The Cars

Wow what's this? An actual all time great album? Shocked. Gobsmacked. Hoobastunk. 10/10.

Such a beautiful, unique, quirky sound. And it seems to have come out of the gate fully formed; perfected. These guys made several more great albums and about 8 years later they absolutely owned the summer of 1986. But for me this remains their best album. Two exceptional songwriters that seemed to get the best out of each other. The sequence of Best Friend's Girl ( Rick) and Just What I Needed (Ben) is the Cars in microcosm. Each belongs among the best tracks in pop/rock history. And Greg Hawkes doesn't get nearly enough attention. At this point, synthesizers weren't keyboards with scores of pre-programmed sounds. They were just wave form generators with scores of filters. To play one, you had to be both a piano player and an electrical engineer. You had to build each sound each time you played it. Greg did that masterfully, developing beautiful sounds that blended perfectly into the mix. But he also was always complimentary. The synths here don't ever get in the way, they round out that beautiful, quirky sound.

Outstanding!!!! Love it!!!!

Again, played this out in high school. Loved this so much.

Just classic after classic on this album. First time listening and probably knew half the songs. Some of the better pop-rock of that era, it's the kind of music that's catchy without you really noticing. It's Boston for people with a pop preference. 4.5/5, nothing groundbreaking but solid all the way through.

One of my first albums.

Awesome. Dynamic and great to listen to!

This album feels like you are listening to a greatest hits volume 1.

So I knew The Cars had a lot of hits but I didn’t realize so many of them were on ONE ALBUM. A MONSTER LP. A New Wave classic and one of the best ever of that genre.

Finally some good music

recently rediscovered the album on a reddit post of albums with no skips and i agree with the assessment. Catchy hooks and guitar riffs combined with new wave synths.

Man, I remember listening to this when it first released. It was so different from anything else I'd been listening to. Actual synthesizers in a pop band? It was one of the first New Wave/punkish bands to actually seem to write songs that you would hear on the radio. And radio itself played it, which set the stage for them to open up their formats a little.

The Cars are a fun band. I feel like most of their songs are fairly upbeat and positive, and quite a few have to do with cars or driving themes. Seemingly effortless and effective use of a blend of instruments, with the synthesizer taking it over the top. Very enjoyable without much to complain about For a debut album it really did everything well. Almost half of the songs were popular hits and it's tough to pick a favorite, but I'll go with the 1st track since it put me in the good mood for the rest of the album. Favorite track "Let the Good Times Roll" 5/5

It’s a debut album but it could be a greatest hits record. Amazing

Very nice

Um kinda mid 6/10

already listened

Fuck yeah, The Cars! What a debut album, just incredible. Listening to this one on repeat today. From the opening guitar riff of "Good Times Roll" to the fade out sax solo on "All Mixed Up" they've got me hooked. Individually, The Cars are such an absolute cluster fuck of styles that you'd be excused for thinking it would never work, but somehow the fusion of Elliott Easton's glammed out rockabilly guitar, Greg Hawkes' technology forward keys, David Robinson's (not that one) straight ahead rock drumming, Ben Orr's 70s mod style/singing , and Ric Ocasek's off-beat voice, sarcastic writing sensibility, and Muppet-like stage presence make for a truly sublime fusion. Several all timer tracks on this album, and even the lesser ones are very good. In the past I've not liked "I'm In Touch With Your World" or "All Mixed Up" very much, nor given them much of a chance. The former is very much a Zappa style piece, which I'm no great fan of, but listening all the way through there's something about it that manages to pull the screwball style together for me. The latter I probably mostly skipped in other listen throughs due to the slow start, but this is a fitting outro one would swear was produced by Jeff Lynne if they didn't know better. The Cars were influenced by and an influence on so many it's basically impossible to enumerate here, so suffice to say this album stands the test of time.

perfection

Well it was just what I needed! 5/5

Love it

Amazing. Wasn't too familiar with their music but I loved this album!! New fan!

Brilliant

Oh this slapped. Just a joyful experience.

One of my favorite albums of all time.

So many amazing songs on a debut album. Damn.

Well written, fun sounding songs with an excellent rhythm section and tasteful guitar playing. Synths sound a little dated, but there's not a bad song on this album. It's interesting to hear as kind of an in-between of punk, alternative and 70s style album oriented hard rock.

I've heard The Cars called synth-pop, but they lead with the guitars. It's certainly pop, but very high-quality pop, very-well produced with lots of catchy riffs and interesting beats. The vocals, drums, guitars and keyboards all hang together and this album is just straight entertaining. They have mastered their craft and I'm never unhappy when one of these songs comes up on the radio or a playlist.

Mom's favorite rock album as a child. I know every lyric. It's impossible to separate my familiarity with the albums underlying quality, I love every song. Five stars.

Great mix of rock and new wave. Strong guitar solos and harmonies. Full of bangers from start to finish.

Classic. Great album

Forgot how many good songs were on the record

Every song stands out on the album with the exception of "I'm in your world," which wasn't bad, just not up to the standard of the other songs. A lot of cool production elements, great guitar tone, and overall just a fun album. I'm also a fan of shorter albums (35 minutes).

Even just for the first 3 tracks alone

Now THIS is just what I needed

Banger-palooza! A true classic. The bridge between 70s rock and 80s New Wave. Seven of nine tracks are radio hits. A must-listen with good headphones. They loved synth and effects, but then a guitar comes in with a great riff, or a tasty solo. I forget how good the solos are. Fun fact: The producer here also produced a lot of Queen albums, including Bohemian Rhapsody, so no surprise that it sounds so good almost 50 years later. So much cool stuff going on in 3-4 minute pop gems. Just a great album and one of the best debuts ever.

New wave classic. Great 35 minutes of music that bridged 70s guitar rock with what was going to become the synth laden early 80s.

Love the Cars

I knew the hits on this album. Nothing else was a standout. Very folksy stuff. I can see how the chieftains thing happened in the 90s now.

Personally important album and just a monster from back to front. Classic booming power pop

Didn't recognize only one song.

Always have loved The Cars. Classic

Lot of good songs on this album. Would listen again.

