Greatest Hits (The Cars album)

Last updated
Greatest Hits
The Cars - Greatest Hits.jpg
Greatest hits album by
ReleasedOctober 25, 1985
Recorded1978–1985
Genre
Length50:15
Label Elektra
Producer
The Cars chronology
Heartbeat City
(1984)
Greatest Hits
(1985)
Door to Door
(1987)
Singles from Greatest Hits
  1. "Tonight She Comes"
    Released: October 14, 1985
  2. "I'm Not the One"
    Released: January 13, 1986
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [1]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [2]
Robert Christgau A− [3]

Greatest Hits is a greatest hits album by American rock band the Cars, released on October 25, 1985, by Elektra Records. "Tonight She Comes", a previously unreleased song, and a remix of "I'm Not the One" were issued as singles to support the album. It was a commercial success, going six-times platinum.

Contents

Track listing

All tracks are written by Ric Ocasek.

Side one
No.TitleOriginal albumLength
1."Just What I Needed" The Cars , 19783:43
2."Since You're Gone" Shake It Up , 19813:31
3."You Might Think" Heartbeat City , 19843:04
4."Good Times Roll"The Cars3:44
5."Touch and Go" Panorama , 19804:54
6."Drive"Heartbeat City3:54
Side two
No.TitleOriginal albumLength
7."Tonight She Comes"Previously unreleased3:52
8."My Best Friend's Girl"The Cars3:44
9."Heartbeat City" (not included on vinyl release)Heartbeat City4:29
10."Let's Go" Candy-O , 19793:33
11."I'm Not the One" (remix)Shake It Up4:07
12."Magic"Heartbeat City3:57
13."Shake It Up"Shake It Up3:32

Personnel

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [14] 4× Platinum280,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ) [15] Platinum15,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [16] Gold100,000^
United States (RIAA) [17] 6× Platinum6,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Cars</span> American pop-rock band

The Cars were an American rock band formed in Boston in 1976. Emerging from the new wave scene in the late 1970s, they consisted of Ric Ocasek, Benjamin Orr, Elliot Easton, Greg Hawkes (keyboards), and David Robinson (drums). Ocasek and Orr shared lead vocals, and Ocasek was the band's principal songwriter and leader.

<i>The Cars</i> (album) 1978 studio album by the Cars

The Cars is the debut studio album by American rock band the Cars, released on June 6, 1978, by Elektra Records. The album was produced by longtime collaborator Roy Thomas Baker, and spawned several hit singles, including "Just What I Needed", "My Best Friend's Girl", and "Good Times Roll", as well as other radio and film hits such as "Bye Bye Love" and "Moving in Stereo". The Cars peaked at number 18 on the US Billboard 200 album chart, and has been certified 6x platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

<i>Candy-O</i> 1979 studio album by the Cars

Candy-O is the second studio album by American new wave band the Cars, released on June 2, 1979, by Elektra Records.

<i>Door to Door</i> (album) 1987 studio album by the Cars

Door to Door is the sixth studio album by American new wave band the Cars, released on August 25, 1987, by Elektra Records. The album was produced by frontman Ric Ocasek, with additional production by keyboardist Greg Hawkes. Three singles were released from the album, though only "You Are the Girl" reached the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 17. Door to Door became the Cars' lowest-charting studio album, peaking at number 26 on the Billboard 200, and within a year of its release the band would break up.

<i>Panorama</i> (The Cars album) 1980 studio album by the Cars

Panorama is the third studio album by American new wave band the Cars, released on August 15, 1980, by Elektra Records. Like its predecessors, it was produced by Roy Thomas Baker and released on Elektra Records.

<i>Shake It Up</i> (The Cars album) 1981 studio album by the Cars

Shake It Up is the fourth studio album by American new wave band the Cars, released on November 6, 1981, by Elektra Records. It was the last Cars record to be produced by Roy Thomas Baker. A much more pop-oriented album than its predecessor, its title track became the band's first Billboard top-10 single. Spin magazine included it on their "50 Best Albums of 1981" list.

<i>Heartbeat City</i> 1984 studio album by the Cars

Heartbeat City is the fifth studio album by American new wave band the Cars, released on March 13, 1984, by Elektra Records. This marks the band's first album not produced by long-time producer Roy Thomas Baker, instead opting to produce with Robert John "Mutt" Lange. Considered a "comeback" album for the Cars, Heartbeat City represented a return to the success of the band's self-titled debut album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Just What I Needed</span> 1978 single by The Cars

"Just What I Needed" is a song by American rock band the Cars from their self-titled debut album (1978). The song, which first achieved radio success as a demo, took inspiration from the Ohio Express and the Velvet Underground. The song is sung by bass player Benjamin Orr and was written by Ric Ocasek.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drive (The Cars song)</span> 1984 single by the Cars

"Drive" is a song by American rock band the Cars from their fifth studio album, Heartbeat City (1984). It was released on July 23, 1984, as the album's third single. Written by Ric Ocasek, the track was sung by bassist Benjamin Orr and produced by Robert John "Mutt" Lange with the band. Upon its release, "Drive" became the Cars' highest-charting single in most territories. In the United States, it peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Adult Contemporary chart. It reached number five in the United Kingdom, number four in West Germany, number six in Canada and number three in Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shake It Up (The Cars song)</span> 1981 single by the Cars

"Shake It Up" is a song by American rock band the Cars from their fourth studio album of the same name (1981). It was released on November 9, 1981, as the album's lead single. Although appearing for the first time in 1981, it was actually written years earlier by the band's songwriter and lead singer Ric Ocasek. The song became one of the Cars' most popular songs, peaking at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and number two on the Billboard Top Tracks chart in early 1982. With the track "Cruiser" as its B-side, it reached number 14 on the Billboard Disco Top 80 chart.

