Greatest Hits (The Cars album)

Greatest Hits
Greatest Hits
Greatest hits album by the Cars
Released	October 25, 1985
Recorded	1978–1985
Genre	New wave; pop rock; power pop;
Length	50:15
Label	Elektra
Producer	The Cars; Robert John "Mutt" Lange; Roy Thomas Baker; Mike Shipley;
The Cars chronology
Singles from Greatest Hits
	"Tonight She Comes"; Released: October 14, 1985; "I'm Not the One"; Released: January 13, 1986;

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[1]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music	^[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.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Ric Ocasek.

Side one
No.	Title	Original album	Length
1.	"Just What I Needed"	The Cars, 1978	3:43
2.	"Since You're Gone"	Shake It Up, 1981	3:31
3.	"You Might Think"	Heartbeat City, 1984	3:04
4.	"Good Times Roll"	The Cars	3:44
5.	"Touch and Go"	Panorama, 1980	4:54
6.	"Drive"	Heartbeat City	3:54

Side two
No.	Title	Original album	Length
7.	"Tonight She Comes"	Previously unreleased	3:52
8.	"My Best Friend's Girl"	The Cars	3:44
9.	"Heartbeat City" (not included on vinyl release)	Heartbeat City	4:29
10.	"Let's Go"	Candy-O, 1979	3:33
11.	"I'm Not the One" (remix)	Shake It Up	4:07
12.	"Magic"	Heartbeat City	3:57
13.	"Shake It Up"	Shake It Up	3:32

Personnel

Ric Ocasek – lead vocals, backing vocals on tracks 1, 6 and 10, rhythm guitar
Benjamin Orr – bass, lead vocals on tracks 1, 6 and 10, backing vocals
Greg Hawkes – keyboards, backing vocals
Elliot Easton – lead guitar, backing vocals
David Robinson – drums
George Marino – mastering at Sterling Sound, NYC
Steve Hoffman – remastering for DCC Compact Classics CD and LP reissues

Charts

Weekly charts

1985–1986 weekly chart performance for *Greatest Hits*
Chart (1985–1986)	Peak position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)^[4]	3
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)^[5]	21
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)^[6]	2
UK Albums (OCC)^[7]	27
US Billboard 200^[8]	12

2023 weekly chart performance for *Greatest Hits*
Chart (2023)	Peak position
Hungarian Physical Albums (MAHASZ)^[9]	34

Year-end charts

1985 year-end chart performance for *Greatest Hits*
Chart (1985)	Position
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)^[10]	99
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)^[11]	48

1986 year-end chart performance for *Greatest Hits*
Chart (1986)	Position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)^[4]	13
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)^[12]	16
US Billboard 200^[13]	53

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)^[14]	4× Platinum	280,000^{^}
New Zealand (RMNZ)^[15]	Platinum	15,000^{^}
United Kingdom (BPI)^[16]	Gold	100,000^{^}
United States (RIAA)^[17]	6× Platinum	6,000,000^{^}
^{^} Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

^ Greatest Hits at AllMusic
^ Larkin, Colin (2011). "Cars". The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-85712-595-8.
^ Robert Christgau review
^ ^a ^b Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0627". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
^ "Charts.nz – The Cars – Greatest Hits". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
^ "The Cars Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
^ "Album Top 40 slágerlista (fizikai hanghordozók) – 2023. 41. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
^ "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.
^ "Top Selling Albums of 1985". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
^ "Top Selling Albums of 1986". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
^ "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1986". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 3, 2021. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 25, 53.
^ "New Zealand album certifications – The Cars – Greatest Hits". Recorded Music NZ. November 24, 1985. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
^ "British album certifications – Cars – Cars Greatest Hits". British Phonographic Industry. October 21, 1986. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
^ "American album certifications – The Cars – Greatest Hits". Recording Industry Association of America. December 17, 2001. Retrieved July 31, 2021.

[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

[kent-4] Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.

[group=-5] "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0627". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved July 31, 2021.

[ac_New_Zealand_The_Cars-6] "Charts.nz – The Cars – Greatest Hits". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 19, 2019.

[ac_UK2_-7] "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 19, 2019.

[ac_Billboard200_The_Cars-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.

[AustraliaThe_CarsGreatest_HitsalbumCertRef-14] Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 25, 53.

[New_ZealandThe_CarsGreatest_HitsalbumCertRef-15] "New Zealand album certifications – The Cars – Greatest Hits". Recorded Music NZ. November 24, 1985. Retrieved 2024-11-20.

[United_KingdomCarsCars_Greatest_HitsalbumCertRef-16] "British album certifications – Cars – Cars Greatest Hits". British Phonographic Industry. October 21, 1986. Retrieved July 31, 2021.

[United_StatesThe_CarsGreatest_HitsalbumCertRef-17] "American album certifications – The Cars – Greatest Hits". Recording Industry Association of America. December 17, 2001. Retrieved July 31, 2021.

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v t e The Cars
Elliot Easton Greg Hawkes Ric Ocasek Benjamin Orr David Robinson
Studio albums	The Cars Candy-O Panorama Shake It Up Heartbeat City Door to Door Move Like This
Compilation albums	Greatest Hits Just What I Needed: The Cars Anthology Shake It Up & Other Hits Complete Greatest Hits The Essentials The Cars Unlocked: The Live Performances The Elektra Years 1978–1987
Singles	"Just What I Needed" "My Best Friend's Girl" "Good Times Roll" "Let's Go" "It's All I Can Do" "Double Life" "Touch and Go" "Don't Tell Me No" "Gimme Some Slack" "Shake It Up" "Since You're Gone" "Victim of Love" "Think It Over" "You Might Think" "Magic" "Drive" "Hello Again" "Why Can't I Have You" "Heartbeat City" "Tonight She Comes" "I'm Not the One" "You Are the Girl" "Strap Me In" "Coming Up You" "Sad Song"
Other songs	"I'm in Touch with Your World" "Don't Cha Stop" "You're All I've Got Tonight" "Bye Bye Love" "Moving in Stereo" "All Mixed Up" "Candy-O" "Night Spots" "Dangerous Type" "Panorama" "Cruiser" "Blue Tip"
Concert tours	Road Rage Tour North American Tour Spring 2011
Related articles	Discography Songs Substitution Mass Confusion: A Tribute to The Cars BrainDead Glamour Camp
The New Cars	Todd Rundgren Kasim Sulton Atom Ellis Prairie Prince It's Alive! Utopia
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