1984

A galloping cocksure cocktail of excess, speed, and libidinous glutton, this album packs in more notes per second than the Micro Machine Man’s stenographer, all the while trailblazing headlong into self-centered hedonism while the rest of the 80’s followed obediently in its wake. Gloriously self-indulgent

Made it through almost the whole thing, which is impressive for sensitive ears like me. Never realized how artful Van Halen is. I get the hype, dads.

Rip roaring rocker! I forgot how talented these musicians were. Each song just pushes the boundaries in showmanship.

Listened April 25th Classic rock, killer riffs, short and sweet and power

Van Halen are weird for me. I love their records but I unreservedly hate almost everything they inspired. Maybe they were just so much smarter in their dumbness than all the dummies that tried to copy them.

whitest album of all time. jump is fun, the rest i don't particularly care for

It's nice overall, although I expected more from some songs. I discovered a song I liked that I didn't know.

"listen, i know you paid a lot for those keyboards but have you ever thought they sound a bit, you know, shit?" "nah, keyboards are the future mate" "its just the drums and guitars all sound really good but the keyboards kind of ruin th.." "the future mate"

No. 243/1001 1984 NR Jump 5/5 Panama 4/5 Top Jimmy 3/5 Drop Dead Legs 3/5 Hot For Teacher 3/5 I'll Wait 3/5 Girl Gone Bad 3/5 House of Pain 3/5 Average: 3,38 Jump is a stand out hit here. Otherwise the album doesn't have a lot of substance to elevate it even higher. Overall pleasant to listen to.

Yeah, the music that you think is pretty wild when you are about 12 years old. (Hot for Teacher is actually quite ok)

Starts off so strong out of the gage. But this ain't an album band. Everyone is here for the stadium hits. Beyond that everything is forgettable, lyrics, arrangements' et al.

Terrible album art. Right away love the length of this album. The music has some good bits, the musicianship is solid, but it all blends a bit. I've heard most of these tracks so many times in the background that my brain is trained to wander away. It's a sugar rush.

It's an album that swings wildly, but not all the punches hit the same.

Faves: Jump ⭐️ Top Jimmy (GUITAR) ⭐️ Drop Dead Legs (GUITAR) ⭐️ Hot for Teacher ⭐️ Liked: Panama (the bridge) ⭐️ I’ll Wait Girl Gone Bad House of Pain Disliked:

I don't see what this has to do with the George Orwell novel. Just kidding but it's weird that this came after Big Brother and the Holding Co. This is actually the first time I've heard the whole album but of course, like anyone else that grew up in the 80s, I knew "Jump", "Panama" and "Hot for Teacher." Apart from that I wasn't too crazy about the rest of the album. I did enjoy "Top Jimmy" and Eddie is an amazing guitarist to listen to. Not a fan of Alex's drumming at all though. Just an average album overall.

Heard Before? On a dubbed cassette from my Otto-like elementary school bus driver. Notes: - my absolute favorite thing about this album is the synthesizers. but of course, i am a person who owns and plays a keytar, so you shouldn't take this as an indication of quality. - considering this is the era of the worst drum sounds of all time, these drums sound fantastic. methinks lots of phase effects on the cymbals. - guitar guitar guitar blah blah blah - terrible terrible lyrics, but they go as well as can be with the ridiculous oversinging. made for each other. - the filler tracks are truly unremarkable, but the album is only thirty minutes, so it didn't hurt. Verdict: I'm not opposed to stupid fun, this just isn't my kind of stupid or my kind of fun. Listen Again? Best left in the 80s where it belongs. But that won't stop me from playing the intro to "Jump" every time I'm near a keyboard.

I don't get it. It's music for people in high school, but also they aren't particularly good at school?

Immature and largely forgettable.

The best thing you can say about this is at least it’s short! Jump is a great track but the rest is piss poor insubstantial noodling around Roths whoops and Eddies guitar histrionics. Much prefer their first album.

It just got worse the longer I listened. For an album that’s only 33 minutes long, it really dragged on.

1984 Jump is fantastic, cheesy but undoubtedly a 80s synth-metal-pop classic. Panama is a fun bit of 80s pop metal too, with a great catchy chorus, and Hot For Teacher is a nice bit of dated silliness. The rest is largely forgettable 80s metal, apart perhaps from I’ll Wait, which has a nice bit of synth driven propulsion. Of all the guitar heroes of this period I think Eddie Van Halen is maybe the least interesting, or for me the least expressive. There’s occasions when he gets a bit psychedelic like on the solo on Panama or with the bluesy shuffle riff of Hot For Teacher, but I feel pretty unmoved by his licks and solos, I don’t find myself admiring the technical proficiency, or particularly enjoying the melody, harmony and tone of his playing. And Dave Lee Roth, for all his renown for his 80s, sleazy, onstage showmanship and as a ‘character’, I’ve always found him to be a pretty uninspiring singer, his voice doesn’t have much sense of uniqueness or personality, and he’s also in general an awful lyricist. Overall, one great song, 2 decent 80s rockers, with the rest being broadly routine 80s metal. It’s not execrable, but it’s not that interesting either. It’s on the cusp of 2 and 3, I’ll go 2 as I can’t see any reason to listen to the whole thing again. 🚬🚬 Playlist submission: Jump

I'll Wait and Jump are the only two good songs on here. Very disappointing- bland, uninspiring instrumentals with boring, basic lyrics.

Like listening to the classic rock station at work… could be a lot worse but not really moving the needle

I was born in ´79 and have no recollection of enjoying music when I was 5 years old. However, I remember watching Van Halen music videos on MTV around the late 80's. Van Halen and other 80's rock never quite did hit me in the right spot. Many years later, (late 90's) some of my metal friends was reviving Europe, Ironmaiden, Twisted Sister, Manowar, Van Halen and AC/DC. At that time, it all sounded the same to me. Im pretty sure I can distinguish the bands today. And I can the see how Van Halen layed out the groundwork for later bands like Guns N Roses and Bon Jovi. Still Van Halen is a long way from my prefered genrers. But somehow I found myself enjoying the slower track "I'll Wait".

The hits are still solid and the other tracks are fine, but nothing remarkable. Not much more to be said besides that

This was short but after a couple songs felt too similar

Possibly the most overrated band of all time. This album would be 3 stars but Hot For Teacher brings it down to 2.

that baby is lighting tf up

First impression upon seeing this album up next today: "Ugh" I feel like when I was younger it was sacrilege to talk shit on the "classics", but I'm glad that's either not really the case anymore, or I'm so far out of those circles now. Van Halen is ass. Like... The last time I enjoyed hearing Jump was when I was probably 7?? I can't even imagine listening to that shit as an adult. Or I guess I can. Cause I just did. Fond memories of me and my sister staying up all night trying to clear Hot for Teacher in Guitar Hero though. We never got it, but damn it was fun.

Overblown and it's a big stadium filler album but that doesn't mean it's any good. Centrist rock pop hitting all the bases. It's 80s big hair music and it's pretty terrible. Cue guitar solo or was that drum solo

Don’t like this effort at all

Really hated it. Sounds like how I imagine a MAGA rally feels. There are several metal/rock albums from the 80s that I like, eg from Iron Maiden and AC/DC, but this was just macho nonsense to my ears. Sorry.

