Heartbeat City

Heartbeat City
Studio album by
ReleasedMarch 12, 1984 (1984-03-12)
RecordedJuly 1983 – January 1984
StudioBattery (London)
Genre
Length38:41
LabelElektra
Producer
The Cars chronology
Shake It Up
(1981)
Heartbeat City
(1984)
Greatest Hits
(1985)
Singles from Heartbeat City
  1. "You Might Think"
    Released: February 1984
  2. "Magic"
    Released: May 7, 1984
  3. "Drive"
    Released: July 23, 1984
  4. "Hello Again"
    Released: October 15, 1984
  5. "Why Can't I Have You"
    Released: January 7, 1985
  6. "Heartbeat City"
    Released: September 1985
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic
The Baltimore Sun
Chicago Tribune
Classic Rock9/10
Mojo
Pitchfork7.5/10
Rolling Stone
The Rolling Stone Album Guide
Under the Radar8/10
The Village VoiceB+

Heartbeat City is the fifth studio album by American new wave band the Cars, released on March 12, 1984, by Elektra Records. This marks the band's first album not produced by long-time producer Roy Thomas Baker, instead opting to produce with Robert John "Mutt" Lange. The album was a major commercial success, certifying quadriple platinum in the US.

Music critic Robert Christgau noted that "the glossy approach the Cars invented has made this the best year for pure pop in damn near twenty, and it's only fair that they should return so confidently to form." Numerous tracks from the album received airplay on modern rock and AOR stations, with the singles "Drive" and "You Might Think" reaching the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, while the album peaked at number three on the Billboard 200.