Van Halen: Van Halen (1978)
Van Halen’s debut record changed hard rock for two decades. After its release, every guitarist tried to imitate Eddie Van Halen’s playing style or David Lee Roth’s showmanship. A multitude of clones followed. The first VH record itself is a masterpiece of rock loaded with classic tracks. Both Rolling Stone and Guitar World have placed it on their best of lists.
1984: Van Halen (1984)
Van Halen has two diamond albums to its credit, the band’s aforementioned debut and 1984. At first, the album bred controversy since VH incorporated keyboards into the act. The end result was a crossover smash. “Jump” became the band’s only #1 hit to date. Supposedly, DLR came up with the lyrics during a leap year (1980?) and after witnessing someone on TV threatening suicide on a ledge.
5150: Van Halen (1986)
1986 was the year of 5150. Van Halen jettisoned DLR for Sammy Hagar and embarked on a new direction. Hagar kept the band relevant for a decade before inner turmoil broke it apart. Warner Brothers tried to get the band to drop the Van Halen name, but the brothers refused. Despite controversies around the band’s name and DLR’s departure, 5150 became Van Halen’s first album to hit #1. Although they enjoyed platinum albums in the past, someone else always blocked their path to the top of the charts.
For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge: Van Halen (1991)
Van Halen is one of only a few bands to peak in popularity more than once. In 1984, the band enjoyed the height of their popularity only to repeat their success in 1991. The album features many Hagar-era Van Halen classics including “Poundcake”, “Runaround”, “Top of the World”, and “Right Now.” The last hit became an omnipresent anthem during the period.
Van Halen’s debut record changed hard rock for two decades. After its release, every guitarist tried to imitate Eddie Van Halen’s playing style or David Lee Roth’s showmanship. A multitude of clones followed. The first VH record itself is a masterpiece of rock loaded with classic tracks. Both Rolling Stone and Guitar World have placed it on their best of lists.
1984: Van Halen (1984)
Van Halen has two diamond albums to its credit, the band’s aforementioned debut and 1984. At first, the album bred controversy since VH incorporated keyboards into the act. The end result was a crossover smash. “Jump” became the band’s only #1 hit to date. Supposedly, DLR came up with the lyrics during a leap year (1980?) and after witnessing someone on TV threatening suicide on a ledge.
5150: Van Halen (1986)
1986 was the year of 5150. Van Halen jettisoned DLR for Sammy Hagar and embarked on a new direction. Hagar kept the band relevant for a decade before inner turmoil broke it apart. Warner Brothers tried to get the band to drop the Van Halen name, but the brothers refused. Despite controversies around the band’s name and DLR’s departure, 5150 became Van Halen’s first album to hit #1. Although they enjoyed platinum albums in the past, someone else always blocked their path to the top of the charts.
For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge: Van Halen (1991)
Van Halen is one of only a few bands to peak in popularity more than once. In 1984, the band enjoyed the height of their popularity only to repeat their success in 1991. The album features many Hagar-era Van Halen classics including “Poundcake”, “Runaround”, “Top of the World”, and “Right Now.” The last hit became an omnipresent anthem during the period.
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