White, American 80's rock in a nutshell. White people are cool, America is cool, 80s were cool, rock is cool. This is dogshit

Van Halen were the archetype of the sort of band I hated at the time this album was released. Poodle perm, long hair, pop metal they had nothing going for them in my world. So naturally, I had my preconceptions as to what this album might be like. The instrumental intro '1984' was not what i expected at all, and then came the stand out track 'Jump', which we all know very well of course. Maybe, i had misjudged things, and there might be more of this synth based rock on the album, to prove to me that you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover? Track 3 ('Panama') was more of what I had expected, and 'Top Jimmy' was no improvement either. And so it went on, terrible American frat boy nonsense. There was some good drumming in parts, but the lyrics were truly awful, and the guitar riffs totally over-indulgent. Can you judge a book by it's cover? When it features an angel smoking cigarettes from a soft pack, then Yes, it would appear you can.

My nightmare. 80s bubblegum rock and me do not mix

This is nothing

boo. sounded like a bald eagle chewing tobacco and voting against abortion. the horny teacher one was kinda fun tho

Best thing about the album: it's only 30 minutes. Second best: Jump sounds pretty good, even if it's mostly here to show up how shit, dated and regressive the rest of the album is.

Not gonna do it, Van Halen is not for me. Better than drake but that’s a low bar.

Upon seeing the album title I immediately thought of the book by George Orwell. I wondered if the album was about the book, but thought it probably wasn't, and I was right- just an unimaginative reference to the year it was recorded. However, this album is every bit as depressing as Orwell's dystopian society, for the simple reason that it's terrible. I knew "Jump," which I actually don't hate. I even like the synth hook, which is sparkly, catchy and fun. However, it's not even a 5 star track and it's by far the best song on the album. Everything else is absolutely atrocious, especially that unbearable piece of cringe about, well, let's say inappropriate relations between students and teachers. Oh well, at least it was a short album and only wasted 33 minutes of my time.

Boring repetitive glam hair metal, nothing extra. If you enjoy this genre, it's time to get your prostate examined my friend, Solid one star at best.

A much needed palate cleanser.

Classic

Perfect album

Very impressed with this album and you can see why they were the favorite band of a generation. I think if you put all the guitarists in a March Madness bracket, it'd end up being Eddie Van Halen vs Stevie Ray Vaughn for the title. Some deeper songs gave me Rush vibes which never got before. Awesome album.

Van Halen's *1984* is a fascinating paradox—a blockbuster album that represents both the peak and the breaking point of the band's classic era. It's a masterclass in calculated risk-taking, where a gamble on synthesizers paid off in spades, but the resulting tensions would permanently alter the band's lineup. ### 🎵 Music & Production: A Glorious, Polished Edge The musical legacy of *1984* is defined by its bold fusion of Eddie Van Halen's revolutionary guitar work with his newfound passion for synthesizers. This was the first album recorded at Eddie's new home studio, 5150, and the production by Ted Templeman is pristine, powerful, and radio-ready. - **The Synth Revolution:** The album famously opens with the futuristic synth instrumental "1984," which perfectly sets up the band's first and only No. 1 hit, "Jump". Eddie's decision to use a synth riff, inspired by Hall & Oates' "Kiss on My List," was a major point of contention, but it became the album's defining commercial triumph. This keyboard experimentation also features prominently on the atmospheric "I'll Wait". - **Guitar Pyrotechnics:** Despite the synth focus, the album is far from a soft-rock departure. Tracks like "Panama" and "Hot for Teacher" deliver the blistering, awe-inspiring guitar work that made Eddie a legend. His solo on "Panama" is a masterclass in feel and technique, while "Girl Gone Bad" stands as one of the hardest-rocking, most frantic tracks in their catalogue. - **A Rhythmic Powerhouse:** The rhythm section is equally formidable. Alex Van Halen's drum intro on "Hot for Teacher"—a legendary 30-second blitz of double-bass and shuffle—is iconic in rock history. Michael Anthony's backing vocals and punchy bass lines are crucial to the album's huge, arena-filling sound. ### 🎤 Lyrics & Themes: Adolescent Anthems with a Darker Edge Thematically, *1984* is a perfect time capsule of early '80s rock hedonism, showcasing David Lee Roth's signature blend of swagger, humor, and innuendo. However, a more critical listen reveals themes that haven't aged as gracefully. - **The "Lost Boys" Ethos:** The album is an anthem for unapologetic, consequence-free fun. "Jump" encourages perseverance and seizing the moment ("might as well jump"), while "Panama" is a high-octane tribute to fast cars (and fast women), inspired by a car Roth saw at a drag race. - **Cheeky Raunch:** The humor is front and center. "Hot for Teacher" is a playful, cartoonish take on schoolboy lust, complete with classroom sound effects and Roth's comedic spoken-word interludes. "Top Jimmy," a tribute to a local musician, keeps the party going with a bluesy, swinging vibe. - **The Problematic Side:** As the critic from *Consequence of Sound* notes, the album's back half is packed with casual sexism. Songs like "Drop Dead Legs," "Girl Gone Bad," and "I'll Wait" often reduce women to their body parts or roles as objects of obsession, a lyrical trope that feels more jarring now than it did in 1984. This doesn't erase the album's musical achievements, but it does add a layer of critical ambivalence for modern listeners. ### 💡 Pros & Cons | Pros | Cons | | :--- | :--- | | **Groundbreaking Innovation:** Seamlessly merged hard rock with synthesizers, influencing countless bands and expanding rock's sonic palette. | **Lack of Depth:** At roughly 33 minutes, the album is incredibly short and leaves you wanting more from such a landmark release. | | **Monumental Hits:** Contains some of the band's most iconic and enduring songs, including "Jump," "Panama," and "Hot for Teacher". | **Dated Lyrics:** Much of the lyrical content, particularly regarding sex and women, feels objectifying and has aged poorly. | | **Flawless Production:** Produced and engineered to perfection, it sounds massive, clear, and powerful even by today's standards. | **The End of an Era:** Its release was a high point that directly preceded the acrimonious departure of David Lee Roth, marking the definitive end of the band's original lineup. | | **Virtuosic Performances:** Every member is at the top of their game, delivering some of the most memorable riffs, drum parts, and vocal performances of their careers. | | ### 🏆 Influence & Legacy *1984* was Van Halen's commercial peak, reaching No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and selling over 10 million copies in the U.S.. It wasn't just a hit; it was a cultural event that bridged the gap between hard rock and mainstream pop, heavily influencing the sound of '80s rock and the rise of hair metal. The album also cemented the band's status as MTV icons, with its music videos becoming staples of the channel. **The Verdict** *1984* is an essential, albeit complicated, rock masterpiece. Its musical brilliance and seismic influence are undeniable, representing a band at the absolute peak of their powers, unafraid to take a huge gamble. While it succeeds brilliantly as an album, its lyrical shortcomings and the fact that it signals the end of one of rock's greatest dynasties make it a bittersweet experience. It remains a monumental achievement, but one that invites you to hold its genius and its faults in the same hand.