How is this NOT a Greatest Hits catalog? It's a question that's as mind-boggling as such timeless head-scratchers including, "What came first: the chicken or the egg?" and "What happens after we die?" Rick O. and the rest of The Cars embody fun, head-bopping classic rock and pop-rock adjacent acts of today have much to thank for the path created by this band. Specifically, this album. Standout tracks: honestly, just about every single one of the nine songs on The Cars. If you're making me pick three, I'd go with arguably one of the strongest three-song intros to an album ever recorded: Good Times Roll, My Best Friend's Girl, and Just What I Needed. Oh, and don't forget about You're All I've Got Tonight, Moving in Stereo...the list goes on. An absolute classic album that lives up to the hype through the years.

True pop rock, perfectly crafted

I had this album on cassette and they were a staple on MTV so I’m very familiar with the songs. My favorite Cars song, Moving in Stereo, is on this, so good!

Yet again shuffle gives me one of my all time favorites. At some point it's got to give me an album I've never heard before. This is the Cars at their best. Iconic synth lines blend seamlessly into a traditional rock setup. Basically every track is catchy and fun. In Touch With Your World is definitely the weak part of the album but it's only noticable because the brilliance of the surrounding songs draw attention to it. Also story: my mom won this record by calling into a radio station in college. She's always out taking pictures, she's always out making scenes.

This might be the best power pop album of all time, or at least the best front to back. There are 3 actual singles, 4 songs worthy of being singles, and 2 remaining tracks that are not bad. It really is Ike a greatest hits album. The production is dated given the band’s penchant for using the latest “technology”, but there is no denying the hooks and pop sensibility that Ric Ocasek delivered with this album. My Best Friends Girl and You’re All I’ve Got Tonight have always been two of my favorites. The wry and sarcastic songwriting fits well with the punchy choruses. Just What I Needed may be overplayed, but it is a template for so many great bands and songs to come. It’s remarkable that this came out in 1978 and basically ushered in the 80s and set the bar high for what new wave and power pop could be for a decade and beyond.

Super fedt! Ved ikke lige hvordan jeg skal beskrive det, men det lyder lidt 60’er agtigt, men pisse god energi, fede simple guitar riffs

Amazing

An album where 100% of the songs were hits. Pretty obvious rating here. Favorite track: Just What I Needed

This album is practically wall to wall bangers, what an awesome debut! I can't think of a single reason to knock off any stars, even the 1 or 2 lesser songs are still worth the listen. Loved it then and loved listening to it again.

I wish I could score this 1000 stars

One of my favorite albums of this era. Something that’s so straightforward and hooky in the songs but yet there’s enough interesting layers and instrumentation that it’s hard not to like. I’d say one of the quintessential pop rock albums. Maybe the best self titled album released? I’ll have to think on that one.

This is one of my desert island albums. Love it forever!

Fantastic album!

I see this is one of the first albums that started the New Wave era. It combined strong guitar riffs with synthesizers, but was definitely not canned commercial pop/rock. It’s easy for me to forget that this was a debut album. It was a joy listening to this, and I think I will definitely add this to my rotation.

An all time fave

What a great album. So many well known songs. Classic.

Good

Instant 5 stars for me! I’ve loved this album for a long time. Pure power pop! Fun, energetic, and timeless. And nobody knows how to write a catchy synth riff better than The Cars. Even the experimental songs that on the surface seem rather gimmicky— “Moving in Stereo” and “I’m in Touch With Your World”—are still memorable and catchy! And with “Good Times Roll,” “My Best Friend’s Girl,” and “Just What I Needed” being the first three tracks of the album, it’s an unbelievably strong start to an album. And it doesn’t stop there! All the tracks are classics. Damn. I love the Cars.

Un álbum muy divertido. El uso de los sintetizadores es balanceado sin dejar mucho que desear. Se mantiene creativo y emocionante durante todo el álbum. Mi canción favorita fue "Just what I needed".

4.5 The Cars greatest hits. Maybe 1 stinker on the album but the great ones more than make up for it. Half a point boost for Moving in Stereo/Fast times connection - makes it move in my pants

Welcome back to An Album A Day Keeps the Madness away, day three. Today, I was given one of my favorite albums, The Cars self titled debut from 1978. In this day and age were you are more likely to stream just the hits, it was great to sit back and enjoy this one in its entirety. The same way I did as a kid. The Cars were such a great blend of New Wave, Power Pop, and rock. Two great singers in Ric Ocasek and Benjamin Orr. (RIP) Elliott Easton is such an underrated guitarist. After the advent of CDs, albums became pretty bloated and over stuffed. Since a CD held 78 minutes, many bands felt you had to fill them. This album? 35 minutes. No filler. Just a fun listen.

Unequivocal 5 stars. Exactly my taste.

I didn’t realize I’d like it as much as I did. I never really got into The Cars.

Great

A superb slice of power pop and new wave. This album has grown on me over the years. It took me a while but I now recognize how fantastic this album is. Sadly, they never topped it as they went too much to the pop side in later years. But this is a great listen.

Classic new wave that's catchy as hell.

Its influence was massive: It had a pioneering a hybrid sound: The album masterfully combined power-pop melodies with punk's energy and minimalism, a straight-forward rock sound, and danceable beats. It also made extensive use of synthesizers, making it a key early example of this style. It was both a commercial and critical success: The album was a massive commercial success and was one of the best-selling albums of the 1970s. It is often described as a "rock masterpiece" with every track considered a classic. It has had an enduring legacy: It was inducted into the National Recording Registry for being "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant". The album's songs remain popular and influential, with many tracks becoming radio standards. Other artists have been influenced by The Cars' sound, with Weezer even covering their songs. A "blueprint for modern rock": The album's blend of new wave aesthetics with sharp guitar hooks and pop precision created a new sound that was widely adopted and helped define a generation of rock music. A cohesive masterpiece: Many critics and fans consider almost every track on the album to be a winner, creating a cohesive and groundbreaking work that has been celebrated for decades.

Crazy famous opening set list. Awesome surprise

Favorite Track- Moving in Stereo, Well Produced, will go back to it

Great album, so many good songs on here and some nice nostalgia going on with it.

