Cars New Album: Unreleased Ric Ocasek Tracks Coming Soon
Is there a new Cars album coming out? Will The Cars release new music with Ric Ocasek? What unreleased songs did Ric Ocasek leave behind? Rock fans across the globe are buzzing with excitement after learning that the surviving members of The Cars are working on a Cars new album featuring vocals from late frontman Ric Ocasek and bassist Benjamin Orr.
Photo Credit: Chris Walter, Getty Images
This incredible classic rock news comes from Bill Janovitz’s comprehensive book The Cars: Let the Stories Be Told, which reveals that keyboardist Greg Hawkes received over two dozen unreleased tracks collected by a close associate of Ocasek’s. The legendary songwriter, who passed away in September 2019 at age 75, left behind a treasure trove of recordings that are now being transformed into genuine Cars songs by the surviving band members.
Learn More About The Cars’ Story
The Cars: Let the Stories Be Told
by Bill Janovitz
Get the BookThe comprehensive book featuring contributions from all three surviving Cars members that reveals details about the upcoming Cars new album project.
What Songs Are on the New Cars Album?
According to Janovitz’s book, the Cars new album project includes several fascinating tracks. The centerpiece is “I Just Can’t Stay,” a remarkable recording featuring both Ric Ocasek and Benjamin Orr on vocals. This track dates back to their pre-Cars days, making it an extraordinary piece of rock history. Imagine hearing these two iconic voices together again after all these years!
Guitarist Elliot Easton began adding his signature guitar parts in August 2024, starting with “I Just Can’t Stay” and “Can’t Stop the Rain.” Janovitz notes in his book that Easton’s twenty-five second solo on “Can’t Stop the Rain” is absolutely mesmerizing and will undoubtedly bring smiles to longtime fans. The guitarist added a hook that completely transformed the song from Ocasek’s original demo into a true Cars track.
Other confirmed song titles include “The Factory” and “One by One,” which was reportedly the last track Ocasek worked on before his death. Two additional songs, “Crossing the Line” and “Crazy Over You,” are believed to have been part of a jazz-influenced album project that the visionary songwriter was developing.
How The Cars Are Creating New Music Without Ric Ocasek
What happens when classic rock artists lose their primary songwriter? How do bands honor a fallen member’s legacy? The surviving Cars members—Elliot Easton, David Robinson, and Greg Hawkes—have approached this Cars new album project with tremendous respect and musical brilliance.
After Hawkes received the demo tracks, he enlisted producer Ed Valauskas and engineer Joel Edinberg to begin the painstaking work of transforming Ocasek’s recordings. The process involves adding Greg’s distinctive synthesizer parts and Elliot’s electrifying guitar work, essentially breathing life into Ocasek’s vision. As Janovitz observed, “Along with Greg’s synth part, that’s how the band took Ric’s demos and turned them into Cars songs.”
The magic of The Cars has always been the combination of Ocasek’s songwriting genius with the band’s collective sound. Their 1984 hit “Drive” showcased Benjamin Orr’s haunting vocals over lush production, while their breakthrough song “Just What I Needed” from 1978 established their signature new wave sound that merged punk minimalism with irresistible pop hooks.
The History Behind The Cars’ Success
Why were The Cars so influential in shaping classic rock and new wave music? The Boston-based band formed in 1976 when Ric Ocasek and Benjamin Orr, who had been musical partners since meeting in Cleveland in the 1960s, finally assembled the perfect lineup with Elliot Easton, Greg Hawkes, and David Robinson.
Their self-titled 1978 debut album became an instant sensation, selling six million copies and spending 139 weeks on the Billboard 200 chart. The Cars pioneered the merger of guitar-driven rock with synthesizer-oriented pop, creating a sound that dominated radio throughout the late 1970s and 1980s. They scored four Top 10 hits including “Shake It Up,” “You Might Think,” “Drive,” and “Tonight She Comes.”
