In the 1980s, CREEM Magazine—Detroit’s legendary “America’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll Magazine”—continued its iconic “Stars Cars” series. While the feature reached its peak of absurdity and popularity in the late 1970s, it remained a staple through the early-to-mid 1980s, capturing the era’s rock royalty alongside their (often excessive) vehicles. The series was known for its irreverent, “tongue-in-cheek” captions that poked fun at the rock stars' egos while celebrating the car culture of the Motor City.
In the 1980s, the series shifted from the muscle cars and jalopies of the 1970s toward the flashy, high-luxury, and hair-metal aesthetic of the new decade. In November 1980, the magazine featured Bernie Taupin with a Rolls-Royce. The caption famously parodied his own lyrics: “It’s a little bit funny, owning a Rolls-Royce, but I hope you believe me, I don’t get a choice.” In January 1984, it featured Vince Neil of Mötley Crüel with a group of women in a photo that blurred the lines between a car advertisement and a rock shoot. The caption mocked the lengths bands would go to for publicity. Though a 1970s icon, Ted Nugent’s zebra-striped Ford Broncos were frequently mentioned or featured in CREEM contexts into the 1980s, embodying the magazine's Detroit roots.
Unlike modern glossy car magazines, CREEM’s “Stars Cars” was intentionally unpolished. It often used candid or slightly awkward photos to humanize (or ridicule) stars who were trying to look “cool” next to their Ferraris, Mercedes-Benzes, or tour vans.
Because CREEM was based in Detroit, the car was more than just a prop; it was a symbol of the working-class audience the magazine served. “Stars Cars” bridged the gap between the unattainable lifestyle of a rock god and the everyday reality of a reader in a car-obsessed city.
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