The+cars

Even Ric Ocasek's own production couldn't save Door to Door from being a rather lackluster album, failing to capture the type of magic that the Cars instilled on past releases…

The Cars were responsible for some of rock's most recognizable radio hits by the mid-'80s, so when the band took an extended break after their successful tour for Heartbeat City, 1985's Greatest Hits was assembled. Mixed in with the familiar selections was a brand-new track, the playful "Tonight She Comes" (which became a Top Ten hit), as well as a remix of the overlooked "Shake It Up" ballad "I'm Not the One." And while most of the expected hits are represented ("Just What I Needed," "Let's Go," "Drive," "Shake It Up," etc.), some of the selections prove questionable – why was the title track from Heartbeat City (an unsuccessful single) included instead of the 1984 Top 20 hit "Hello Again"? Other missing radio staples include "You're All I've Got Tonight," "It's All I Can Do," and the title track from Candy-O, which would have made the collection definitive (all are included on the more extensive Just What I Needed: The Cars Anthology from 1995). But for the casual fan, Greatest Hits will do the trick.

American art-rock was often stilted and lacking in humor until new wave arrived. This ranks as one of the best debut albums from a rock band. The Cars are filed under rock, but they are closer to power pop than any other genre. Ric Ocasek sounded like a cross between the Raspberries and Television, punk sound with a pop attitude. Liberated by the influence of the Velvet Underground, Roxy Music and punk-era fellow travelers like Blondie and Suicide, the Cars methodically linked hookiness (enough to produce three hit singles and several other FM favorites from this debut album) and at least one raised eyebrow. The result still plays as a rock & roll classic. And if charm wasn't their aim, the fact is, it's undeniable. In 2003, the album was ranked number 282 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

Stunning, spectacular and eye-catching cars are as much a part of the James Bond legend as Vodka Martinis and the Walther PPK. Since the iconic secret agent hit the silver screen in 1962, and indeed since Ian Fleming's earliest Bond novels, these marvellous machines have been as much stars of the 007 franchise as the actors who have played the role. This fascinating programme pays homage to the incredible vehicles which have wowed Bond fans for generations, from the 4½ litre Bentley Blower of Fleming's books to the awesome 510bhp Aston Martin DBS V12 driven by Daniel Craig in Casino Royale.

After releasing two albums, one a perfect pop/rock-meets-new wave classic, the other a very good follow-up, the Cars were game to try things a little differently on their third album Panorama. With longtime collaborator Roy Thomas Baker behind the boards, the band decamped to the Power Station in New York City and began working on a set of songs that were a little less poppy, both structurally and sonically…