The band was joined by Weezer bassist Scott Shriner for the set, who took the place of Cars’ co-founding member Benjamin Orr, who died in 2000.
Earlier in the night, the band was introduced by Brandon Flowers of The Killers, who helped give them a warm welcome into the hall of fame. His speech began with a reflection on the band’s longevity: “New Wave, Post Punk, Power Pop. Tonight, they’re all riding together into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. On the back of what is now established as one of the greatest debut albums ever made, the Cars were named “Best New Artist” in the 1978 Rolling Stone Readers Poll. Forty years later they still sound like a new band to me.”
The Cars have been eligible to join the institution since 2004, and were previously nominated in both 2016 and 2017. All five members of the band—including their late bassist Benjamin Orr—were inducted into the organization. Watch the band’s “My Best Friend’s Girl” and “You Might Think” performances below, as well as Brandon Flower’s induction speech.