Gen Xer here. I bought this when it came out, pulled out the vinyl to give it a listen when it popped up on my list. I haven’t listened to this in.. 30/35 years? So didn’t expect much.. I was a kid in 1984 and my tastes have matured. This was SO much better than I remembered and expected. The musicianship, the humor, the songs. The SOUND of the recording. I was expecting a “3” and gave it a “5”.

Perhaps not my favourite VH album (VHI is probably the best), but not a bad song here. EVH was one of the greatest!

🤘

Bien.

Ready player one type shit

This is the second album I've gotten this week with a song fetishizing teachers. As a future teacher and former horny teenager, there are hundreds of hotter professions than an overworked and underpaid woman dealing with two hundred horny teenagers. Therapists are right there, guys. That being said, songs fetishizing teachers are also usually funny as hell, and Hot for Teacher is no exception. Something about the guy yelling "TEACHER!!!! I BROUGHT MY PENCIL!!!!!" completely out-of-time especially got to me. It's beyond low-brow, but so is the rest of the album. It's music that's pretty explicitly aimed at horny teenagers that want to rebel against their parents. It probably served that purpose well in the 80s, but now that we live in an era where endless pictures and videos of people in any amount of clothes you could possbly want to see are about 15 seconds away at any given time, it's just an incredibly entertaining listen. It has a violently of-its-time sound that I always love to hear, the synth work throughout is amazing, and it's just an all-around classic.

Idk how I could rate this less that 5 stars

Can't beat Diamond Dave.

So many hits on this album!!!

Enjoyed this a lot more than I remembered.

I grew up with this, so there's definitely nostalgia involved in this review. The synths put this firmly in the early/mid 80s. If you hate 80s rock, you'll hate this. I happen to like most 80s rock. I do feel like this is more heavier pop/new wave than hair metal. The difference between most hair metal bands and Van Halen is the other bands don't have Eddie Van Halen shredding every song. 4.5

I don't necessarily think Van Halen was better with David Lee Roth than Sammy Hagar, as I much prefer Sammy as a singer and they had some great songs with him at the lead. But VH was definitely more raw with DLR at the front and this album threads the needle between raw and refined amazingly well. It is, no doubt, a good part of the reason why this is their best selling record. Let's start with the hits, as there are four absolute bangers on this album. Jump, I believe, is there only #1 (Hot 100) single ever. It is a fun song to listen to, but to me, Hot For Teacher and Panama blow that away, mainly because neither is as refined as Jump (or as pop oriented). They are really well constructed songs that have a pretty raw sound, and both have amazing guitar work from Eddie which alone makes them well worth the listen. I'll Wait is a bit closer in sound to Jump with less of that raw energy than Panama or HFT, and while it wasn't nearly the hit that Jump was, personally I like it much better. The lyrics/theming are superior. Beyond the four hits, there are a series of songs that are excellent in their own right, the best of which is Drop Dead Legs which is more of a throw back to some of their earlier style, again with some excellent guitar work from Eddie. All in all, this is a great, great album. Loved it. 5 stars.

I love the songs and the theme

Pretty much everything from their first six records is instantly recognizable as Van Halen. Whether that leads you to turn off the radio or get up and dance is up to you. They aren't responsible for the formulaic shit that was spawned to replace them, nor how badly everyone misunderstood what the formula was. For a long time I considered them, and especially this album, for some reason, a guilty pleasure, but I jettisoned the guilt quite a few years ago now. Lots of people don't like it, and for lots of reasons; I know the reasons that I do like it.

Pr pr pr panama!

Van Halen, particularly with Diamond Dave Lee Roth as frontman, are ridiculously over the top, brash, flashy, trashy, and really good fun. You don't come to a VH album expecting profound life lessons; you come for the party, and you get that by the truckload. You also get a finely tuned rock band with one of the most influential guitarists in history, a great drummer, an underrated bass player whose backing vocals always made a huge difference to the sound, and a goofish, clown of a lead singer who has more cocky self-confidence than any of them. This album adds synths to a few tracks but they are still mostly built on Eddie's incredible rhythm guitar playing - the man was an outstanding lead player with chops that many still try in vain to match but his rhythm playing is perhaps even better. Van Halen are probably responsible for the Hair Metal phenomena that spread from California in the early '80s but they can't be blamed for the many inferior copycats who followed in their wake. 1984 was the band's last album with DLR for years and, for me, sits just below Van Halen and Van Halen II. It makes me smile.

Would be 4 stars on the strength of Jump alone, the rest of the album being a perfect 80s rock experience bumps it to 5.

One of the few bands that my dad and I had in common. He loved those crazy California boys. I got to see them once, but Diamond Dave wasn’t in the band, sadly.

Tätä on tullut nuorna poikana vinyyliltä kuunneltua paljon. Huippu levy ja DLR aikakauden parhaimmistoa!

It's clear that by 1984 David Lee Roth's horny showman personality and Eddie's synth experimentation were driving the band in different directions and it wouldn't hold. But for 33 minutes, Van Halen put together their best album, a hard-driving rock and roll classic that never lets up for a moment. This was the last VH album before Roth left and Sammy Hagar replaced him but I'm glad the guys reconciled with Roth for one more album 30 years later because the band was never really the same without him. Standouts: Jump, Panama, Hot For Teacher

This is THE coolest fucking album ever made

Pretty much peak Van Halen

Du gros cock rock agréable! Étrange que leur toune la plus connue, Jump, ne sonne pas vraiment comme les autres, avec leurs gros synthétiseurs. Par contre Panama et Hot for Teacher c'est de la bombe. Je donne 5 mais je dois dire que j'ai préféré Bon Jovi Slippery when wet, dans le même style. Et je dois dire, n'en déplaise à Félix, que j'aime beaucoup le cover. Ridicule mais rigolo!

하드 록의 레전드 정점급 사운드.

Excellent album. Super fun. Think glitter, big hair, shaved pecks and vests.

Did not know I like Van Halen this much.

Like a box full of delicious donuts you know you don't need, and you're still gonna house the whole thing anyway. Van Halen are at the pinnacle of their success and power here. This could play as the soundtrack of the excesses of the 80s in 3D, and the entire house is gonna be boppin with shit eating grins on their faces, unable to get enough.

I own a physical copy of this classic. Pure 80’s gold, and that album cover 👀. Woo boy, smoking is gross and all, but it did always look cool as hell.

Betty Boop ftw

Going in I was thinking this would be a 4. Then I realized that over half are really amazing songs. Even if the other 4 out of 5 are mediocre it’s such a great piece. I’m sure the guitar nerds weren’t happy with all the synth but it works.

Perfection

Some jams. Bias: My first concert.

