Badmovies.org Forum

Listening to some classic Van Halen at the moment (Fair Warning to be exact) so I thought I would start a poll/thread to see which Van Halen album you all think is their best to date.

I'll admit that I'm much more of a David Lee Roth era fan as I practically grew up listening to this band.  It was really weird when Sammy Hagar became their singer in 1985 as I was already a fan of Sammy's solo career (the albums Standing Hampton, Three Lock Box and VOA especially).  I never got used to hearing him singing for Eddie and the boys.

I've always said that I'll always prefer Sammy's solo stuff greatly to his output with Van Halen.  Not saying that his stuff with them was bad but IMO, the album in which they finally got their style to click with his was on 1991's For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge.  1995's Balance was terrible. Sammy's post VH output has also been quite good at times as evidenced by 1997's "Marching to Mars" and 2000's "Ten13" to name a couple.

As for the album that I consider to be Van Halen's best, I would have to say their 1978 debut is the best that they ever did.   My personal favorite is 1980's "Women and Children First", but the debut still has a magical charm (despite it being severely overplayed on classic rock stations over the years) to it and the album was just so ahead of its time. It really boggles  the mind when you consider what the musical climate was in in 1978 in comparison and the debut's impact on the rock/music world.

My 2nd runner up for their all time best album would be 1984.  Ironically, the debut and 1984 both have sold an estimated 20 million copies just in the U.S. to date.  Insane!

As far as just studio releases go the Roth era has rang up 34 million in sales  while the Sammy era of studio releases equal out to 16 million albums sold. 

I would prefer to not go into the Gary Cherone "era" thank you very much.   :lookingup:

The thing that really upsets me the most is that Eddie has single handedly managed to alienate all Dave fans and all Sammy fans and the band is pretty much viewed as irrelevant anymore.

I'd pick their debut album as their best, with either that one or 1984 as my personal favorite.

I voted for 1984.  Great album. 

This thread made me think of a Nerf Herder song, aptly titled "Van Halen":

I bought Van Halen I
It was the best damn record I ever owned
TG&Y 1978
Two hand tapping guitar technique really got me off
Eruption yeah, ain't talkin' 'bout love, I'm on fire
Tomorrow may come
Tomorrow may never come again
Can't you hear Jamie cryin?
She's runnin' with the devil
I bought Women and Children First
Fair Warning and Van Halen II
Dance the night away
1984 my favorite record yeah I wore it down
Might as well jump
Tomorrow may come
Tomorrow may never come again
Can't you hear Jamie cryin?
She's runnin' with the devil
Is this what you wanted, Sammy Hagar?
Sammy Hagar, is this what you wanted, man?
Dave lost his hairline but you lost your cool buddy
Can't drive 55
I'll never buy your lousy records again
Again, again, again, never again...
Tomorrow may come
Tomorrow may never come again
Can't you hear Jamie cryin?
She's runnin' with the devil
Jump jump jump jump jump jump jump, might as well jump

Gonna have to find that cd....

 First one!
 When it first came out in'78,my friend Lance and me were setting around in his pickup,smoking pot . He say's "Check this out!" I was really wasted. He sticks VAN HALEN's ERUPTION into the tape player....and cranks it as loud as it would go! This was a really nice stero stystm too...none of that boom box bass crap they got now...it was all screaming lead gutair!  It  was jamming!  :buggedout:

I remember 1984 fondly. 

Well, from what I've read the so called reunion tour with David Lee Roth is a go again this Fall.

But Michael Anthony isn't going to be playing bass.  Eddie's son Wolfgang is going to be playing bass on this tour so I couldn't care less.