Panorama (The Cars album)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[1]
Pitchfork	8.0/10^[2]
Robert Christgau	B−^[3]
Rolling Stone	(not rated)^[4]

Panorama is the third studio album by American new wave band the Cars, released in 1980. Like its predecessors, it was produced by Roy Thomas Baker and released on Elektra Records. Though it lacked any enduring hit singles, it peaked at #5 on the US Billboard 200 album chart and has been certified platinum by the RIAA.

Background

The record marked a change from the upbeat pop rock and hard rock of the group's previous albums, representing a more aggressive and experimental sound.^[5] Billboard Magazine said that while Panorama retained the Cars' minimalist approach from their debut album, it sounded sufficiently different to avoid having the group sound like a caricature of itself.^[6] It was not as commercially successful as the Cars' previous or subsequent albums (until 1987's Door to Door). However, it did hit No. 5 on the Billboard 200 chart and has been certified platinum by the RIAA.^[7]

As a single off the album, the song "Touch and Go" peaked at No. 37 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Ric Ocasek.

Side one
No.	Title	Vocals	Length
1.	"Panorama"	Ocasek	5:42
2.	"Touch and Go"	Ocasek	4:55
3.	"Gimme Some Slack"	Ocasek	3:32
4.	"Don't Tell Me No"	Benjamin Orr	4:00
5.	"Getting Through"	Ocasek	2:35

Side two
No.	Title	Vocals	Length
6.	"Misfit Kid"	Ocasek	4:30
7.	"Down Boys"	Orr	3:08
8.	"You Wear Those Eyes"	Orr/Ocasek	4:55
9.	"Running to You"	Orr	3:22
10.	"Up and Down"	Ocasek	3:30

2017 reissue bonus tracks
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Vocals	Length
11.	"Shooting For You" (previously unreleased)		Orr	4:04
12.	"Be My Baby" (early version of "Maybe Baby")		Ocasek	5:00
13.	"The Edge" (previously unreleased)		Orr	3:26
14.	"Don't Go to Pieces" (B-side of "Don't Tell Me No" and "Gimme Some Slack")	Ocasek, Greg Hawkes	Orr	4:04

Personnel

The Cars

Ric Ocasek – rhythm guitar, lead vocals
Elliot Easton – lead guitar, backing vocals
Greg Hawkes – keyboards, saxophone, backing vocals
Benjamin Orr – bass guitar, lead vocals
David Robinson – drums, percussion

Production

Roy Thomas Baker – producer
Thom Moore – production assistant
Ian Taylor – engineer
John Weaver – assistant engineer
Jason Corsaro – assistant engineer
Paul McAlpine – photography
David Robinson – cover design
Elliot Roberts – management
Steve Berkowitz – management

Charts

Album

Chart (1980)	Peak position
US Billboard 200^[8]	5

Single

Year	Title	Chart	Position
1980	"Touch and Go"	Billboard Pop Singles^[9]	37

Certifications

Organization	Level	Date
United States (RIAA)^[10]	Platinum	December 15, 1980

Notes

^ AllMusic Review
^ "The Cars: Panorama". Pitchfork Media.
^ "Robert Christgau: CG: the cars". Robert Christgau.
^ "link". rollingstone.com.
^ https://ultimateclassicrock.com/the-cars-panorama/
^ "Top Album Picks" (PDF). Billboard Magazine. August 30, 1980. p. 84. Retrieved 2020-07-08.
^ https://www.allmusic.com/album/r3401
^ "The Cars Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
^ "The Cars Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
^ "American certifications – Cars – Panorama". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved September 19, 2019.

External links

"Panorama" at discogs

[1] AllMusic Review

[2] "The Cars: Panorama". Pitchfork Media.

[3] "Robert Christgau: CG: the cars". Robert Christgau.

[4] "link". rollingstone.com.

[5] ttps://ultimateclassicrock.com/the-cars-panorama/

[6] "Top Album Picks" (PDF). Billboard Magazine. August 30, 1980. p. 84. Retrieved 2020-07-08.

[7] ttps://www.allmusic.com/album/r3401

[ac_Billboard200_The_Cars-8] "The Cars Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 19, 2019.

[9] "The Cars Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved September 19, 2019.

[10] "American certifications – Cars – Panorama". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved September 19, 2019.

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