Van Halen's 1984 was one of my favourite albums in 1984. The music was incredible. I think the lyrics were a bit misogynistic, but that is to be expected for a band on rock and roll guys. I have listened to this album so many times that I could almost skip it, but I will not because it is too good. "Jump" was so fresh sounding in 1984 and still sounds awesome today. David Lee Roth was the only perfect guy to be a frontman of Van Halen band. He is extremely charismatic.  "Panama" is one of the best songs, especially considering Eddie Van Halen's guitar work. This is such a great album that I can skip writing the best songs, instead I will mention my least favourite song is "Top Jimmy". It has always been my least favourite, but not enough to turn it off. Eddie Van Halen's guitar and David Lee Roth's vocals were a match made in music heaven. Halen's guitar speaks in the places that Roth's voice does not. I wish they did not separate all those years ago. I stopped listening to them when they changed singers. The  band and Roth were never as good apart. 10/10.

This album fuckin RIPS. Pedal to metal all the way through. The riffs fuck, the solos are face melting. The whole band is so goddamn tight. It's hard to top Roth-era Van Halen and this was the very pinnacle of it. Incredible ride front to back. Yes it's corny, yes it's shallow, yes it's misogynistic... but I can't help myself, this is 80s hair metal at it's finest

1984 - X/10. Introductions rarely have enough to them to get a rating. Jump - 10/10. Absolutely iconic intro. David Lee Roth's vocals and EVH's guitar mesh perfectly. Insane guitar solo in the bridge. Pretty much perfect. Panama - 10/10. Once again, EVH's guitar is awesome. DLR is fun and right on target. This is a classic of mid-80s hard rock. Top Jimmy - 8/10. Very good. Drop Dead Legs - 9/10. Again, EVH and DLR making a great, fun tune with an edge of 80s hard rock. Awesome guitar outro. Hot for Teacher - 11/10. Crazy drum fills at the start, also great guitar from EVH (a surprise, I know). DLR is also silly, fun, and outstanding. All of this together means this one goes to 11. I'll Wait - 9/10. I didn't recognize the title. Then I heard the keyboard intro. Another killer tune on this album which is full of great rock. Girl Gone Bad - 9/10. Not as well-known as the rest of the album, but another absolute banger. House of Pain - 8/10. Not quite as good as the rest of the album, but still awesome. Overall Rating - 4.63/5 (9.25/10). EVH is one of the top 10 guitar players in rock music, and this album is a showcase of why. He starts hard with Jump, and never lets up. DLR is also a perfect fit with the sound of the band (and he's a total goofball).

Falls off towards the end but the bangers outweigh the chaff.

Yeah, this album hits. Great production, great drumming stellar vocals it has it all really never gets more and only ramps up. Good dad rock. I love it.

Yeah. I've listened to these guys much. But they're all right.

5/5. Goddamnit, this is an AMAZING album, and it legitimately sinks my heart to think about how it's the last of the Roth era Van Halen songs. These guys were TITANS of hard rock, and they threw it all away over lame little spats. I'm such a rigid devotee to the original lineup that I still insist that anything post-DLR shouldn't even be *called* "Van Halen." Anyway — "1984" is admittedly not a 5/5 the whole way through. Some songs are legitimate legends and others pale heavily next to them — but the whole of the album is greater than the sum of its parts. Let's start with what I perceive as the weaker songs. The lame title track that has no business even being on the album is complete filler. "Jump," despite its immense popularity, lacks the raw power and rough edges that makes VH so appealing in the first place; lots of people love it, but it reads as safe and smoothed out compared to the rest of DLR era VH. It's still a good song, but it's missing that Van Halen oomph. "I'll Wait" is another lesser piece: VH *can* do slower, more serious ballads, but this one is boring, anemic. "Little Dreamer," "Little Guitars," and their cover of "(Oh) Pretty Woman" all stand as proof that Van Halen can do something other than kick ass and take names 24/7; they can be delicate or sentimental, too. "I'll Wait" doesn't live up to VH's potential. It's a real 2/5, pushed up near 3 thanks to the great musicianship behind it, but man, what a snoozefest of a song. Alright, now the good: every other song on this album is rad as hell, classic Van Halen grown up. All the things that made their debut album a masterpiece is present in the rest of "1984," only everyone is a better musician, a better composer, a better performer. It is awesome. "Panama," "Hot for Teacher," and "Girl Gone Bad" are raucous, irreverent, and larger than life. These songs leap out of the radio, they tell stories, they make your car speed an additional 15mph while your wife tells you to mind the limit. I joke, but damn, they're so good. The riffs in these songs are simple and executed so well. Dave belts out the lyrics with more conviction in these tongue-in-cheek songs than most other singers would accord. Eddie, naturally, slays us with his guitar chops. Just listen to the bridge on "Girl Gone Bad," and tell me that there is not rock and roll genius here. There's really nothing like it. "Top Jimmy," "Drop Dead Legs," and "House of Pain," are still VH 1 come again, but these are the sillier, pure fun songs. These songs are to "1984," as "Atomic Punk," "Ice Cream Man," and "Feel Your Love Tonight" are to the debut album. They're still incredible songs that demonstrate top-tier performances of rock and roll's top-tier musicians, but these are the songs that you can tell the band was fooling around and found some cool licks and riffs to build around and took it from there. "Top Jimmy" is such a cool and free flying song. The artificial harmonic beginning sets this mysterious tone at the start, just to dive into this slinky guitar part that I still struggle to play right to this day. "Drop Dead Legs" gives us some "Diver Down"-esque riff work mixed with the first album's cheeky lyrics and barbershop harmonies. "House of Pain" gives this angry, dirty, and rough goodbye to cap off the whole of the album. It's a must listen.

no skip album, fire!

"1984 wasn’t their best, but its the first Van Halen my dad ever heard. He got that album in 1984 when he was 9 years old. Today, I can still listen to that same record. uhh since i’ve listened to the rest of their discography, here’s a review of the rest: Van Halen II: ..eh? everyone says that this one is better than I, but i really just dont see it. Women And Children First: definitely my favorite. love the acoustic work on it. Fair Warning: probably the most consistent one. very bass heavy, which i love, but also Michael Anthony tuned to C# for it, so strangle. Diver Down: WHY are there SO MANY COVERS 5150: good intro album for Sammy Hagar OU812: most consistent Hagar album. a little too down low to be honest For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge: i also dont get the hype for this one to be honest. it should be on the list because it was the only VH album to win an award and got them on live television (VMAs). Balance: This one took a while and was very influenced by Kurt Cobain’s suicide. the band was kind of at the end of their musical ability and you can definitely hear it. Van Halen III: nope nope nope nope nope nope A Different Kind Of Truth: Loved to hear Wolfie on this one. they really turned the gain up to 11"

Unfortunately this is exactly my flavor

What i would give to listen to that album the time it got released on a vinyl

Super album! Masterpiece! Almost all track are the very best hits!

Hair metal from one of the best in the business. High energy. It sounds like they were having fun both writing and performing. Blistering guitar from Eddie Van Halen and yet on the biggest hit track (Jump) he plays synth. Guitar porn, drum porn and somewhat questionable lyrics by today's standards. I find VH more listenable to than other Hair Metal bands of the same time. I'll Wait is another synth driven anthem not guitar track but still driving drums. Many good tracks for me, but then this came out when I was in high school.

