while their guitars kept rock fans on board.
Door to Door, a reunion and a legacy
After Door to Door (1987) the band took a long break. Benjamin Orr died in 2000. In 2011 the surviving original members reunited for Move Like This, which proved the chemistry was still there. Ocasek also became one of rock’s most respected producers, working with Weezer, Bad Religion, No Doubt and Guided by Voices. He died in 2019. Read our tribute: Remembering Ric Ocasek.
The Cars by the numbers
- Seven studio albums
- More than 23 million albums sold in the US
- Platinum and multi-Platinum records, and a run of Top 10 singles
- Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018
Weezer, Foo Fighters, the Killers, Fountains of Wayne, the Strokes and the Smashing Pumpkins have all named them as an influence.
The essential Cars songs
“Just What I Needed” · “My Best Friend’s Girl” · “Good Times Roll” · “Bye Bye Love” · “Let’s Go” · “It’s All I Can Do” · “Dangerous Type” · “Touch and Go” · “Shake It Up” · “Since You’re Gone” · “You Might Think” · “Magic” · “Drive” · “Hello Again” · “Why Can’t I Have You” · “Tonight She Comes”
The essential albums
The Cars (1978) · Candy-O (1979) · Panorama (1980) · Shake It Up (1981) · Heartbeat City (1984) · Door to Door (1987) · Move Like This (2011)
New to the Cars? Start here
Play the debut from the top. “Good Times Roll” opens it at a strut, and by the time “Moving in Stereo” slides into “All Mixed Up” you’ll know why it’s on so many best-debut lists. Then jump to Heartbeat City and hear the same band in high-gloss 1984. Save “Drive” for late at night.
Like the Cars? Try these next
- Blondie: punk, pop and disco from New York
- Talking Heads: art-rock invention
- The Police: rock, reggae and new wave
- INXS: rock, funk and new wave from Australia
- The Fixx: atmospheric, thoughtful British new wave
- Elvis Costello: sharp songs, punk energy
- Pretenders: Chrissie Hynde’s rock and new wave
- Joe Jackson: new wave with jazz and pop in it
- Squeeze: clever lyrics, perfect melodies
- Cheap Trick: power pop with the same gift for hooks
- The Romantics: guitar-driven new wave and power pop
- Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: classic rock songwriting that sits right next to the Cars
Hear The Cars on New Wave Radio
They’re in our rotation every day. Request “Moving in Stereo” or “Touch and Go” for the deeper side.
Official links: thecars.org · Facebook · Instagram · YouTube · Spotify
