The Cars discography

The Cars discography
Studio albums7
Compilation albums8
Singles26
Video albums4
Music videos20
Box sets3

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,[1] the band consisted of singer/guitarist Ric Ocasek, singer/bassist Benjamin Orr, guitarist Elliot Easton, keyboardist Greg Hawkes, and drummer David Robinson.[2][3] The Cars sold over 23 million albums in the United States and had 13 singles that reached the Top 40. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018.[4]

Albums

[edit]

Studio albums

[edit]
Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications[5][6][7]
(sales threshold)
US
[8]
AUS
[9][10]
CAN
[11]
GER
[12]
JPN
[13]
NL
[14]
NZ
[15]
SWE
[16]
SWI
[17]
UK
[18]
The Cars 18 35 50 5 29
  • US: 6× Platinum
  • AUS: 2× Platinum[19]
  • UK: Silver
  • MC: 2× Platinum
Candy-O
  • Release date: June 13, 1979
  • Label: Elektra
  • Formats: LP, MC, 8-track
3 7 4 6 30
  • US: 4× Platinum
Panorama
  • Release date: August 15, 1980
  • Label: Elektra
  • Formats: LP, MC, 8-track
5 19 10 69 14
  • US: Platinum
  • MC: Platinum
Shake It Up
  • Release date: November 6, 1981
  • Label: Elektra
  • Formats: LP, MC, 8-track
9 20 7 40 12
  • US: 2× Platinum
  • MC: Platinum
Heartbeat City
  • Release date: March 13, 1984
  • Label: Elektra
  • Formats: CD, LP, MC, 8-track
3 15 5 15 22 41 1 26 20 25
  • US: 4× Platinum
  • UK: Gold
Door to Door
  • Release date: August 25, 1987
  • Label: Elektra
  • Formats: CD, LP, MC, 8-track
26 26 19 57 32 10 29 20 72
  • US: Gold
Move Like This 7 22
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Compilation albums

[edit]
Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications[5][6]
(sales threshold)
US
[8]
AUS
[9][10]
CAN
[11]
JPN
[13]
NZ
[15]
UK
[18]
Greatest Hits
  • Release date: October 18, 1985
  • Label: Elektra
  • Formats: CD, LP, MC, 8-track
12 3 21 72 2 27
  • AUS: 4× Platinum[20]
  • US: 6× Platinum
  • UK: Gold
Just What I Needed: The Cars Anthology
  • Release date: November 7, 1995
  • Label: Elektra
  • Formats: 2xCD, 2xMC
Shake It Up & Other Hits
  • Release date: June 19, 2001
  • Label: Elektra/Rhino
  • Formats: CD
Complete Greatest Hits
  • Release date: February 19, 2002
  • Label: Elektra/Rhino
  • Formats: CD, MC
32 65 55 10
The Essentials
Classic Tracks
  • Release date: November 2008
  • Label: Elektra/Rhino
  • Formats: CD
  • Limited release
Greatest Hits & More
  • Release date: 2008
  • Label: Timeless Media Group
  • Formats: CD
Moving in Stereo: The Best of The Cars
  • Release date: 6 May 2016
  • Label: Rhino
  • Formats: CD, 2xLP, digital download
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Box sets

[edit]
Title Album details
Original Album Series
  • Release date: 1 March 2010
  • Label: Rhino
  • Formats: 5xCD
Studio Album Collection: 1978–1987
  • Release date: March 16, 2014
  • Label: Elektra/Rhino
  • Formats: digital download
The Elektra Years 1978–1987
  • Release date: March 11, 2016
  • Label: Elektra
  • Formats: 6xCD, 6xLP, digital download

Singles

[edit]
Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications[6]
(sales threshold)
Album
US
[21]
US Rock
[22]
AUS
[9][10]
CAN
[23]
FRA
[24]
GER
[25]
NL
[14]
NZ
[15]
SWE
[16]
UK
[18]
"Just What I Needed" 1978 27 96 35 4 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 12 5 15 4 [nb 1]
  • BPI: Gold
"Hello Again" 20 22 52 42 4 27 12
"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
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Videos

[edit]

Video albums

[edit]
Title Album details Peak chart positions
US
[26]
UK
[27][28]
Heartbeat City 10 16
Live 1984–1985 28
The Cars Live
The Cars Unlocked: The Live Performances
  • Release date: October 17, 2006
  • Label: Docurama, Warner Music Vision
  • Formats: DVD+CD
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Music videos

[edit]
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

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  1. ^ "Drive" originally peaked at #5 in the UK in 1984, but re-entered the chart in 1985 after being used for documentary footage during Live Aid, this time reaching #4.[citation needed]

References

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  1. ^ Hosken, Patrick. "Ric Ocasek Wrote The Songs You Love". MTV News. Archived from the original on September 18, 2019.
  2. ^ Ivie, Devon (August 25, 2020). "The Good, Better, and Best of the Cars, According to Elliot Easton". Vulture.
  3. ^ Rodman, Sarah (May 8, 2011). "The Cars get back in gear". Boston.com – via The Boston Globe.
  4. ^ Mann, Keith (September 16, 2019). "Ric Ocasek Net Worth: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know".
  5. ^ a b "Recording Industry Association of America". RIAA. Archived from the original on June 26, 2007. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
  6. ^ a b c "Home". BPI. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
  7. ^ "Gold/Platinum". Music Canada. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
  8. ^ a b "The Cars Chart History:Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved September 24, 2019.
  9. ^ a b c Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. Australian Chart Book, St Ives, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  10. ^ a b c "Australian Charts > The Cars". australian-charts.com Hung Medien. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
  11. ^ a b Peak positions for the Cars' albums in Canada:
  12. ^ "charts.de (Albums) > The Cars". charts.de Media Control. Retrieved June 17, 2011.[dead link]
  13. ^ a b Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
  14. ^ a b "Dutch Charts > The Cars". dutchcharts.nl Hung Medien. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
  15. ^ a b c "New Zealand Charts > The Cars". charts.nz Hung Medien. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
  16. ^ a b "Swedish Charts > The Cars". swedishcharts.com Hung Medien. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
  17. ^ Steffen Hung. "Die Offizielle Schweizer Hitparade und Music Community". Hitparade.ch. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
  18. ^ a b c "The Official Charts Companys > The Cars". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
  19. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2005 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
  20. ^ a b Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (pdf ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. pp. 25, 53.
  21. ^ "The Cars Album & Song Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
  22. ^ "The Cars Album & Song Chart History (Mainstream Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
  23. ^ "Collections.gc.ca".[permanent dead link]
  24. ^ "The World's Music Charts (Song artist 501 - The Cars)". Retrieved January 18, 2013.
  25. ^ "charts.de (Singles) > The Cars". charts.de Media Control. Retrieved June 17, 2011.[dead link]
  26. ^ "Top Videocassettes Sales" (PDF). Billboard. October 20, 1984. p. 29. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
  27. ^ "Music Video Top 30" (PDF). Music Week. December 8, 1984. p. 31. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
  28. ^ "Music Video" (PDF). Music Week. November 16, 1985. p. 10. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
  29. ^ "The Cars Live advert" (PDF). Billboard. October 14, 2000. p. 1. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
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