All time great album. Huge hits. Great stuff.

Possibly, the best power pop album ever. Rick Ocasek and co really know how to write an earworm. It is impressive how these songs still sound fresh 40+ years after. A true masterpiece.

Such a great album! I had three of their cd’s when I was a kid. One of them being their greatest hits. I have never heard this album before. I think I never bought it because five of these songs are on the greatest hits. Strangely enough, Moving in Stereo is not one of them, but it might be my favorite Cars song. I forgot how enjoyable this band is to listen to.

I had only heard the radio hits previously, which are the first 3 tracks on the album, so the rest was an adventure. This album is fantastic. With the exception of some synth and guitar parts it's hard to believe it was released in the 70's. It has aged fantastically and was clearly ahead of it's time. A couple of tracks, You're All I've Got Tonight and Bye Bye Love could have easily been released as singles. The last track All Mixed Up is a perfect closer. This is a solid album with no filler. Every song is catchy and hooky.

Classic album. Every song on here is incredible. It's hard to believe this was their debut album. Even though it came out in 1978, it is a quintessential 80's album. I have to imagine that almost every song on this album were played relentlessly on the radio. I'm not sure what genre I would classify this album as. I've seen it be called a new wave album and I'm sure at the time it was pretty new and experimental, but now so many people have tried to emulate that sound that it's almost mainstream. Which I think is a testament to how great the album is.

such good vibes it was so fun to listen to. The keyboards and i think the synths??? were sooo good Faves: Just what I needed and Bye Bye love

i liked it

This album cover should be next to the word “synth” in the dictionary. Great pop cuts, catchy as they come. I think Bye Bye Love is the forgotten sleeper on this. 1976-78 was a great time for debuts with this, Boston, and Van Halen. Kinda strange their three biggest songs are you introduction to the band.

#28. I've been listening to this one fairly regularly since I was a kid. There's not really any part of this album I don't like. 5/5: perfection ** This is the first album from this list I already owned. Song added to playlist: Just What I Needed I've created a playlist on Spotify that consists of the best and/or my favorite song from each of the albums in this book. This list can be found here if you are interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MAXDGLWlwLkFLb8veGfkA?si=FqkQQPgZTFWG0jAUJXLFZA&utm_source=copy-link

God dayum, this album is a blast from front to back. I’ll let the Cars take me through a wall.

Solid

Love it. No notes.

I first heard the single Just What I Needed about six months before the album was released. I was vacationing on Cape Cod and was able to get a Boston radio station that was playing this in heavy rotation. I remember thinking "This is a great song. Who is this band?" The rest of the album generates that same response. Every song is great to awesome. Half the album were top 100 hits (maybe more), some ended up in important movie moments (who can forget Moving in Stereo during the masturbation scene of Fast Times at Ridgemont High) and provided the musical backdrop to the late 70s. As debut albums go, this one is a superstar.

A classic

A decade or two ago I bought a cheap box set of the first 5 The Cars albums. They tend to blend together for me because I usually listen to the whole set. That said, their debut is interesting for how much radio play it gets. Apparently it only had 3 singles, but of the 9 album tracks, there are only 3 that I have never heard on the radio. The radio songs speak for themselves, they're all pretty great. Of the remaining 3, I'm in Touch with Your World is fine, Don't Cha Stop could easily get radio time, and All Mixed Up is a pretty good album closer. Overall I'd rate this 4.5 stars I think, but I'll give it 5.

A great album, although while listening again I don't even remember "I'm in Touch...", the one track that doesn't match the energy on the rest of the album. The snobbiest criticism I can level at this album is that it is SO listenable and catchy that we've been cursed with every track being co-opted by background music in ads, although it doesn't really make it less enjoyable to me.

Can't believe I never listened to this whole album before. Fun and a little funky

Love this. It’s in our rotation. The cars are the 80’s. For me.

Great all the way through. Still rocks. Could easily be a greatest hits album.

I've listened to this album before. It's fucking banger after banger. Maybe 1 or 2 songs that are filler-types. The use of stereo in the recording and production phase is awesome. Definitely keeping on rotation, like it has been.

Surprised by how many of the songs I instantly knew and could sing along to. Not sure how I didn't realize I already liked them!

There's a lot of strong tracks on this album, such as Good Times Roll and You're All I've Got Tonight, but Just What I Needed knocks it out of the park.

Classic

Enjoyed a lot, lots of catchy songs

Solid album!! Widely acclaimed!! I was never a big Cars fan but this album was huge for the Cars.

Great, classic album! I didn’t realize I knew so many songs by the Cars, and they’re all on one album!

Opener was kinda eh tbh was not expecting to love this album as much as I did. But as soon as I got to the second track “My Best Friend’s Girl” I knew this was gonna be good. I’m such a slut for a good guitar solo and “You’re All I’ve Got Tonight” scratches that brain itch so fucking good. And when all these songs kept smoothly transitioning into one after another like AHHHH I was literally gonna combust. “All Mixed Up” is such a perfect closer for the album too. Nah cause why had I never heard this album before, it’s so fucking gooddddd. Such a banger to start this project off.

All-time classic album. Just cover to cover great!

An all-time favorite. Had this on cassette as a kid!

Solid album--didn't realize how many well-known Cars singles were from this one album

I already knew and liked over after the songs on this album, and the other half I hadn't heard was great, too. Only song that wasn't on the same level was I'm in Touch With Your World, but otherwise a great album from start to finish.

Great!! I didn't realize how much interesting synth use there is in here, but lots of good songs. Almost the entire album was hits I'd already heard.

This is a perfect record with no misses. RIc Ocasek was well into his 30s when this record was released. A lot of people do not know this. He had been writing and collecting songs for years waiting for this opportunity so he was ready to go with a song cycle of his best songs. Side 2 of this record may be one of my top 5 of all time. Easiest 5 star rating so far.

So many classics I didn't know came from this album.

Good Times Roll- 5/5 My Best Friend's Girl- 5/5 Just What I Needed- 5/5 I'm in Touch With Your World- 4.6/5 Don't Cha Stop- 4.7/5 You're All I've Got Tonight- 5/5 Bye Bye Love- 5/5 Moving in Stereo- 5/5 All Mixed Up- 5/5 Total- 4.9/5

Banger after banger. Pretty much every song is a hit. Instant classic.