The band’s visual aesthetic was equally groundbreaking. They won Video of the Year at the first MTV Video Music Awards in 1984 for “You Might Think,” beating out Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” Their innovative music videos, stylish image, and drummer David Robinson’s keen fashion sense made them MTV darlings during the channel’s golden era.
When Will The New Cars Album Be Released?
When can fans expect to hear the Cars new album? Will there be a tour supporting the release? While no official release date has been announced, Janovitz’s book notes that all parties involved—including the surviving band members and the estates of both Ric Ocasek and Benjamin Orr—are optimistic about giving fans this unheard music. The primary concern has been ensuring that business disagreements don’t prevent these recordings from reaching the public.
Given that guitarist Elliot Easton began recording his parts in August 2024, the project appears to be actively in production. The meticulous nature of completing Ocasek’s vision while maintaining the Cars’ high standards suggests the band won’t rush the release.
The Legacy of Ric Ocasek
Who was Ric Ocasek beyond his work with The Cars? The enigmatic frontman was not only the band’s primary songwriter and rhythm guitarist but also an acclaimed record producer who shaped the sound of multiple generations. He produced Weezer’s multiplatinum debut “Blue Album” in 1994, helping launch their career. His production credits also include seminal albums by Bad Brains, Bad Religion, No Doubt, Guided by Voices, and Suicide.
Ocasek released seven solo albums between 1982 and 2005, with his 1986 single “Emotion in Motion” reaching the Top 20. He once explained that he saved his “moodier” and “weirder” material for solo projects, reserving the more accessible songs for The Cars.
The Cars originally disbanded in 1988 after touring behind their Door to Door album. Tragically, Benjamin Orr died from pancreatic cancer in 2000 at age 53. The surviving four members reunited in 2011 for Move Like This, their seventh studio album, which debuted at number seven on the Billboard chart. They performed together one final time at their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in 2018, just over a year before Ocasek’s death.
Why This Cars New Album Matters
Why should rock fans care about unreleased recordings from a band that disbanded decades ago? Because The Cars weren’t just another new wave band—they fundamentally changed how rock music could sound. Their influence can be heard in everyone from Weezer and The Strokes to The Killers and The New Pornographers.
This Cars new album project represents something truly rare: the chance to hear new material from a completed lineup, including vocals from both Ric Ocasek and Benjamin Orr. It’s particularly poignant that “I Just Can’t Stay” features both singers, given their complicated relationship in later years. Ocasek and Orr had what Ocasek described as a “real cold war” that lasted 23 years, making this recording a testament to their early friendship and musical chemistry.
For fans who grew up with The Cars’ music providing the soundtrack to their lives, this upcoming release offers closure and celebration. It’s an opportunity to hear the creative vision of one of rock’s most innovative songwriters, completed by the musicians who knew his work best.
The Future of The Cars’ Music
What does the future hold for The Cars’ musical legacy? With Primary Wave Music acquiring Ric Ocasek’s publishing catalog in September 2024, including classics like “Just What I Needed,” “My Best Friend’s Girl,” and “Drive,” there are new opportunities for introducing the band’s music to younger audiences through film, television, and digital platforms.
The surviving members have shown their commitment to honoring Ocasek’s memory while maintaining the artistic standards that made The Cars legendary. Whether this Cars new album becomes their final statement or opens the door to additional archival releases remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: classic rock fans around the world are eagerly awaiting the chance to hear these lost recordings.
Stay tuned for official announcements regarding the release date and track listing. This is one Cars journey you won’t want to miss!
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Sources
- Ultimate Classic Rock – The Cars Are Working On New Music Featuring Ric Ocasek
- Rolling Stone – The Cars: Ric Ocasek on Return of America’s Biggest New Wave Band
- Variety – Cars Frontman Ric Ocasek’s Song Catalog Acquired by Primary Wave Music
- NPR – Ric Ocasek, Frontman Of The Cars, Has Died
- Wikipedia – The Cars
- Rolling Stone – The Mystery of Ric Ocasek