Classic album. Similar to Metallica's Metallica where thier best work is past but still really good. At this point in the bands history Eddie Van Halen started moving the band to more synth based compositions in the 80s which I like less than thier first album but the songwriting is still really good.

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I do love that Dad Rock sir.

No tengo mucho que decir. La guitarra es impresionante, te transporta a otra epoca. Un album que disfrute de principio a fin. "Hot for Teacher" fue, en mi opinion, lo mejor. Y no creo que haya una persona en la tierra que no conozca "Jump". Es un icono.

Really bold production.

Well, might as well jump to 5 stars.

Literally no album has ever fucked harder. It's a damn shame they broke up immediately after this one but what a way to go out.

Classic!

Like it

Amazing album. At times feels like a Van Halen greatest hits album. Classic Rock at its finest. 5/5

Van Halen is the quintessential American rock band and 1984 is the quintessential Van Halen album. Five Thousand One Hundred and Fifty stars out of 5.

Todays album was 1984 by Van Halen. I will always wonder why in an album with two of the most famous 80s songs ever, Jump and Panama, he/the studio decided to make a minute long techno song the featured track, but you do you Van. Easy 5/5. tbh the rest of the 9 songs could be complete crap and this album is deserving of at least a 4/5, but two iconic songs are supported quality songs that differ enough to feel unique while feeling cohesive. It's notable that of my albums so far, its the shortest at only just over 33 minutes across all 9 songs. Fun rock synth music, right up my alley and I loved it 5/5

Oh my gosh, this is reliving my high school years. I had forgotten about this album, but I loved the whole thing. It's just exuberant.

Mais c'est gavé bien en fait 😱

One of the best Van Halen albums and one of the best in hair metal overall.

Strangely enjoyable. Dumb but fun

Great album

This is Van Halen at their peak. Jump, Panama, and Hot for Teacher are three of their best. The rest of the album isn't half-bad either. I have listened to this album so many times I can play the entire thing in my head. The grooves were worn out on that vinyl. This is the last true Van Halen album and one of their best.

All time classic. Hit after hit with a few sleepers in between.

If this were longer than 30mins I think I would rate it a four but it’s fun, high energy mic between synth, crunching guitar riffs and hard hitting drums make this album a hyper-happy listen. Probably a 4.5 honestly but there are some great songs which means I’ll round it up.

I love this album. Alex and Eddie keep the energy high throughout, turning swinging beats into a frenetic, kinetic ride. Every song feels like a burst of energy, the kind that immediately gets your foot tapping without you even realizing it. There is a looseness to the playing that still feels incredibly tight, like the band is just having the best time ripping through these songs. It is loud, playful, and full of momentum from start to finish, the kind of record that makes you want to turn the volume up and let it run.

Panama is an absolute BANGER. Hot For Teacher is a banger too. Jump is an all time classic even though it’s massively over played

Great album

Great year, great album. '1984' goes hard and is infectious joy. It's great for hyping you up or to see Mrs. Davis dance topless in West Canaan, Texas. Top tracks: "Panama," "Jump," "Hot for Teacher," "1984," "I'll Wait"

Jump!

What a great album. It starts off with two big bangers and really does rawk in that arena rawk way, and it does not stick around too long.

Goated

Absolute banger! One of the best albums of the 80's.

Another great Van Halen album. "Panama" is always a banger, and there is a lot of other great songs on this one. A bit more synth driven than other Van Halen albums, but I've always liked this one.

Another album in my collection that hasn't been listened to for a long long time. Like a lot of hard rock bands in the early 80s, this is about the time that they discovered and experimented with synthesisers. Van Halen made a far better job of it than, say, Rush, and thankfully gave up after just a few tracks on this album (great though Jump is) and reverted to their USP, Eddie's guitar. I think this is the last album to feature Dave Lee Roth. His light-hearted interludes and stage presence to a large part made the band what it was. He was a sad loss to the band and they were never the same afterwards

the guitars in this go CRAZY, Jump, Panama and Drop Dead Legs are so good, probably the most 80s sounding album i’ve ever listened to

it was so much fun listening to it, classy 80s sound

Awesome, I don't mind the synths at all.

4.5 I loved this as a lad and now

Absolute banger of an album. To me, this is the quintessential Van Halen album. Say what you want about the earlier or later stuff, this is my apex in their discography. Van Halen may have been more popular with Sammy Hagar on vocals, but to me, they sound like every other 80s outfit in the same genre when he sang. DLR really kicks Van Halen up to a whole new level and then flaunts it in your face.

Straight banger

Great album! You clearly know is an album from the 80s.

Such a great album!

okey i LOVE IT!!! wtf!!! I knew couple of these songs but never everrr did i listen to the whole album and god i’m grateful i have now.

The undisputed heavyweight champ of 80s rock and roll.

The sound of an era

Such a rocking album. A true classic for the ages.

8 songs, 32 minutes, three hits that stack up well against any other trilogy on an album ever, so many memorable riffs. Ed's still the guitar goat here, but also brings that innovation to the keyboard AND writes his most accessible and economical collection of songs. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any video of Roth and Michael McDonald writing I'll Wait.

Great album, thanks to Eddie's great guitar riffs and sound!

Nice

"Jump back, what’s that sound?" 1984 was my high school introduction to Van Halen, and it drew me into their entire catalog. While some critics see it as a departure from the hard rock style of their earlier albums, especially with the keyboards and synths, I remain a huge fan of this album. It's nearly perfect! Tracks like "Jump," "Hot for Teacher," and "Panama" are iconic, but the deeper cuts like "Drop Dead Legs" and "I'll Wait" really shine and showcase the band's versatility. Just listen to Eddie's guitar on "House of Pain" and get back to me! Although I’d still give the edge to Van Halen I, 1984 holds a special place in my heart for its energy and innovation!

Panama…

We got a winner. Absolutely insane. As a child this was the album that made me want to learn about rock. After the Beatles Van Halen is top dog for me. As much as I love Floyd sometimes they got borring. Led was also killer but Van Halen took it up a few notches from the paved way of Led. First side pure hits, side B great not famous songs

God that synth on Jump is going to be stuck in my head until the day I die. In all honestly, hair metal for me is extremely hit or miss. It’s either really energetic and a blast or it’s just of losers singing about their libido. Van Halen for me, is both of those. Either they fire on all cylinders or I’m mentally begging David Lee Roth to shut up. But 1984, to me, is Van Halen fully at their best. Yeah, it’s horny white dad rock. Yeah, it definitely goes into corny territory. But it’s hard to deny the magnitude of the album’s hits. Between Panama, Hot for Teacher, and Jump, it’s the band’s strongest collection, and the deep cuts are pretty solid too. The 80’s would harbor about a million hair metal bands that would only age like milk at the end of the decade. I’m not saying 1984 hasn’t aged; it’s 80’s as hell. But it sure as hell stuck around and I can understand why. Favorite track: Jump Other hits: Hot For Teacher, Panama, I’ll Wait, Girl Gone Bad, House of Pain

This made me want to smoke cigarettes

Fun listen, doesn't overstay its welcome.

