Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018! Ranking of The Cars’ most popular songs

DriveThe Cars1rank/position

The Cars – Drive (Official Music Video)

This ballad, included on 1984’s Heartbeat City, is a masterpiece whose graceful synthesizers resonate deeply.

Many of you may have heard it in your youth.

The piece is distinguished by Benjamin Orr’s emotionally rich vocals, a relaxed tempo, and a melody line with gentle contours.

The lyrics are written as a series of questions, conveying empathy and encouragement to someone in distress.

It’s also known for being used at Live Aid in 1985, contributing to charitable efforts.

For karaoke, it’s a great addition to your repertoire—easy to sing even when your voice is tired, such as at an after-party.

You Might ThinkThe Cars2rank/position

The Cars – You Might Think (Official Music Video)

A song that brilliantly fuses ’80s pop rock and new wave, this is the lead track from The Cars’ masterpiece Heartbeat City, widely regarded as the pinnacle of their career.

Released in 1984, it peaked at No.

7 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Its appeal lies in the catchy interplay between synthesizers and guitars, complemented by Ric Ocasek’s distinctive vocal style.

Lyrically, it portrays a romance from the perspective of someone who doesn’t mind being seen as a weirdo by their partner, a single-minded devotion delivered with a cool yet subtly humorous touch.

The music video also made waves, winning Video of the Year at the inaugural MTV Video Music Awards.

Blending the nostalgia of youth with a pop sensibility that hasn’t faded with time, this track is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser at karaoke.

My Best Friend’s GirlThe Cars3rank/position

My Best Friend’s Girl

It’s a single released by the American band The Cars in October 1978, opening with a rockabilly-style guitar riff and handclaps, and marked by a catchy melody and ironic lyrics.

Included on the band’s debut album, The Cars, the track became a major hit, reaching No.

35 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No.

3 in the UK.

Its universal theme—painfully discovering that your best friend’s current girlfriend is actually your ex—has enduring appeal, and combined with its innovative blend of new wave and power pop, it continues to captivate listeners today.

Featured on the soundtrack of the 1979 film Over the Edge, this song is recommended not only for anyone nursing a broken heart, but also as great driving music.

Shake it upThe Cars4rank/position

The Cars-Shake it up

A party song written by frontman Ric Ocasek.

It features synthesizer and drum machine sounds.

It is the title track of an album released in 1981 by the American rock band The Cars.

Bye Bye loveThe Cars5rank/position

Bye Bye Love

A song from American new wave rock band The Cars’ 1978 debut album.

Written by singer-songwriter and bandleader Ric Ocasek, it is sung by bassist Benjamin Orr.

Let’s GoThe Cars6rank/position

The Cars – Let’s Go

The Cars were a rock band active from the late 1970s through the 1980s.

They’ve got a devoted cult following even in Japan.

Among their works, the one I especially recommend is Let’s Go.

The Cars were one of the defining bands of the New Wave movement, but this track is relatively accessible compared to some of their other songs.

It certainly carries that quirky New Wave atmosphere, but there aren’t sudden key changes like in progressive rock, so even listeners who aren’t deeply into rock should find it very enjoyable.

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Just What I NeededThe Cars7rank/position

The Cars – Just What I Needed (Official Live Video)

Swapping in as the punk rock boom faded, the genre known as “New Wave,” which surged in popularity from the late 1970s to the early 1980s, had many subgenres and an admittedly vague definition.

True to its name, it was a new musical style that incorporated a wide range of elements—electronic music, disco, world music, and even contemporary classical—into traditional rock and pop.

The Cars, the subject of this piece, debuted in that New Wave era and became a worldwide hit-making American band, known for their innovative musicality and highly polished live performances said to be indistinguishable from their studio recordings.

Their 1978 debut single “Just What I Needed”—released in Japan under the striking title “Moeru Yokubō” (“Burning Desire”)—is both a signature song and a bona fide classic.

Benjamin Orr, the handsome bassist and vocalist, delivered a sweet vocal, and the irresistibly catchy melody, loud guitars, and ringing keyboard lines were greeted with astonishment as a fresh style that somehow hadn’t existed before.

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KOH-1

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