Album · The Cars
Shake It Up by The Cars
Shake It Up is an album by The Cars, released in 1981. 2 songs from it have charted on rock radio countdowns, with 53 countdown appearances in total. The biggest is “Shake It Up”, on 45 lists with a best position of #19.
Shake It Up, the Cars' fourth album, rolled out on Elektra on November 6, 1981, and it's the last one Roy Thomas Baker produced for them. Leaning much harder into pop than the record before it, the Boston band slick back their hair and head for the dance floor: Greg Hawkes' synthesizers bubble and blip, Elliot Easton's lead guitar snaps in short, tidy bursts, and David Robinson keeps the beat crisp and clipped.
Ric Ocasek writes the songs and trades lead vocals with bassist Benjamin Orr, and the hooks have never been more shameless. The title track gave them their first trip into the Billboard Hot 100's top ten, while "Since You're Gone" shows off their moodier side.
Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.
Songs from Shake It Up on radio countdowns
| # | Song | Strength | Lists | Best | #1s | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shake It Up | 45 | #19 | – | 1981–2026 | |
| 2 | Since You're Gone | 8 | #14 | – | 1982–2023 |
Only songs that appear on at least one countdown are listed. Release data from MusicBrainz.