Let the good times roll, indeed! Another one of my all-time personal favourite albums. I fucking love The Cars and they are so underrated in my circles. This album is fun! But it’s also poetic and profound in its own special way. My god, Moving in Stereo is such a cool and innovative song, it fucking rules. You get good time party songs, a few deep reflective moments, and some awesome new wave vibes. The Cars only get better with each successive album, but they do an impressive job introducing themselves to the listener with this one.

A stone cold classic. Like a few other bands of this era (hello, Boston), the debut album from The Cars is practically a greatest hits album. (Yes, they had many other hits later, but still...)

Classic

All of the naysayers need to consider this: 45 years later and most of the songs on this album still get regular airplay. There aren't a lot of albums by any band that can make that claim (that aren't "greatest hits" or " best of" compilations). This is a home run.

Every single track is great.

This is such an iconic album for me. It's one of just a few titles that pop into my mind when I think of a perfect album. What's immediately impressive is how simple an album is, but also how it's a study in contrasts. Clean and crisp, it's never flashy and still somehow the band delivers a pretty big sound when they want to. It's those outsized layered harmonies set against a minimalist backdrop that should be wrong, but the contrast makes it work. It's also a solidly guitar-forward sound, despite the band's synth explorations. This is a sound that's somehow bare bones and muscular all at once. Baked into it are some of the greatest pop hooks you can find in rock music. This is an album built for blasting out of your car speakers, which I highly recommend. It's another pleasure entirely though listening to these songs (especially "Moving Through Stereo") through headphones, because the band uses some subtle but clever panning effects. The lyrics are crisp, quirky and mostly devoid of sentiment, conveyed perfectly by Ric Ocasek and Benjamin Orr's slick and aloof vocals. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Just What I Needed, Moving in Stereo, My Best Friend's Girl, Bye Bye Love, You're All I've Got Tonight, Good Times Roll, All Mixed Up, In Touch With Your World, Don't Cha Stop

holy crap!!! i knew i would enjoy this album, but i wasn't prepared for how much. the cars' new wave is the new wave i love. it's light and synth-y. a lot of these songs are bops! honestly, it was a lot of fun listening. i'm surprised how much of the cars' debut album is well known. i do admire artists who make such a big stamp on their debut, and the cars were no exemption. synth was ballooning in 1978, and it makes a lot of sense that the cars used new wave and synth to define their sound. "moving in stereo" is a good example, because the synth is the loudest part of the song--it definitely drives the song. anyway, 5 stars. no notes.

THE new wave album. 5 stars.

My dad really really likes this album. I get it.

So many classic tracks on this album. The Cars influenced a lot of my favorite bands and records like this one really stand out.

I mean...every single song on the album is a hit. Not really much else you can rate this album as. Favorite track: Don't Cha Stop

Wow is this great!

Amazin’

Really good album! No skip

This song has a lot of 80s era bangers on it. I caught myself singing far too loudly to a few of these. Egads!

The soundtrack of my childhood with the song that symbolizes puberty to an entire generation. Amazing album.

Best album I’ve heard on here, every song is great

Stone cold classic

Great all around. I really liked that last song in addition to all the known classics

Classic

Лучший альбом в ню ваве. 10/10

i got just what i needed

Love Tge Cars & own this album. Never gets old.

I like all the songs in this album, I think the songs match perfectly with the singer voice. I love it!

The Cars will always remind me of August 2004 when we set out on what would become a quest to Coventry Vermont. We were doing what at the time was to be the final shows of a well known drug band who shall remain nameless. Anyway, we had only 1 small case of CDs for some reason and one was The Cars. We drive from Illinois to Massachusetts then to Camden NJ then up north to Vermont in the remnants of a fuckin hurricane. We played that shit at least 2 or 3 times a day and it was a parking lot staple. I don't know why but this album is just chock full of all time Cars awesomeness! Best tracks are everything except "I'm in touch with you're world" and "Don cha stop". "Just what I needed" and "You're all I've got Tonight" are top level shit!

Yup

ah, the cars. i love the cars and this is one of my favourite albums. to think that this was their debut album, yet had so many memorable songs is mind blowing. and who can forget the dream sequence at the pool in the movie “fast times at ridgemont high” with “moving in stereo” playing. catchy and upbeat, you can’t help but be in a good mood when you listen to this album. highlights: “good times roll”, “just what i needed”, “you’re all i’ve got tonight”, “moving in stereo”.

.Album 1 of 1089 The Cars - The Cars (1978) Rating : 5 / 5 I realized I never gave a proper review for The Cars’ debut album, and that needed correcting — because this is genuinely one of the best debut albums ever made. From the moment it starts, you get hit with a sound that would go on to define an entire generation of rock and new wave. It’s crisp, catchy, and unmistakably theirs. The guitar work on this album is superb — tight, creative, and perfectly woven into every track without ever feeling like it’s trying to show off. The songwriting is top-rate as well. These aren’t just good songs; they’re fully formed, memorable, and incredibly well-crafted. Nearly every track could’ve been a hit, and several were. That kind of consistency on a debut is rare. And the overall style… that sleek, futuristic, hook-heavy sound? It changed the map. Countless bands took notes from what The Cars were doing here. It still holds up beautifully, front to back — no filler, no weak spots, just a phenomenal first statement from a band who knew exactly what they were doing right out of the gate.

In contention for the greatest debut album of all time. Bought it on a whim in a German airport, as one does. Ausgezeichnet!

Great album with absolutely no duds.

I was surprised to learn that the singles from this album - Just What I Needed; My Best Friend’s Girl; and Good Times Roll - didn’t chart very high, because they are played a lot on the radio and at events still today. Everyone seems to know these hits. I was further surprised to learn that “You’re All I’ve Got Tonight,” and “Bye Bye Love” weren’t singles at all, because they seem just as universally known/recognizable to me. Maybe my perception is skewed from my parents’ listening habits. This album is full of hits. And it was the band’s debut. It gets a 5 from me.

