Which singer performs “Real Gone” over the opening credits of Pixar’s Cars?

Sheryl Crow performs “Real Gone” over the opening credits of Pixar’s Cars.

The song appears at the start of the 2006 film and establishes its energetic road-trip and racing atmosphere. It was written by Sheryl Crow with John Shanks and produced for the film’s soundtrack. Crow’s recording became one of the soundtrack’s most recognizable vocal tracks.

The Cars soundtrack also includes songs by artists such as Rascal Flatts, Brad Paisley, Hank Williams, and Chuck Berry. Rascal Flatts performs “Life Is a Highway,” which is strongly associated with the film and is a common source of confusion when identifying the opening song.

“Real Gone” is not the film’s closing theme or a song performed by one of the character voice actors. Its placement over the opening credits makes it an early musical introduction to the film’s highways, racing culture, and American-road imagery.