Loved it!

The problem with discussing Van Halen's '1984' is that my group's already gotten the band's debut. Nearly everything I'd wanna say about Van Halen I already said there: Eddie plays like a motherfucker, David Lee Roth is one of the **the** frontmen of all time, Michael Anthony and Alex are one hell of a rhythm combo, and Van Halen wouldn't be the band they are without Michael's backing vocals. All of that applies here and then some. What else could you need, and what else would you want me to say? Well ... I suppose I **can** comment on the synths. Lemme start with this: did you know that both David Lee Roth and producer Ted Templeman didn't want the band to record "Jump"? Eddie was **all** for it, but Dave and Ted both balked at the idea of including **keyboards** in the band's sound — and having Eddie play them, no less! He was already a guitar hero! One of the best of his day, and any other from then on! Now he wanted to be a multi-instrumentalist? Come on, come on — who wants to see Eddie play a **keyboard**? Well, apparently Eddie had long held an interest in keys. When he was growing up both he and his brother Alex were taught to play classical piano — though neither of them were big fans. They took to rock n' roll way better. But the ivories would never exactly leave Eddie's life. In fact, according to Paul Stanley, Eddie was so blown away stumbling across KISS recording "Creatures Of The Night" that he wanted to start playing synthesizers. Paul Stanley, like Dave and Ted, didn't understand why Eddie would wanna do such a thing. And it's not like synths were ever completely absent from Van Halen albums before now. They were just ... never the focus, y'know? Like, did you know that "...And The Cradle Will Rock" has a Wurlitzer on it? I sure didn't until I decided to research Eddie's history with keys! And I probably didn't notice because the thing was processed heavily to sound like Eddie's guitar — and **that** was probably the only reason he got away with including it. After that, I think he might've been allowed to record an interlude for their 'Diver Down' album on a Minimoog ... and that was about it until '1984' rolled around. And it's not like I don't get where Dave and Ted are coming from in their opposition to Eddie's synths. I mean, what did Van Halen **need them** for? Both in the sense that they were already one of the hottest hard rock bands around, and, well, that they were a hard rock band. What place would a synthesizer have in a song like "Runnin' With The Devil"? It's not like they needed synths to give them pop appeal; Van Halen was already great at that thanks to Dave's sensibilities. On this album alone you have a single like "Panama", which is an AC/DC-inspired piece of hard glam and it's great! Elsewhere you have "Hot For Teacher", which opens with a monster of a double-bass drum solo, and the craziness doesn't stop until the song ends. Seriously, you gotta give credit for "Hot For Teacher" as one of Van Halen's best songs, on this album and in general. I never get tired of the wild energy it has. Then you've got the rest of the album, with "Drop Dead Legs", "Top Jimmy", "Girl Gone Bad", "House Of Pain" ... none of them exactly all **that special** in the grand scheme of Van Halen's discography, but incredibly fun slices of heavy party rock nonetheless, and you'd miss 'em if even one was cut. But despite Dave and Ted's fair protestation, the very first thing you hear on this album is synths, on the opening title track. And while it ain't much more than a minute, it's some wonderful synth work, and I do truly love it. Elsewhere on the album you've got "I'll Wait", which, of the two synth songs on this album is certainly the lesser ... and maybe strays a **bit** too far away from Van Halen's strengths than you'd like ... like, damn, if it ain't the most synth-poppy synth-pop song the band ever made ... I mean, it's still a good tune. Eddie plays a good line, I love Alex's drumming on this, Dave still puts in a great performance ... I can't really complain about it. Especially not when Eddie pulls out a cool little solo over these synths. And this, then, with no other songs left to address, brings us to **the** song of the album, and the single biggest hit of Van Halen's career, in any iteration: "Jump". Now, I've long held the belief that Van Halen's signature song is something like "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" or "Running With The Devil". I'd wanna say it's "Eruption", but that wouldn't be fair to every non-Eddie member of the band. And even on this album, if I had to choose my favorite song, it'd be "Hot For Teacher", like I said. But let's not put down "Jump". You might be sick of it from overplay, but, y'know, heck. It more than deserves its spot as one of Van Halen's greatest songs. Very simply, it is just one of the absolute finest pieces of pop metal this band would ever provide. The way Eddie's synths drive the song is just phenomenal. And that synth solo he pulls out after the guitar solo? Goodness, I guess he hadn't forgotten too much of his classical pianist training. And it's just one of the most simple fun songs the band would ever make. I mean, I love the metal and hard rock stuff they do, obviously, but ain't nothing wrong with a simple pop song every now and then. And I can only imagine what a joy it must've been for Eddie to finally go all out on the synths on these songs, even if they only make up a third of the album. After '1984', as you probably very well know, David Lee Roth was kicked out of the band. His replacement, Sammy Hagar, seemed to be kinder to keys and synths than Dave was, given that they show up prominently on hits such as "Right Now". And until this writing I'd never heard "Right Now" in full, but it's a good tune, with some good keys. And then Gary Cherone was brought on after Sammy got the boot and Eddie decided to try his best Roger Waters impersonation at the end of 'Van Halen III' ... but let's not dwell on that, eh? As David Lee Roth's last album with Van Halen (until 'A Different Kind Of Truth' in 2012, which would end up being the band's final record), I can't think of a better note to've gone out on than '1984'. It's got all the good stuff you'd want from Van Halen and then some. Sure, the songs aren't as consistently tight as the ones on their debut, but it's still Dave Lee Roth-era Van Halen. That's nothing to sneeze at, lemme tell you. And as a realization of Eddie's longstanding desire to play keys, '1984' is just a joy. Sure, even with the success of "Jump" it didn't cause Eddie to be remembered as a keyboard warrior (if you wanna use that term) as well as he is a guitar hero ... but damn if he wasn't good at it while he was playing it. And I can't help but think that he must've helped convince a few people to pick up keys themselves. If Eddie, a meedly-meedly tapper, can tickle some form of ivories, why can't they? And even if they didn't, they still had one of the all-time greatest synth-led rock songs to jam out to. And that is just doubleplusgood.

Might not be as stellar as their debut record, but damn if this isn't a good time as well. 4.5 bumped up to 5.

I’m at a 5. A little higher, though not quite a 10 like their debut. Everyone knows “Jump”. That’s their big one. This album basically starts at that point (though “1984” is a cool synthy open), and then it rides the high of that track & Panama, hitting one more extremely high point on "Hot for Teacher", before just cruising all the way to a really nice, if slightly flat finish. It may sound like I’m a little down on this album, but that’s just because their debut was insanely good, and this one is only really, really good. Eddie Van Halen’s guitar is still a deadly weapon, atoning big time for the “Beat It” solo he ripped without the band’s permission by killing it on every track here. David Lee Roth’s vocals still rip, even if they’re just a little more subdued / poppier here compared to the sort of “American Ozzy Osbourne” comparison I gave for their debut. Alex Van Halen’s percussion is on point throughout this album, and I feel like he gets even more room to shine here than on the debut, or at least more noticeably given some of the percussive solos on this thing. Obviously, the big difference between this & their debut is the heavy use of the synthesizer, which permeates this album in a way that makes it feel more specifically dated to 1984 than the timeless sort of sound to their self-titled, but in a way, I kind of like that you can place this album so specifically to its time. “Jagged Little Pill” certainly doesn’t suffer from sounding like 1995 at every turn. To my ears, it means you’ve made something stand out so uniquely and yet so ubiquitously that people associate your sound as a core memory of the decade, and that’s gotta feel cool, to some degree. I do wish this ended on a more definitive note than “House of Pain” – it does make the album feel like more of a collection of tracks as opposed to a fully flowing energy, but regardless, it’s still 33 minutes that kick ass. It’s worth hearing it over me describing it, so I’ll stop here, but I will say one thing: “Jump”, by itself, feels like an anthem that would’ve lifted this album to a 4, bare minimum. The whole thing is really, really good, and while it’s not as good as their debut, it all still just rips. It’s a 5, and probably higher, though not a 10.

