The Cars discography
The Cars discography | |
---|---|
Studio albums | 7 |
Compilation albums | 8 |
Video albums | 4 |
Music videos | 20 |
Singles | 26 |
The discography of the American rock band the Cars includes seven studio albums, eight compilation albums, four video albums and 26 singles. Originating in Boston in 1976, the band consisted of singer, rhythm guitarist, and songwriter Ric Ocasek, singer and bassist Benjamin Orr, lead guitarist Elliot Easton, keyboardist Greg Hawkes, and drummer David Robinson. After signing with Elektra Records, the band released their self-titled debut album, The Cars in 1978. Backed by the successful singles "Just What I Needed" (number 27), "My Best Friend's Girl" (number 35), and "Good Times Roll" (number 41), the album was a major commercial success, selling one million copies by the end of the year, peaking at number 18 on the Billboard 200 chart in March 1979.[1][2] The album remained on the album chart for 139 weeks. The band's follow-up, Candy-O, was released a year later in 1979, and peaked at number 3 on the Billboard 200. Its singles included their first Top 20 hit "Let's Go" and "It's All I Can Do", which reached number 41.[1]
Their third album, Panorama, was released in 1980. Although it peaked at number 5 on the Billboard 200 and has been certified Platinum, it was less commercially successful than its predecessors.[1] A single, "Touch and Go", peaked at number 37 on the Billboard Hot 100. Their next album, Shake It Up (1981), fared better commercially, going platinum by the end of the year and spawning their first Top 10 single with its title track.[1] 1984's Heartbeat City was the band's most successful, hitting number 3 on the Billboard 200. Its lead single, "You Might Think", reached number 7 in the US, with three more singles: "Magic", "Drive", and "Hello Again" reaching number 12, 3, and 20, respectively on the Billboard Hot 100.[1] Their Greatest Hits album, released later that year, contained the singles "Tonight She Comes" and a remixed version of "I'm Not the One", and has gone 6x platinum.[1] Their final album before their breakup, Door to Door (1987), spawned the single "You Are the Girl" which reached number 17 on the Hot 100; it was their last Top 40 hit as a band.[1][3]
The band reunited for the album Move Like This in 2011, without Orr who died of pancreatic cancer in 2000.[4] It reached the Billboard 200 Top 10 and peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Top Rock Albums chart; its single, "Sad Song", reached number 33 on the Billboard Rock Songs chart. The Cars were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018 and reunited once more to perform at the induction ceremony.[5] The reunion was their final performance with Ocasek, who died in 2019 of cardiovascular disease.[6] As of 2001, the Cars had sold over 23 million albums in the United States.
Albums[]
Studio albums[]
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications[7][8] (sales threshold) | ||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US [9] |
AUS [10][11] |
FRA [12] |
GER [13] |
NL [14] |
NZ [15] |
NOR [16] |
SWE [17] |
SWI [18] |
UK [19] | ||||||||||
The Cars |
|
18 | 35 | — | — | — | 5 | — | — | — | 29 | ||||||||
Candy-O |
|
3 | 7 | — | — | — | 6 | — | — | — | 30 |
| |||||||
Panorama |
|
5 | 19 | — | — | — | 14 | — | — | — | — |
| |||||||
Shake It Up |
|
9 | 20 | — | — | 40 | 12 | — | — | — | — |
| |||||||
Heartbeat City |
|
3 | 15 | 29 | 15 | 41 | 1 | — | 26 | 20 | 25 |
| |||||||
Door to Door |
|
26 | 26 | — | 57 | — | 10 | 9 | 29 | 20 | 72 |
| |||||||
Move Like This |
|
7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| |||||||
"—" denotes releases that did not chart |
Compilation albums[]
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications[7][8] (sales threshold) | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US [9] |
AUS [10][11] |
NZ [15] |
UK [19] | ||||||
Greatest Hits |
|
12 | 3 | 2 | 27 |
| |||
Just What I Needed: The Cars Anthology |
|
— | — | — | — | ||||
Shake It Up & Other Hits |
|
— | — | — | — | ||||
Complete Greatest Hits |
|
32 | 65 | 10 | — |
| |||
The Essentials |
|
— | — | — | — | ||||
Classic Tracks |
|
— | — | — | — | ||||
The Elektra Years 1978–1987 |
|
— | — | — | — | ||||
Moving in Stereo: The Best of The Cars |
|
— | — | — | — | ||||
"—" denotes releases that did not chart |
Singles[]
Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications[8] (sales threshold) |
Album | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US [21] |
US Rock [22] |
AUS [10][11] |
CAN [23] |
FRA [24] |
GER [25] |
IRE [26] |
NL [14] |
NZ [15] |
SWE [17] |
SWI [27] |
UK [19] | ||||
"Just What I Needed" | 1978 | 27 | — | 96 | 38 | 4 | — | 27 | — | 38 | — | — | 17 | The Cars | |
"My Best Friend's Girl" | 35 | — | 67 | 55 | — | — | — | 40 | — | — | — | 3 | |||
"Good Times Roll" | 1979 | 41 | — | — | 74 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
"Let's Go" | 14 | — | 6 | 5 | — | — | — | — | 40 | — | — | 51 | Candy-O | ||
"It's All I Can Do" | 41 | — | — | 17 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
"Double Life" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
"Touch and Go" | 1980 | 37 | — | 62 | 16 | 2 | — | — | — | 42 | — | — | — | Panorama | |
"Don't Tell Me No" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
