What Was the Last U.S. Top-40 Hit by The Cars?

The Cars churned out some of the most iconic songs of the late ’70s and early ’80s, tiptoeing the line between rock and new wave to create their own unique blend. They also crossed over consistently, registering 13 Top-40 hits in the U.S.

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You might have forgotten the last of those hit singles, which the band achieved in 1987. Let’s solve the mystery and go back to when the illustrious career of this quintet was winding down.

Coming off a Peak

Cars’ fans will argue all day about their greatest artistic achievement. Some would say it’s the debut record, which is filled to the brim with songs that became classic rock staples. Others would say the Boston-based group hit their stride with sophomore album Candy-O, or that they achieved their apotheosis with the dark, experimental Panorama.

One thing that can’t be argued, simply because the numbers don’t lie: Heartbeat City, released in 1984, was their biggest album for singles, placing four songs in the Top 20 of the U.S. charts. The band worked with Mutt Lange for that album, and the mega-producer amped up and streamlined the sound to make this act, once seen as a cult band, pop powerhouses.

The band parlayed that success into an appearance at Live Aid. They also delivered a greatest hits album, including two newly recorded songs that also hit the charts. No one could have guessed at that point they’d only have one more Top-40 song in them.

Go “Girl“

In the interim between Heartbeat City and the band’s 1987 album Door to Door, Cars’ members Ric Ocasek and Ben Orr both released solo albums that included hit singles. It seemed like momentum was wholly on The Cars’ side. As it turned out, “You Are the Girl,” the album’s lead single, capitalized on that.

“You Are the Girl” encapsulates many of the qualities they’d displayed throughout their career: smart pop hooks, precise instrumentation, and Ocasek vocals that were delivered in such a way that made you question the intent of the lyrics he was singling. Even though it didn’t dig as deep as past Cars classics, it was still winning ear candy. The song rolled to No. 17 on the charts.

Unfortunately, the rest of Door to Door didn’t make the same kind of impact. A pair of follow-up singles didn’t go any higher than No. 74. The album as a whole also was a letdown, as it charted lower than any other LP in the band’s career.

The Cars Stall

People might not have known what was going on behind the scenes of the album’s creation, but they might have been able to guess something was amiss by the somewhat uninspired (at least compared to the band’s high points) music. As it turns out, The Cars were in the process of imploding.

A big issue was the strained relationship between Ocasek and Orr. Orr wanted to take on some songwriting duties, but Ocasek always saw the Cars as a delivery system for his material. The Cars announced their breakup in 1988. Orr passed away in 2000, and a 2011 album reunion album (Move Like This) with the remaining four members didn’t produce any hit singles (although it was a strong comeback).

All of which meant Door to Door was the last time the band made that much of a dent on the singles charts. Considering all the distinctive songs that preceded it, it’s a somewhat nondescript effort. Nonetheless, it was at least one more example of what made The Cars so special.

Photo by Jim Steinfeldt/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images