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.
Richard Theodore Otcasek, known as Ric Ocasek, was an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He was the primary vocalist, rhythm guitarist, songwriter, and frontman for the American new wave band the Cars. In addition to his work with the Cars, Ocasek recorded seven solo albums, and his song "Emotion in Motion" was a top 20 hit in the United States in 1986.
Fireball Zone is the third solo album by the American musician Ric Ocasek, frontman and songwriter of the Cars. The first single from the 1991 release was "Rockaway".
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.
Benjamin Orr was an American musician best known as the bassist, co-lead vocalist, and co-founder of the new wave band the Cars. He sang lead vocals on several of their best-known songs, including "Just What I Needed", "Let's Go", "Moving in Stereo", and "Drive". He also had a moderate solo hit with "Stay the Night".
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.
"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.
Do the Collapse is the 11th album by Dayton, Ohio indie rock group Guided by Voices. In contrast with their lo-fi reputation, the album features glossy production work from Ric Ocasek, which drew a mixed reception from critics and fans. "Hold On Hope" was covered by country singer Glen Campbell on his 61st album Ghost on the Canvas in 2011. In his introduction to James Greer's book Guided by Voices: A Brief History: Twenty-One Years of Hunting Accidents in the Forests of Rock and Roll, Academy Award-winning film maker Steven Soderbergh referenced the album stating "that album Ric Ocasek produced was terrific."
Just What I Needed: The Cars Anthology is a two-disc, career-spanning compilation album of songs by the American new wave rock band the Cars. It features most of the band's singles, as well as many album tracks, non-album B-sides and unreleased songs.
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.
Shake It Up & Other Hits is a budget compilation album of the Cars' songs, released by Rhino Records in 2001.
New Sheets is the third and final studio album by the American alternative rock band Possum Dixon. It was released in 1998 on Interscope Records. Many of the songs were co-written by outside musicians, including Jane Wiedlin, Fred Schneider, Dave Stewart, and producer Ric Ocasek.
Beatitude is the debut solo release by Ric Ocasek, lead singer and principal songwriter of The Cars. It was released by Geffen Records in 1982. It features Greg Hawkes of The Cars on keyboards, as well as Jules Shear and Stephen Hague from Jules and the Polar Bears.
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.
Quick Change World is the fourth solo album released by Ric Ocasek, who was the lead singer and songwriter for The Cars. This was his second and final release for Reprise Records.
Troublizing is an album by Ric Ocasek, released in 1997.
Nexterday is the seventh and final studio album released by former lead singer and songwriter of The Cars, Ric Ocasek.
"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.
"Candy-O" is a song by the American rock band the Cars, the title track of their 1979 album Candy-O. Written by Ric Ocasek, the song was not based on a real person. The song features a prominent guitar solo by Elliot Easton and lead vocals by bassist Benjamin Orr.
Move Like This is the seventh and final studio album by American rock band the Cars, released on May 10, 2011. It was their first since 1987's Door to Door, and the only one without bassist and vocalist Benjamin Orr, who had died of pancreatic cancer in 2000.
