The Cars’ Ric Ocasek Signs With SESAC

Ric Ocasek, a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member and artist best known as lead vocalist, songwriter and rhythm guitarist for band The Cars, has signed with SESAC Performing Rights.

During his time as a member and primary songwriter of The Cars, Ocasek penned enduring hits such as “Drive,” “Shake It Up,” “Good Times Roll,” “My Best Friend’s Girl” and “Just What I Needed.” The Cars’ 1978 eponymous debut certified 6x Platinum, and from there, the band earned 13 Billboard Top 40 singles (four of them Top Ten hits), across a string of six studio albums that sold more than 17 million records in the U.S.

“As a multi-faceted artist, Ric continues to inspire with his creative influence and subtle bravado,” says John Josephson, Chairman and CEO, SESAC. “His remarkable career as songwriter and musician has made a significant impact on American music, and SESAC is proud to welcome Ric to our affiliate family.”

Ocasek’s music has been used in popular television shows including Dead to Me, Stranger Things and Arrested Development. The use of The Cars’ “Moving In Stereo” (co-written by Ocasek and Greg Hawkes) in the classic film Fast Times At Ridgemont High has become a popular culture reference in its own right.

Ocasek has also released several solo albums, including Beatitude (1982), Fireball Zone (1990),  Troublizing (1997) and Nexterday (2005). In addition, Ocasek has developed his career as a producer, working with bands and artists including Suicide and Bad Brains, as well as Weezer and No Doubt.

In 2010, Ocasek reunited with the surviving original members of The Cars, and in 2011 the band issued the album Move Like This.