Corvette's Invasion into Pop Culture

Music - The Beach Boys

The Corvette was a monument that represented freedom and rebellion. This reputation lead to it being featured in a lot of songs, such as the two we highlight here. Unsurprisingly the Corvette was usually portrayed as this unbeatable racing machine, which was seen in the Beach Boys classic "Shut Down."

From “Wouldn’t it be Nice” to “Surfing USA” who doesn’t know the Beach Boys? This classic 60’s band took the States by storm, releasing catchy hit after catchy hit and influencing musicians around the world. They were one of the few American rock bands to arise from the British Invasion and continue in their success. Their hit song “Shut Down” featured a drag race between a Fuel-Injected Corvette Sting Ray and Super Stock 413 cubic-inch Dodge Dart. It put you in the driver’s seat, narrating a story of how the Corvette manages to shut down the Dart. It was released on their 1982 album One Summer Night. 

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Music - Dead Man’s Curve

Produced by American Rock n’ Roll duo Jan and Dean, the song Dead Man's Curve narrates a story about a teen driving his Corvette Stingray when someone pulls up in his Jaguar XKE. This stranger challenges the teen and the race ends in a terrible crash. Ironically, Jan Berry experienced something similar. In what appeared to be a terrible coincidence, he would later crash his own Sting Ray about two miles away from the supposed location depicted in the original song. It resulted in Berry suffering some paralysis and brain damage. However, Berry eventually recovered enough to back to making music.  

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Movies - Corvette Summer

It’s not just about making an appearance in a movie, but actually being a primary feature in it. The Corvette has a huge list of movie appearances, but the one that really set it in motion on the Silver Screen was Corvette Summer. 

From flying X-Wings to racing across the United States, Mark Hamill was a busy man. This blockbuster was a hit from the get go, staring our beloved “Luke” as a man on a mission to get back his custom built String Ray. While the movie surely didn’t age well, it was well received and nominated for a Golden Globe. The car itself was a home-brew bondo mess, with crazy hood vents, and flames plastered on the side. 

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Video Games - Corvette

As the years progress, video games are becoming more and more realistic, utilizing special game mechanics and physics to simulate reality. This can be seen in some of the popular racing games such as the Gran Tourismo and the Forza series, in which production companies purchase the license to use actual vehicle models in their games. The Corvette has been featured in several of these, but there’s only one game where it was the only vehicle.  

Released on PlayStation 2, Corvette was a racing game that only featured, you guessed it... Corvettes. It had classic first gens all the way to 2003 concept models. The game received average reviews from some but holds its place as a conduit of nostalgia to everyone who's owned a copy in the past. 

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Art and Apparel

The more the Corvette appeared in movies, books, songs and video games, the more it created an opportunity for aspiring artists to use their talents and showcase the car. There are all sorts of prints, posters and massive wall-art pieces to choose from. Corvette’s own clothing line has been featured in multiple racing shows and can be found anywhere from the local department store to a Chevrolet Dealer. 

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