Absolute OP record

Another case of where the band basically put out a greatest hits album for their first album. Incredible. Not my favorite songs or my favorite band, but the sheer talent and staying power of all these songs is undeniable. The fact that it's their first attempt at an album is ridiculous.

Great album

I don’t know if I’m going to give a high grade because of the record of terrible ones, but I do know this album is just great, classic rock. Each of these songs is a hit and amazing.

Not sure I fully appreciated this growing up since *nearly every single song* was constantly on the radio. It was just always there - a constant. Put this in with one of the small handful of greatest debuts in history - hell, it's one of the best albums period. Not necessarily the most imaginative or complex but when virtually every song is pop rock perfection like these - a great sounding combination of cool keyboard sounds, *highly* underrated guitar playing from Elliot Easton, and two lead vocalists.... "Just What I Needed" - top of the mountain right here: the killer guitar solo, the drum turnarounds in the 3rd verse, the ARP-like keyboard lines... Hot damn - these guys could really play. ah just listen to it. Flawless. 10/10 5 stars.

Amazing album.

This album to me is perfect

Awesome new wave album

February somethingth 1988. It is a cold winter morning in the mountain valley town of Afton, Wyoming. An awkward 8 year old white boy, with arms and legs that are way too long for him to properly control, dances on a floor covered in baseball cards and dirty clothes with a G.I. Joe action figure in his hand. The action figure, a microphone. The song playing on the boombox, “Let the Good Times Roll”. Clad in his whitey tighties, the bedroom door safely locked, he sang like he was playing to a sold out crowd at The Garden. It would be years before someone would introduce me to The Ramones, The Clash, or the Sex Pistols but I needed something cool now. Something that wasn’t Michael Jackson, New Kids on the Block, or Def Leppard (whatever was cool in my isolated mormon mountain village). Luckily, my mom and dad both had a lot of cassette tapes and I had my own boom box. At 35 minutes long, this album almost plays like an EP. 9 fantastic songs about girls, good times, and loss. Things that I didn’t really understand as a kid. Thank goodness that Ric Ocasek made sure to fill each song with tasty hooks and cool production effects. This album is more than cool for me, it defined coolness. Even, the album art is cool. The bright red lipstick adorned woman behind the wheel of, what must be the coolest car in the world (It has a translucent steering wheel!), is having the time of her life. Every song on this album is a banger, but the standout track for me as an adult is “Moving In Stereo”. The hooky keyboard riff and spacey sounds panning from left to right channel are what do it for me in my 40’s.

Hell yeah! One of my favourite albums! The Cars is (are?) one of my favourite bands. There's not a single bad song on this album.

LP

Every other song I heard was like "Oh this is where this song is from? Damn!"

Love the synths throughout. Pretty good lead guitars too. Good times roll has a super cool “where’s the one ?” Intro Just what I needed is a perfect rock song. It gets a little weird with “I’m in touch with your world” cool synths and saxophones and stuff. I dig it. Cool bass tone in “moving in stereo.”

I love this record! So many iconic songs on here. Great songwriting and production. Side B is full of great guitar solos. Not a big fan of “I’m in touch with your world” but the rest are great.

Pretty much a perfect album. I've been loving this album since I first heard it when I was either 9-10 years old. Very few albums I can say that about. Easy 5 stars.

One of my favorite records of all time. This and Candy-O never get old for me. The Cars has not one bad song on it. New wave synth, great rock guitar riffs, Ocasek and Orr’s songwriting and vocals… everything is on point.

Just great top to bottom. Almost every song could have been a single.

Listening to this album and I couldn't believe that all these songs were from the same one. From first track to last, this is just a great album.

Probably haven’t listened to this entire LP since sometime in the late1980’s. Holds up well - almost all great cuts - with “Moving in Stereo” and “You’re All I’ve Got Tonight” as standouts beyond the released singles. This needs to be back in the mix! Deserving of the list. 4.5 and rounding up for Paulina.

WTF????????????? Someone needs to hold me back. I wanted to kill myself after listening to Throbbing Gristle. The Cars have brought me back from the ledge. I suppose if Throbbing Gristle had been the last album on this list, I would be adequately qualified to die. But I shouldn't hold my breath that number 1001 will be any better than Throbbing Gristle. I think my car just backfired against someone scratching their fingernails across a chalkboard. Oh, sorry, that's just Throbbing Gristle. Every single song on this album is fantastic. The beginning of each song is easily identifiable and just sucks you in. More of this, PLEASE!

Bangerz! Frickin' 7 out of 9 tracks on this album are killer. Definitely an unusual rock / alternative style that is unique and engaging. Great album.

I’ve loved the Cars ever since I was 8, so this is an album that gets played in our house pretty regularly already.

Ya know... The Cars we're so far ahead of their time. I go back and listen to these songs now and I'm completely blown away by the musicianship and the songwriting quality and how just bloody amazing these songs really are. What a great album, what a great time to be alive.

Excellent songwriting, production, guitar solos, and many good tracks on this album.

A modern pop-rock classic. Every song rocks. 5 stars.

Takes me back to a time when a 10 year old could buy cigarettes if he had enough quarters for the machine

I love some good new wave synth, so it's no surprise that I like The Cars and this album. I was only familiar with the 'greatest hits' from this album, but that's half the album! My top pick is of course, 'Just What I Needed' but my favourite track I didn't know before was 'Bye Bye Love'.

One of the great debuts. The link between Ramones and new wave (which they joined). This is essentially a greatest hits disc as most of the tracks received considerable FM play (I am dating myself). Solid throughout and great production from Roy Thomas Baker.

Wow this was like a greatest hits. Just banger after power pop banger. I thought this was extremely well executed and a lot of fun to listen to. While some of it sounds a bit dated the album is cohesive and just has too many hits to argue with.

Amazing debut album. Every song is amazing.

5/5

This album is so much better than I recalled. It still sounds fantastic from a production point ov view. Great pop rock. Probably a 4.5 but I feel generous today.

Phoebe Cates boobies. That is all.

