Moving in Stereo - Airplay

Airplay

While not released as a single and not documented on any Billboard chart, the song has received widespread airplay on American FM rock radio stations.

In the context of most copies of the original album, "Moving in Stereo" segues somewhat seamlessly and gently into the final track "All Mixed Up", with no dead space between the songs. AOR and classic rock radio stations often play both songs together as one selection. Like "Moving in Stereo", "All Mixed Up" is sung by Orr.

White label promotional versions of this album have pauses between all of the tracks, and several songs have different mixes. On this promotional version, "Moving In Stereo" runs 5:15, as listed on the label. Stock copies (and most CD versions) also stated the running time as 5:15, but it runs 4:41 because of the segue from the prior track, "Bye Bye Love", and the segue into the following track, "All Mixed Up".

"Moving in Stereo" is noted in the "Classic Rock Tracks" section of Joel Whitburn's book Rock Tracks. This section attempts to document songs regularly played on classic rock radio stations that were released prior to Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, which debuted in 1981.

Donald A. Guarisco of Allmusic described the song as "one of the Cars' finest experimental tracks," noting that it "sounds like a new wave update of Eno-era Roxy Music."

The song apparently caused some friction in the studio, with Ric Ocasek admiring the work of Orr but at the same time wanting to take control of the recording. Orr eventually won out, and the overdub, feedback and other studio effects were his idea.