I grew up on Van Halen, and still love them as much as I did as a kid. This album is explosive and so fun. Absolutely love the synth, bright and buzzy guitar tone, all over the place drums. Eddie Van Halen is just so inventive on the guitar, so distinctive. “I’ve got my PEN-cil” is one of my favorite moments in all rock music.

yeah this is awesome, 34 minutes of just great music, not too long, easy to digest, great stuff

In which Eddie Van Halen, one of the most important guitar players in the instrument's history, reminds us of his classical musical training and composes a bunch of great stuff for synthesizers. Still somewhat anathema for hard rockers, it works. Later, Alex Van Halen reminds us that he's a formidable drummer by recording a drum intro to 'Hot For Teacher' that may never stop causing debates about how to play it correctly. Michael Anthony supports, David Lee Roth pretends to be as important to the band as either of the eponymous brothers. Once again, this is an album that fucked up rock music for a long time. It's not straightforward to make a song like 'Jump' compelling. A lot of synth-powered motivational ballads followed. Most sucked (Rush and, to a lesser extent, Triumph had a few good ones). 'Panama' reminds us of Van Halen I & II. 'Hot For Teacher' is maybe Peak Diamond Dave-era VH. Hot take: this is a perfect album. Within the micro-genre that Van Halen forms the gravimetric centre of, this is the ur-record. 5/5

I really needed this. Such an iconic style, incredible energy and extremely skilled solos. Can't ask for more.

Jump and Panama are classics. The other tracks aren't quite as good, but they're not bad either. Would Lauren again.

Super high hit rate

There is no wrong with van halen, lovee this band and their songs and this album just go with it, it must be a 5 stars

One of my favorite albums of all time. Copy/paste if you want to read more: https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-1984-by-van-halen?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false

There's a reason people still talk, 40-plus years later, about the end of the Van Halen/Roth partnership - these guys were absolutely peaking at the time. This album includes the most controversial (and correctly forward-thinking) instrumentation decision since Dylan going electric, AND the world's grand introduction to the double bass pedal (amazing that both Van Halen brothers have a repertory piece on their respective instruments), AND a half-dozen other flawless compositions, AND Roth's zenith as a vocalist. An absolute masterwork.

God damn what a record. One of the first albums I ever owned. Every song rips. AVH is a very underrated drummer. An easy 5/5.

Now this is a classic. Simply amazing synth from start to end, not to talk about Panama and especially the vibes that emerge from Jump. Simply a masterpiece

The perfect guitar

I knew OF Van Halen by the time this dropped, when I was 12 and a half, but this made me, and just about everyone else in my class, a fan. Still great to listen to it, and my daughter even said she's "absorbed" most of the songs.

Unreal album, everyone on top form here musically but a special mention to Eddie Van Halen who had to be writing some of the most creative riffs of the 80s.

Panama and Hot for teacher alone is worth 4 stars. The rest of the album is not just good, it's fucking good. So it's a 5.

Classic VH ! The album starts at the 3rd track for me as I got tired of Jump and Panama over the years. The drumming on the beginning of "Hot for Teacher" is just crazy, probably the best song of the album. "I'll Wait" is the weaker song of the album. The album ends very well with "Girl Gone Bad" and "House of Pain".

Good tunes thx !.

Listening to this you realize why Van Halen was huge

Jesus I haven't listened to this in a long time. I forgot the song "Top Jimmy" even exists. What a freaking banger. Honestly this album was so popular, every single song is pretty much on the radio every day. It's basically a Van Halen greatest hits CD. This still isn't my favorite Van Halen record. Fair Warning holds that honor. Hard to not love 30 minutes of good old fashioned hard rocking. 15/19

Yeah. Damn near perfect. With 1984, Van Halen prove they are everything you are not. They're fun. They're popular. They are the life of the party. They're no virgins. You can try, but you will never be Van Halen

. It is a Ven Halen album with more focus on keyboards. Great hits are here like Jump and Panamá. You wont be dissapointed if you are looking for hard rock albums with a party rock vibe

Easily my favorite Van Halen album!

One of the best albums ever

Short story: Back in the 2Ks, spent most of my day listening to $20 Sony Earbuds. I was replacing them every few months because they are meh. I had recently been exposed to one of those table top Bose systems. It was remarkable the sound that came out of that little box. I decided I was going to invest my in some $115 Bose headphones. I figured if I could not tell the difference in the sound quality, between them and the Sony, I would just return them. I was telling my wife if my idea. Then I had an idea, to get an unbiased opinion, I asked my wife to listen and to them for me. I first let her listen to the 1st minute if a song on the Sony headphones. Then I restarted the song and let her listen on the Bose. It was like 15 seconds in and with the headphones still in her ears, she say “Yeah, you are not returning these”. Btw the song I played for her was Panama. She didn’t know who Van Halen was until we met. 🤣😂

9/10

Eddie does synthesizers

I graduated from high school in 1984. Van Halen was the biggest band in the world. Saw the tour bought the T-shirt everything. I haven’t listened this album. Top to bottom in many decades. It’s amazing and proves how much Roth and Van Halen needed each other.. semi sucks

Undeniably great record. So many jams.

OK. When the video for Jump came out it was on a 'battle of the videos'-type segment on MTV and it just kept winning. It's such a simple video but we loved it! I remember getting such a kick out of seeing Eddie laugh so many times during the video. I was hooked.

Classic album. Every song is great

How much sex do you think these guys had?

A 5* album from a 5* band - it’s fun, non stop and EVH shreds 5/5 Best Song: Panama

Standout Songs: Jump Panama Top Jimmy Hot for Teacher I'll Wait Girl Gone Bad Hell yeah! One of my all time favourite albums comes up on the list. Half an hour of rockin’ out! Been on such a good streak of albums lately.

Excellent album.

This album is just as impressive as it was back in 1984. I love all of its songs!

This album is great. I told myself Id always hate the synth in VH cause too me Jump is annoying but for me the rest of the album slays.