5/5 - One of those all killer, no filler debut albums (the worst song is probably I'm In Touch With Your World, which is still a cool sounding song). File It Under: Massachusetts Weirdo Dork Rock Bands

This is the type of album i expected to hear everyday. So many great songs that have transcended time.

Just so many hits. Should be up there on the global list of top 10's

back to 80s!

very awesome

I do like The Cars. This is a great album with 3 of their best songs. Good Times Roll, My Best Friend's Girl, You're All I've Got Tonight, Bye Bye Love, and Just What I Needed are amazing. Damn this album is good.

Power pop pinnacle. Starts hard and just doesn't stop. A joy from ignition until that moment when they roar off into the sunset.

Great Record. Fun Use of Stereo! So many classics on one album.

Love it

This album is special to me, as it was a "game-changer" musically for me and exposed me and opened my eyes and ears to music other than radio-friendly pop/rock rut I was stuck in. This has to be considered one of the finest debut albums of the 70's and introduced me to New Wave and keyboard sounds I has previously avoided. Every track is fantastic and The Cars never quite captured the magic of this record on their other releases. Seems ironic that radio play and music videos kept the band popular following the first album. The only essential album you need to hear from The Cars is The Cars!

Not one bad or even mediocre track on this album. Fantastically put together. Near perfect album.

Ah, this put a smile on my face. Was it the joyous cover art, the sentimental associations with roller discos c.1981, or the perfectly produced opening tracks (the 3 singles) that illustrate the best aspects of late 70s-early 80s pop rock? Right up there with Split Enz for integration of synths & guitars, variety of sounds, great harmonies/backing vocals. The rest of the album was all new to me. Even more variety, including some more experimental sounds, glued together with the same attention to detail in all aspects of production. And of course, those instantly recognisable lead vocals.

What a fun album. So much energy and each track flows with a purpose. I've found it really hard to decide between giving this a 4 or a 5 but I think it has to be the 5. There's no real weak spots on here and it sounds miles ahead of his time. I'm really excited to give this a bunch more listens.

Car go vroom

The Cars...cool!

I love this album. The Cars have a unique sound among popular bands of their era. Every song on this record is so good. So good.

I’ve loved this album since I discovered it as a pre-teen. It has been unusual in that with the move to digital and streaming music I consistently continue to mostly listen to the album in its entirety. I really miss hearing the songs in context when they are played individually. This album is a keyboard/synth masterpiece. As every song ends I anticipate the next one and to not hear it is a real disappointment. Just seeing the cover fills me with happiness. I’m shocked to read that “You’re All I’ve Got Tonight” was never released as a single! And shocked that only the first three songs on the album were. There are at least three more that I would have sworn were also singles. I’ve never tired of listening to this album and likely never will. The Cars has been on my personal soundtrack for most of my life. I don’t expect that to ever change.

Has there ever been a stronger collection of songs on a debut album....a truly remarkable effort. 5 🌟

Sami jebeni hitovi

Great album!

Way more singles off of this than I had remembered, good nostalgia listening.

Nice classic rock album, first 3 songs are hits. The rest are pretty good too! Nice summer album

Very impressive debut full of hits.

Excellent

10/10 - really good new-wave I can't decide what my favorite song is, probably the one that's everybody's favorite: Just What I Needed anyway, just an all-around really great album honestly don't have any complaints, can't wait to hear their other stuff, hope it holds up to this

Love this album immediately, bit of new wave with mixed with classic rock. It’s a perfect blend of the two; catchy songs; lovely upbeat feel. This album is right up my alley, have to give it a 10/10. Going to listen to this album for a very long time.

When I first encountered this list, I immediately started guessing what albums would be on it. This was one of my first 10 guesses.

Can't go wrong with new wave.

Lots of unexpected nostalgia from an album where I couldn't have even named the band. Loved it.

For a while this was one of the few vinyl albums my housemate and I owned, and it would get a lot of spins. Plays like a greatest hits album, and brightens the mood instantly. Love the sound of this album.

I consider this a perfect album. Completely solid from start to finish without a wasted note. They struck the ideal balance between good old fashioned rock and roll and new wave synth flourish. Some of the catchiest tunes ever recorded.

Love this album, My mom says I hated it as a kid but I don't remember that.

Amazing. This is an all-timer.

-"Good Times Roll," "My best Friend's Girl," "Just What I Needed," 'Don't Cha Stop," and "You're All I've Got Tonight" are all classic radio hits of various sizes. All very catchy and fun -"I'm in Touch with Your World" has an unexpected change to some spookyness, very cool -All greeat, totally class rock tracks

This is a damn impressive album. Five all-time greats on one album. The fact that this was their demo makes it 10 times more impressive.

Wore out my vinyl copy of this when I was young. What an album!

I remember this album well. I was 15.

I had no idea that I was a Cars fan. I know their releases, and liked them well enough, but this whole album was stellar!

Dynamic, engaging pop rock. Well ahead of its time. One of my new favourite bands.

A defining moment in New Wave, setting an example for the genre for years to come. Just like Parallel Lines, it's an incredibly well-polished pop masterpiece with a strong reliance on synths, dance rhythms, and punk-inspired vocals and instrumentals. 9 tracks, 6 of which are top-tier hits that could each stand on their own. The production is among the best of the era, everyone is well-mixed, nothing is overwhelming or taking too much of the spotlight. The guitar, synths, vocalist, drums, bassist... they all sound fantastic. You have your guitar solos. Your innovative synth effects that showcase how crazy you could take the genre. And not to mention you could dance, sing along, shake your head, whatever, to any of the tracks. There are 3 unusual tracks here. "I'm in touch with your world" is one of those avant garde pieces, reminds me of "Mother" on Synchronicity, but more akin to their postpunk contemporaries. It grows, but understandably some people couldn't stand it. "Don't Cha Stop" is a bit on the boring track, probably my least favorite, but if you like their signature sound, you couldn't hate it. Finally, the closing "All Mixed Up" is a really good track on its own, it's hard for me to call it a weak track, but it stands against the pop monsters of the other tracks. Hardly any weaknesses. All tracks are really good. Deserves a perfect score, doesn't it?

Amazing album all the way through. Made me smile when I heard it because it’s just so much fun.

