“Cars” characters have their own iTunes playlists

The Upcoming Pixar site reports that the iTunes Music Store is preselling the "Cars" movie soundtrack for $9.99, with an expected release date of June 6 — three days before the film opens wide.

ITunes is already selling Rascal Flatts' version of "Life is a Highway" for 99 cents. Podcasts are available.

But what I found fascinating is that the film's major characters each have playlists of their favorite songs that you also can download, along with comments on each track. The songs alone hint at the personalities they are, but the comments are even more revealing and sometimes funny.

Lightning McQueen's hard-rocking listing suits an adrenalin junkie:

• "Roller Coaster," Blink-182
• "Banquet," Bloc Party
• "Song 2," Blur
• "Butterfly," Crazy Town
• "Mama Said Knock You Out," LL Cool J
• "Smells Like Teen Spirit," Nirvana
• "Move Your Feet," Junior Senior
• "I-E-A-I-A-I-O," System of a Down
• "An Honest Mistake," The Bravery
• "Westbound Sign," Green Day

Mater's songs lean strong toward country, but he also like a bit of mullet rock — the Queen and Skynyrd songs prove it:

• "We Are the Champions," Queen
• "Amos Moses," Jerry Reed
• "Lookin' Back to See," Justin Tubb
• "Come On In," Patsy Cline
• "Company's Comin'," Porter Wagoner
• "Elvira," Oak Ridge Boys
• "Guitars, Cadillacs," Dwight Yoakam
• "Long Time Gone," Dixie Chicks
• "Runnin' Down a Dream," Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
• "Sweet Home Alabama," Lynyrd Skynyrd
• "Daytime Friends," Kenny Rogers

Sally's track listing is about the most eclectic of the group, as befits a smart, driven woman who's been around the block a few times:

• "I'm Not in Love," 10cc
• "Choctaw Hayride," Alison Krauss & Union Station
• "Come On Eileen," Dexy's Midnight Runners
• "Sunny Road," Emiliana Torrini
• "Let Me Blow Ya Mind," Eve and Gwen Stefani
• "Make Your Own Kind of Music," Mama Cass
• "Back in Baby's Arms," Patsy Cline
• "Sparks," Royksopp
• "Sara Smile," Daryl Hall & John Oates
• "Second Time Around," Rickie Lee Jones

The hippie van Fillmore and his songs take us back to the psychedelic '60s:

• "Day After Day," Badfinger
• "In My Room," Beach Boys
• "Here I Go Again," Country Joe and The Fish
• "I Chase the Devil," Max Romeo
• "All the Young Dudes," Mott the Hoople
• "Long Red," Mountain
• "Heart of Gold," Neil Young
• "Settle Down (Goin' Down that Highway)," Peter, Paul & Mary
• "Stone Free," The Jimi Hendrix Experience
• "My Conversation," The Uniques

Doc's favorite tunes sound like something your grandfather would listen to, not that it's a bad thing:

• "As Long As I Live," Anita O'Day
• "When the World Was Young," Anita O'Day
• "The Good Life," Tony Bennett
• "Roly Poly," Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys
• "You Can't Sit Down," The Dovells
• "Lonesome Road," Frank Sinatra
• "The Race Is On," George Jones
• "Abilene," George Hamilton IV
• "The Bounce," Olympics
• "King of the Road," Roger Miller

Ramone's track listing has a saucy Latin flavor:

• "Low Rider," War
• "She's a Bad Mama Jama," Carl Carlton
• "The Message," Grandmaster Flash
• "Callin' Out," Lyrics Born
• "Born to Roll," Master Ace Incorporated
• "Represent," Orishas
• "Coming Up – Cumbia De Los Muertos," Ozomatli
• "Listen and You'll See," The Crusaders
• "Beatbox Cha Cha," Ursula 1000
• "Spanish Grease," Willie Bobo

If you don't have an iTunes jukebox, you can download it for free and surf to the Music Store if you have an Internet connection. You can get started here.

Also, it sounds like portions of the Web site are streaming the soundtrack album.
The "Cars" Web site also has started offering online tokens. Information about it can be found here. Registration is required. You can swap images of "Cars" characters with other people online.