<i>Complete Greatest Hits</i> (The Cars album) 2002 greatest hits album by the Cars

Complete Greatest Hits is a greatest hits album by American rock band the Cars, released on February 19, 2002, by Elektra Records and Rhino Records. It contains 20 singles and notable album tracks in chronological order of their original release. Sales of the album reignited following Ric Ocasek's death in September 15, 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Might Think</span> 1984 single by the Cars

"You Might Think" is a song by American rock band the Cars from their fifth studio album, Heartbeat City (1984). The track was written by Ric Ocasek and produced by Mutt Lange and the Cars, with Ocasek also providing the lead vocals.

<i>This Side of Paradise</i> (album) 1986 studio album by Ric Ocasek

This Side of Paradise is the second solo studio album released by Ric Ocasek, lead singer and songwriter of the Cars. It was released in 1986 by Geffen Records. Though it was a solo album, other members of the Cars played significant roles. Greg Hawkes plays keyboards and bass throughout the album, and also co-wrote "Hello Darkness". Benjamin Orr is on backing vocals for three songs. Along with Hawkes and Orr, the track "True to You" also features Elliot Easton on guitar. Both production and drumming were by Chris Hughes. Hughes had been the recent producer of Tears for Fears most popular two albums. Steve Stevens from Billy Idol's band plays guitar on over half of the album.

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/guitarist Ric Ocasek, singer/bassist Benjamin Orr, guitarist Elliot Easton, keyboardist Greg Hawkes, and drummer David Robinson. 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Good Times Roll</span> 1979 single by the Cars

"Good Times Roll" is a song by American rock band the Cars released as the first track from their 1978 debut album The Cars. Written by Ric Ocasek as a sarcastic comment on rock's idea of good times, the song features layered harmonies courtesy of producer Roy Thomas Baker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Magic (The Cars song)</span> 1984 single by the Cars

"Magic" is a song by American rock band the Cars from their fifth studio album, Heartbeat City (1984). It was released on May 7, 1984, as the album's second single, reaching number 12 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Billboard Top Tracks chart. The track was written by Ric Ocasek and produced by Robert John "Mutt" Lange and the Cars. Ocasek sang lead vocals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Best Friend's Girl (song)</span> 1978 single by the Cars

"My Best Friend's Girl" is a song by American rock band the Cars from their 1978 self-titled debut album on Elektra Records, released on June 6 of that year. Written by Ocasek as a song about something that "probably ... happened to a lot of people," the track found radio success as a demo in 1977.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tonight She Comes</span> 1985 single by the Cars

"Tonight She Comes" is a 1985 song by American rock band the Cars from their Greatest Hits album. It was released as a single in October 1985, reaching number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1986. The song reached number one on the Top Rock Tracks chart, where it stayed for three weeks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Are the Girl</span> 1987 single by the Cars

"You Are the Girl" is a 1987 song by the Cars, from their album Door to Door. It was released as a single in August 1987, reaching number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also reached number 2 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, and number 12 on the Adult Contemporary chart. It was the Cars' 13th and final Top 40 hit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I'm Not the One</span> 1986 single by the Cars

"I'm Not the One" is a song by the American rock band the Cars, from their fourth album, Shake It Up. It features Ric Ocasek on lead vocals, Benjamin Orr singing the 'you know why' phrase, and the whole group repeating "going round and round" as backing vocals throughout the song.

References

  1. Greatest Hits at AllMusic
  2. Larkin, Colin (2011). "Cars". The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN   978-0-85712-595-8.
  3. Robert Christgau review
  4. 1 2 Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  5. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0627". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
  6. "Charts.nz – The Cars – Greatest Hits". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  7. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  8. "The Cars Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  9. "Album Top 40 slágerlista (fizikai hanghordozók) – 2023. 41. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ . Retrieved October 18, 2023.
  10. "RPM's Top 100 Albums of 1985". RPM. Vol. 43, no. 16. December 25, 1985. p. 14. ISSN   0033-7064 via Library and Archives Canada.
  11. "Top Selling Albums of 1985". Recorded Music NZ . Retrieved July 31, 2021.
  12. "Top Selling Albums of 1986". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  13. "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1986". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 3, 2021. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
  14. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 25, 53.
  15. "New Zealand album certifications – The Cars – Greatest Hits". Recorded Music NZ. November 24, 1985. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  16. "British album certifications – Cars – Cars Greatest Hits". British Phonographic Industry. October 21, 1986. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
  17. "American album certifications – The Cars – Greatest Hits". Recording Industry Association of America. December 17, 2001. Retrieved July 31, 2021.