What a debut. One of the best debut albums of all time. The Cars arrived with this album, fully formed. The first three songs is a career for most bands. 5 🌟

One of my favorites. It's so much fun and it's The Cars man!

A gem.

Only knew moving in stereo beforehand, loved the sound of the rest of the album, almost queen-like.

I love the Cars. This album has several of my favorite Cars songs on it. Amazing album

So fast so good

Classic.

Outstanding one of the best ever!

10/10: Might as well be a greatest hits album.

Superbe album got hooked from the start

This album was amazing. Really creative use of electronic and effects. Original song writing. The well known hits from the album are perfect pop, and the unknown tracks are excellent gems in originality.

All but three songs on this album have been FM radio staples as long as I've been paying attention and this is a debut, it's difficult to imagine an album have that kind of pop cultural impact today, I think it would be impossible.

Like other new wave bands, I'm not sure any of the members of The Cars are going to win awards for their outstanding playing ability. But they are plenty capable. And their song-writing ability is very high. I am not ashamed to profess my love for the catchy Good Times Roll and My Best Friend's Girl. And I think they do well to show their multidimensionality with the edgier sounding Just What I Needed or Moving in Stereo. I know the former is one of their most popular, but it has a lot of depth and is less poppy than others. It's almost one of those albums that is good from front all the way to back. Tracks 4 and 9 are ho-hum and Track 5 is fun but not as good as the others. Still, I'll let that slide. Their later albums never matched the same high, but this album is one of the best new wave / pop rock albums of all time.

Overall this was a really good album, no huge stand out songs, but this is what I want when listening to a full album 4.7

Oh yea Let The Good Times Roll. I hear DEVO and hair rock in this, blended together for mutual benefit. The first 3 tracks on this album are some of the best openers ever. This album kicks ass. Its like a best of but its the first release.

September 17, 2021 Love them.

I thought the three songs "I'm In Touch with Your World", "Don't Cha Stop", and "All Mixed Up" were pretty bad but the rest of the album was so good they more than made up for it. 4.5 stars.

One of the classics, so many good tracks.

5/5. This is the kind of album you expect to find on a list like this. Every song is great.

5/5 Love the album. Fav songs are (Just what I needed, Good Times Roll, Best Friends Girl). Iconic album.

This album and band’s influence is over so many things I’ve liked for most of my life

Exceeded my expectations.

A good 'un.

Clásico. Lo mejor en el power pop de los Beatles pre drogas y los Nerves.

4.7 - Everything I love about Boston. The fucking attitude. The speed. The intelligence, craft and skill. Everything you want packed into 37 minutes, kid!

Great!

Didn’t realize I knew so much about Cars

The cars. Yes

The cars sound like the cars

Never knew about these guys. Pretty good!

4-5

Hit after hit! Awesome

Damn I didn’t realize how many mammoth songs were on one record here. The first three tracks & “Moving In Stereo” have all broke through to a status of infinite perpetuity on classic rock stations. Even “You’re All Ive Got Tonight” is pretty well-remembered from the classic rock radio of my childhood. I’d like to think that “Moving In Stereo” is the coolest and most ahead-of-it’s-time song here, though the whole album is a little leap ahead of the 80’s synth sounds. Soft 4/5

1. "Just What I Needed" 2. "Good Times Roll" 3. "Moving in Stereo"

This band has aged really well. There is a touch of dross on the record but generally enjoyable.

Great 80s track list

This is a good record. The 3 hits at the start are the best tracks and it is a bit saggy in the middle however the last two songs finishes the album strongly. Great clear production and the birth of American New Wave.

I know about half this album very very well, and the other half not so much. Turns out that that half is a little spookier and slinkier, a little gothy even, intriguing but maybe a little bit less interesting than the hits.

So many great songs on this, even the none hits which seems to be few on this album. Just What I Needed and Moving in Stereo are some of my favorites

This is practically a greatest hits album. I already knew 6 of the 9 tracks on here. The first two tracks are so overplayed they don’t make me feel anything anymore. But that’s not their fault! Then “Just What I Needed” comes on and is (as my students would say) straight fire. I turned the volume up loud for that one and left it there for the rest of the album. The band plays with ska and post-punk elements, both in a very poppy way, and that makes the non-hits more interesting. Highlights: “Just What I Needed” “You’re All I’ve Got Tonight” “Moving in Stereo”

who knew that The Cars had more songs than Drive and that I knew so many of them? or that Kylie Minogue was already on album covers in 1977? a surprise enjoy for me, driving pop rock that I could listen to again. 35 mins for the win.

It delights the part of my brain that enjoys Queen / 70s poppy rock. I don't have any thoughts deeper than that.

The self-titled debut from The Cars is an iconic pop rock record that instantly put Ric Ocasek and company on the map. It's an album filled with earworms that have remained popular to this day. It also helped shape the direction of music as the 70s faded into the 80s, making it a vital transitionary record. Source: Tidal - 2016 Remaster Format: 24/192 Lossless FLAC

Cars!! 😼

All the classics right up front. I typically get annoyed by repetition, but The Cars use it as their superpower. No wonder these songs have survived 40+ years.

Some songs I loved, some I didn't enjoy that much. The last track was my favourite. Overall, 4/5, although I can see it being a 5/5 for someone who's a bigger fan of the genre.

Good Times Roll - 4/5 My Best Friend's Girl - 4/5 Just What I Needed - 5/5 I'm in Touch With Your World - 3.5/5 Don't Cha Stop - 4/5 You're All I've Got Tonight - 4/5 Bye Bye Love - 4/5 Moving in Stereo - 4.5/5 All Mixed Up - 4/5 I think this would still make the list if their debut just had Just What I Needed. A good album for what's to come in power pop and new wave in the next few years after its release, and the Cars make their mark in the best way possible. Overall: 4/5 Favorites: Just What I Needed

I liked it for the most part. It's very danceable which is something I appreciate most in songs, however as a whole record it's kinda samey. No song stood out to me in particular.