"Gimme Some Slack" | 1981 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
"Shake It Up" | 4 | 2 | 10 | 7 | 10 | — | — | 48 | 26 | — | — | — | Shake It Up | ||
"Cruiser" | — | 37 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
"Since You're Gone" | 1982 | 41 | 24 | — | — | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 37 | ||
"Victim of Love" | — | 39 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
"Think It Over" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
"You Might Think" | 1984 | 7 | 1 | 24 | 8 | — | — | — | 49 | 27 | 20 | — | 88 | Heartbeat City | |
"Magic" | 12 | 1 | 96 | 14 | 10 | — | — | — | 50 | — | — | — | |||
"Drive" | 3 | 3 | 10 | 6 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 12 | 5 | 15 | 3 | 4 [nb 1] |
| ||
"Hello Again" | 20 | 22 | 52 | 42 | 4 | 27 | — | — | 12 | — | 17 | — | |||
"Why Can't I Have You" | 1985 | 33 | 11 | — | 90 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
"Heartbeat City" | — | — | 75 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 78 | |||
"Tonight She Comes" | 7 | 1 | 16 | 36 | — | — | — | — | 20 | — | — | 79 | Greatest Hits | ||
"I'm Not the One" (Remix) | 1986 | 32 | 29 | 75 | 82 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Greatest Hits (Shake It Up) | |
"You Are the Girl" | 1987 | 17 | 2 | 69 | 33 | — | — | — | — | 30 | — | — | — | Door to Door | |
"Strap Me In" | 85 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
"Coming Up You" | 1988 | 74 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
"Sad Song" | 2011 | — | 33 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Move Like This |
Videos[]
Year | Title | Format |
---|---|---|
1984 | Heartbeat City | VHS, Betamax, Laserdisc |
1985 | The Cars Live 1984–1985 | VHS, Betamax, Laserdisc |
2000 | The Cars Live | VHS, DVD |
2006 | The Cars Unlocked | DVD/CD |
Music videos[]
Title | Album |
---|---|
"Just What I Needed" | The Cars |
"My Best Friend's Girl" | |
"Let's Go" | Candy-O |
"Double Life" | |
"Dangerous Type" | |
"Panorama" | Panorama |
"Touch and Go" | |
"Shake It Up" | Shake It Up |
"Since You're Gone" | |
"You Might Think" | Heartbeat City |
"Magic" | |
"Drive" | |
"Hello Again" | |
"Why Can't I Have You" | |
"Tonight She Comes" | Greatest Hits |
"You Are The Girl" | Door to Door |
"Strap Me In" | |
"Blue Tip" | Move Like This |
"Sad Song" | |
"Free" |
Notes[]
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "The Cars – Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
- ^ Billboard March 24, 1979: 139
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits (8th Edition). Billboard Books. p. 109. ISBN 0-8230-7499-4.
- ^ Blau, Max (February 4, 2011). "The Cars Share Reunion Album Details". Paste. Retrieved February 7, 2011.
- ^ Smith, Troy L. (March 20, 2018). "The Cars confirm performance at 2018 Rock Hall Ceremony". Cleveland.com. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
- ^ "Ric Ocasek, Lead Singer of The Cars, Dead in New York at 75". NBC New York. September 15, 2019. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Recording Industry Association of America". RIAA. Archived from the original on September 2, 2008. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "Home". BPI. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "The Cars Chart History:Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved September 24, 2019.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. Australian Chart Book, St Ives, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "Australian Charts > The Cars". australian-charts.com Hung Medien. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "The World's Music Charts (Album artist 310 - The Cars)". Retrieved January 20, 2013.
- ^ "charts.de (Albums) > The Cars". charts.de Media Control. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Dutch Charts > The Cars". dutchcharts.nl Hung Medien. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "New Zealand Charts > The Cars". charts.nz Hung Medien. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Norwegian Charts > The Cars". nowegiancharts.com Hung Medien. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Swedish Charts > The Cars". swedishcharts.com Hung Medien. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ Steffen Hung. "Die Offizielle Schweizer Hitparade und Music Community". Hitparade.ch. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "The Official Charts Companys > The Cars". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (pdf ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. pp. 25, 53.
- ^ "The Cars Album & Song Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
- ^ "The Cars Album & Song Chart History (Mainstream Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
- ^ "Collections.gc.ca".[permanent dead link]
- ^ "The World's Music Charts (Song artist 501 - The Cars)". Retrieved January 18, 2013.
- ^ "charts.de (Singles) > The Cars". charts.de Media Control. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "The Cars". irish-charts.com eMedia Jungen. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
- ^ Steffen Hung (January 20, 1985). "Die Offizielle Schweizer Hitparade und Music Community". Hitparade.ch. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
External links[]
- Discographies of American artists
- Rock music group discographies
- The Cars