| Artist | The Cars |
|---|---|
| Studio | 7 |
| Compilation | 8 |
| Video | 4 |
| Music videos | 20 |
| Singles | 26 |
| 1option | 3 |
| 1option name | Box sets |
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 originally consisted of singer and guitarist Ric Ocasek, singer and bassist Benjamin Orr, guitarist Elliot Easton, keyboardist Greg Hawkes, and drummer David Robinson.[2][3] The band disbanded in 1988 and Orr died of pancreatic cancer in 2000. The band reformed in 2010 without Orr and released another studio album the following year before disbanding again shortly after. 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 and reunited for the final time at the ceremony, and Ocasek died of natural causes the following year.[4][5]
Albums
Studio albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications[6][7][8] (sales threshold) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [9] | AUS [10][11] | CAN [12] | GER [13] | JPN [14] | NL [15] | NZ [16] | SWE [17] | SWI [18] | UK [19] | |||
| The Cars | 18 | 35 | 50 | — | — | — | 5 | — | — | 29 | ||
| Candy-O |
| 3 | 7 | 4 | — | — | — | 6 | — | — | 30 |
|
| Panorama |
| 5 | 19 | 10 | — | 69 | — | 14 | — | — | — |
|
| Shake It Up |
| 9 | 20 | 7 | — | — | 40 | 12 | — | — | — |
|
| Heartbeat City |
| 3 | 15 | 5 | 15 | 22 | 41 | 1 | 26 | 20 | 25 |
|
| Door to Door |
| 26 | 26 | 19 | 57 | 32 | — | 10 | 29 | 20 | 72 |
|
| Move Like This |
| 7 | — | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. | ||||||||||||
Compilation albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications[6][7] (sales threshold) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [9] | AUS [10][11] | CAN [12] | JPN [14] | NZ [16] | UK [19] | |||
| Greatest Hits |
| 12 | 3 | 21 | 72 | 2 | 27 | |
| Just What I Needed: The Cars Anthology |
| — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Shake It Up & Other Hits |
| — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Complete Greatest Hits |
| 32 | 65 | 55 | — | 10 | — |
|
| The Essentials |
| — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Classic Tracks |
| — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Greatest Hits & More |
| — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Moving in Stereo: The Best of The Cars |
| — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. | ||||||||
Box sets
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Original Album Series |
|
| Studio Album Collection: 1978–1987 |
|
| The Elektra Years 1978–1987 |
|
Singles
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications[7] (sales threshold) | Album | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [23] | US Rock [24] | AUS [10][11] | CAN [25] | FRA [26] | GER [27] | NL [15] | NZ [16] | SWE [17] | UK [19] | ||||
| "Just What I Needed" | 1978 | 27 | — | 96 | 35 | 4 | — | — | 38 | — | 17 | BPI: Silver | 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] |
| ||
| "Hello Again" | 20 | 22 | 52 | 42 | 4 | 27 | — | 12 | — | — | |||
| "It's Not the Night" [nb 2] | — | 31 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "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
Video albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US [28] | UK [29][30] | ||
| Heartbeat City |
| 10 | 16 |
| Live 1984–1985 |
| — | 28 |
| The Cars Live |
| — | — |
| The Cars Unlocked: The Live Performances |
| — | — |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. | |||
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
- ^ "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]
- ^ Released as a 12" promotional single backed by "Drive".
References
- ^ Hosken, Patrick. "Ric Ocasek Wrote The Songs You Love". MTV News. Archived from the original on September 18, 2019.
- ^ Ivie, Devon (August 25, 2020). "The Good, Better, and Best of the Cars, According to Elliot Easton". Vulture
- ^ Rodman, Sarah (May 8, 2011). "The Cars get back in gear". Boston.com. – via The Boston Globe.
- ^ Mann, Keith (September 16, 2019). "Ric Ocasek Net Worth: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know"
- ^ "Ric Ocasek, New Wave Rock Visionary and Cars Co-Founder, Dies at 75 (Published 2019)". 2019-09-16. Retrieved 2025-11-01.
- ^ "Recording Industry Association of America". RIAA. Archived from the original on June 26, 2007. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
- ^ "Home". BPI. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
- ^ "Gold/Platinum". Music Canada. Retrieved 2022-03-12.
- ^ "The Cars Chart History:Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. Australian Chart Book, St Ives, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "Australian Charts > The Cars". australian-charts.com Hung Medien. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ Peak positions for the Cars' albums in Canada: * The Cars: "RPM 100 Albums". RPM. Vol. 30, no. 4. 21 October 1978. Retrieved 2022-03-12. – via Library and Archives Canada * Candy-O: "RPM 100 Albums". RPM. Vol. 31, no. 23. 1 September 1979. Retrieved 2022-03-12. – via Library and Archives Canada * Panorama: "RPM 100 Albums". RPM. Vol. 34, no. 3. 8 November 1980. Retrieved 2022-03-12. – via Library and Archives Canada * Shake It Up: "RPM 50 Albums". RPM. Vol. 36, no. 2. 20 February 1982. Retrieved 2022-03-12. – via Library and Archives Canada * Heartbeat City: "RPM 100 Albums". RPM. Vol. 42, no. 3. 22 September 1984. Retrieved 2022-03-12. – via Library and Archives Canada * Greatest Hits: "RPM 100 Albums". RPM. Vol. 43, no. 19. 1 February 1986. Retrieved 2022-03-12. – via Library and Archives Canada * Door to Door: "RPM 100 Albums". RPM. Vol. 47, no. 2. 17 October 1987. Retrieved 2022-03-12. – via Library and Archives Canada * More Like This: "Billboard Canadian Albums". Billboard. 2011-05-28. Retrieved 2022-03-12. * The Complete Greatest Hits: "Billboard Canadian Albums". Billboard. 2019-09-28. Retrieved 2022-03-12.
- ^ "charts.de (Albums) > The Cars". charts.de Media Control. Retrieved June 17, 2011.[dead link]
- ^ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
- ^ "Dutch Charts > The Cars". dutchcharts.nl Hung Medien. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "New Zealand Charts > The Cars". charts.nz Hung Medien. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "The Official Charts Companys > The Cars". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ Retrieved December 27, 2021.
- ^ Retrieved May 15, 2026.
- ^ 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"[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.[dead link]
- ^ "Top Videocassettes Sales". Billboard. 20 October 1984. p. 29. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
- ^ "Music Video Top 30". Music Week. 8 December 1984. p. 31. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
- ^ "Music Video". Music Week. 16 November 1985. p. 10. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
- ^ "The Cars Live advert". Billboard. 14 October 2000. p. 1. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