Listened before? No Familiar with the artist? Yes, I know a couple of the songs here already. Thoughts: - I know the first 3 tracks just from the radio, which was a nice way to get my interest up for the rest of the album, lol. - I already love "Just What I Needed," but every time I hear it I can't tell if it's that or Stacy's Mom 😅 (the intro sounds identical I swear). - This is a good time! There's not really a song here I don't like. If I had a bit more time with it, it might go up to a 5, but a solid 4 for now. Favorite track(s): Just What I Needed, Good Times Roll

this is a 4.5/5 in my opinion - looooveeee just what i needed

enjoyed this decently. sort of burned myself out on the cars in high school though so wasn't sure how i'd feel about it

Another surprising little pop-rock album. It's a bit too full of radio singles for my liking, but it's a fun listen with a lot more depth than you might initially expect. I'm showing my prejudice here, but I assumed this was a British band and raised an eyebrow when I saw it was American. Given the date of release and that this is a debut album, I think it's quite an impressive offering. Not one for my favourites playlist but generally gets a thumbs up from me. High three star rounded up.

Fun rock album. Singer has a pleasant voice to listen to but it lacks the punch to really score high on this list. 4/5

I had The Cars placed firmly in the 80s, so I was surprised to see this was 1978. That said, this album surely had some influence on the 1980's sound to come. While the album is really front-loaded with Good Times Roll, My Best Friend's Girl, and Just What I Needed, I think my personal favorite is Moving in Stereo towards the end.

Gotta love the cars so I knew I’d like this. The beginning of the album has a bunch of hits and then the album closes with the surprisingly great “all mixed up”

Experimental Rock, 80s-esque 8/10 Gtr: 8 Mbfg: 8.5 Jwin: 9.5 ⭐️ Iitwyw: 7.5 Dcs: 8.5 Yaigt: 8 Bbl: 8.5 Mis: 7 🚮 Amu: 8.5

💫bye bye love, i'm in touch with your world 👎moving in stereo - elo reminiscent? - LOVE the guitar motif in bye bye love that was so gotg. insane riff too!! - sax in all mixed up goes so hard. 7.8/10 --> not as folky as i personally like but when it comes to pop rock this is great.

Kjennskap: 10% Meget hørbart. God radiorock.

Like Talking Heads but with less irony. Like DEVO but with fewer robots.

Forgot how many bangers are on here.

Great debut album

3,7

Knew way more songs than I thought from this album!

A welcome blast from the past, starts off with a bang, tails off slightly but it’s still a great album end-to-end.

Soft but decent. Varied but not intense. Sounds like a 70s album but feels like an 80s album. Short but not too short. Not a 5 but not a 4. Very easy listen, great length to get a flavour. 4.5

5: I will happily play this album anytime 4: I may occasionally play this album of my own free will 3: I will happily listen to this if someone plays it in the background 2: I will tolerate this if it is playing in the background 1: I will leave the room if someone plays this in the background

Nostalgia hit after hit for this listener...

A pretty good new wave album. I can’t say I was especially familiar with The Cars beyond knowing the name, but Just What I Needed is one everyone will recognise. It’s a fine line to tread between new wave and an ‘80s before the ‘80s power pop, but they straddle it pretty well. It fades a bit in quality by the end, but hangs on for 4.

A great New Wave and Power Pop album full of great songwriting, angular guitar riffs, synth flourishes and on some tracks (“I’m In Touch With Your World”, “Moving in Stereo”) an entire inventory of sound effects. There are no bad songs on this album but “Just What I Needed” “Don’t Cha Stop” and “Bye Bye Love” would be my favourites.

A really good debut album with a great new wave (synths/keyboards) and power pop (guitars) sound. It opens incredibly strongly with the trio of ‘Good Times Roll’, ‘My Best Friend’s Girl’ (possibly my personal favourite) and ‘Just What I Needed’, before making a slight misstep with ‘I’m in Touch with Your World’. It’s not terrible, but the array of bizarre sound effects add nothing. ‘Don’t Cha Stop’ is a solid closer to the side, however. Side two is perhaps marginally weaker overall, but it still has some great stuff, including ‘You’re All I’ve Got Tonight’ and ‘Moving in Stereo’.

It’s the Cars! It’s just fun nerdy rock and it needn’t be more.

Came here for Just What I Needed, stayed for Moving in Stereo.

Great new wave record, and an incredible debut. The whole album is just fun. There’s a good amount of radio singles, but still some cool artistic experimentation. A defining album and a strong 4

3,9 Highlights: Good Times Roll, Just What I Needed

Bryan Ferry is very influential musician

Bardzo, proszem ja was, interesująca płyta. Rockowo-nowofalowa, ale nie aż tak oczywista, z radością do niej wrócę.

banger

so so good!! loved this. just had such a fun time listening through and felt like every song was filled with hooks. Just What I Needed is a classic and could listen to that every day. Can really see how this influenced lots of artists I grew up loving (the Killers most notably) and it was punchy and sharp. I also love You Might Think off one of their later albums and am maybe inspired to go and listen to some more

Uplifting and cool!

This goes hard in the gym. I really enjoyed this. Top tracks: Just what i needed, You're all i've got tonight, Bye Bye Love, Moving in Stereo

The guitar is a lot of fun

almost perfect

GIGA BANGER!!!!!!!!!!!!! (4 stars)

Well well well, all the best tracks are greatest hits. That’s not their fault at all. There would have been no way in telling how the songs on here are going to fly. Almost half the songs are hits. Amazing. On the other hand, I’m in Touch with your World….clearly not going to be a hit. Don’t cha stop isn’t good either Bye bye love is a good one that wasn’t a hit. Hey!!! That’s what I’m looking for! Good album. I’m done here with talking Choice cut: My Bestfriends girl

Listened before?: only the track Just What I Needed i think Good Times Roll - 4/5 My Best Friend's Girl - 4/5 Just What I Needed - 5/5 I'm in Touch With Your World - 4/5 Don't Cha Stop - 3/5 You're All I've Got Tonight - 4/5 Bye Bye Love - 5/5 Moving in Stereo - 4/5 All Mixed Up - 5/5 Average score: 4.2/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Basic but Classic. Es un poco tranqui por momentos pero es objetivamente un buen álbum.