Since You're Gone - The Cars

[link] The Cars were a huge influence on me and this is one of my favorites (I pretty much like every one of their songs, which I can't say about too many bands). These guys were successful on pure rock radio, even though they were innovating in New Wave most of the time and in their Heartbeat City with huge Top 40 pop success. Ocasek seems pretty strongly in the Lou Reed lineage and with the instrumentalists, who are all supreme talents, synthesizes a novel, edgy, American sound.