Great rock album and probably their best. Last one with Lee Roth until the reunion

Probably the best Van Halen albums made. The entire band is going on all cylinders with this one. Great guitar work, amazing drums and Diamond Dave at his peak. They do not take them selves seriously with this and it's so much fun because of it. Hot For Teacher is one of the best rock songs ever because of it. Panama is just fun as hell. This album makes you want to drive around in summer with all the windows down blaring this album. It annoyed so many parents when it was released. I had to hide the tape of it because my mom just hated them. Great album.

Speed and volume with a vivacious front man makes this a one of a kind experience

I joined this site because I wanted to broaden a horizons and challenge myself with stuff that I would never would listen to myself. Now it's third week and so far randomizer mostly feeds me my favourite heavy rock bands, that I would listen to anyway? Damn! :) Well, this is album is famous because of its synth-driven hits Jump and Panama, but the guitar-oriented stuff on this album is actually as good like on an earlier ones. I'd give it 4.5 if it was possible, just because while they are fun songs, Jump and Panama will never have this extra coolness factor as I'm The One, Somebody Get Me A Doctor or Romeo Delight. Still amazing stuff!

This album is an absolute banger to me. Reminds me of my teenage years. Also, every song is good, not a bad one in the bunch. A+

Iconic in every sense, projected the bands to new heights and solidified their place in the musical world

Everything about this album is iconic. Its humor was on display with that smoking cherub painting on the album cover. One of the first albums I purchased for myself with my own income. The other was Quiet Riot METAL HEALTH. I was already in love with synths, but this album showed me that I could have my synths and my hard rock. A very brave album at a time when the use of synths was heavily frowned upon by mainstream rock. Eddie showed that he wasn't just a master guitarist, but also a master with an Oberheim synth. A very tight, and short album that is a stone cold classic. More than half of the album are all time hits in the genre: "1984", "Jump", "Panama", "Top Jimmy", "I'll Wait" and "Hot for Teacher". It took me seeing the band live to figure out the awesome idling motorcycle engine thunder of the intro in "Hot for Teacher". It showed me what a double bass drumming and more importantly what a double bass pedal could do for drumming options.

Loved, loved, LOVED everything about this album! Can't help blasting these songs at full volume. Eddie Van Halen is a genius on the guitar and keyboard and David Lee Roth really shows his talent on this album.

iconic music

Awesome!

Core memory, origin story, etc. When I hear the words "Van Halen," THIS album is the first thing that comes to mind. One of the first cassettes I asked my parents to buy for me (the very first was Def Leppard's Pyromania. Thriller was somewhere in there too.) When I was a kid I would get to the end of "I'll Wait" and fast forward to the end to flip it over, but when I got a little older I realized "Girl Gone Bad" and "House of Pain" were great songs too. It is hard to describe the excitement I would feel when the VJ would say "Up next, it's Van Halen with 'Jump'!" I loved a lot of the music this band made (and I hated a decent amount too) but nothing they ever did was as great to my developing ears as this album. (P.S. - It's kind of insane that on Van Halen's greatest album you don't hear a guitar until about a minute into Track 2.)

This album came out when I was 10, and to this day it is still one of my favorites. Eddie’s guitar playing is amazing as usual, and the addition of keys really works well. Great songs front to back whether or not you are fan of keyboards.

Hard rock. The real thing that elevates this album is EVH’s guitar. It’s fast when it needs to be, but even slow it’s captivating. Even the singer’s high pitched screeches doesn’t bring this album down.

One of Janice's favs. I like their early work. Still great

An album that doesn't out stay its welcome, consisting of just 9 tracks. It's an iconic album, for an iconic band. This was the last album with the original line-up. It's a classic Hard Rock album with a pop sensibility sprinkled in. The use of synthesizers caused quite a stir at the time, as it was a marked departure for their sound, which alienated some of their fan base! It's superbly produced, the songs and performances are excellent. For me, Van Halen would never be as good as this again. 5 stars . "Class dismissed" 😊 Would I listen to this album again? Yes. Would I buy this album? Yes, I did. 1-"1984" - The track in which Van Halen let us know that a change was afoot, and that keyboards were now to be expected! It caused a bit of a stir at the time. As did the rather different, for them, following track. - 4/5 2-"Jump"- The track in which Van Halen let us know that can do Pop/Rock. Catchy as hell. - 5/5 3-"Panama"- “Panama” is pure, unadulterated Van Halen. A fabulous hard rocker that still maintains a catchy hook. Great guitar solo. - 5/5 4-"Top Jimmy" - “Top Jimmy” is a tribute to Top Jimmy & The Rhythm Pigs. Great, bluesy guitar work. - 4/5 5-"Drop Dead Legs" - This has a certain groove to it. - 4/5 6-"Hot for Teacher" - A classic. From the drum introduction, to the following guitar introduction, this a wonderful song. Great riff, great harmony vocals and a great chorus. David Lee Roth’s spoken monologues and Eddie Van Halen's guitar runs make for a song that’s both tongue-in-cheek and technically dazzling. It's a fun song, not to be taken seriously. - 5/5 7- "I'll Wait" - Pulsating synth riff. A marked change in style. A wonderful song. This song gives a nod to where the band will go with Sammy Hagar. Great guitar solo. - 5/5 8- "Girl Gone Bad" - This is more in the style of the earlier Van Halen records. Excellent hard rocker, with a nice break down in the bridge. - 5/5 9- "House of Pain" - Again, maintaining their earlier 'Hard Rock' style that then wanders, briefly into the newer sound, before crashing out into classic Van Halen. A great album closer. - 5/5 Total - 42 Average - 4.67

Great album. David Lee Roth as a front man really ads personality to this band. Enjoyed it.

Another album I bought at the time. Contains a great pop song, Jump, and catches the band on the crest of their wave. Lots of fun and great to hear hard rock n' roll with some swing.

If only for Hot For Teacher. Now Eddie! After Ozzie, suppose Prince is next on my list. This one is great. Takes me back. I dont care for I’ll wait and jump was overplayed for me. Other than that this one RIPS. 8.0

Awesome

Finalmente il mio angelo è tornato dalla sigaretta. Album stupendo, gasa il giusto cioè tanto. Da prendere assolutamente in vinile anche solo per godere della copertina.

Van Halen's peak. RIP Eddie. 5

Hot for teaching the younger generation about this album.

Great album.

Absolute Gods of rock. Eddie Van Halen and DLR bro come on the absolute best.

Love it!

Great

What a fantastic rock record with incredible grooves, face-melting guitar solos and riffs, and some of the most recognizable songs on the planet.

Good stuff

Excellent!

Classic Rock

Kult!

This was surprisingly awesome

5. There is no other correct score.

I rarely rate albums 5/5, this one definitely earned it.

I didn't intend to listen to the entire album. Every song was familiar, so I guess I digested all of it at some point in my childhood. This is one that you can actually listen to, straight though. I put it on in the background and ended up listening to the twice. I don't think it is meant to be an intellectually deep record, but it's perfect for what it is. Every damn song is excellent!

Wow, I'm very impressed by this. As someone who's not a big fan of classic rock, this is definitely the best album of it's kind I've heard so far. I'll give it five stars for having so many hit songs as well

Awesome classic rock

Okay love the photo of the album cover OHHH YESSSS ITS JUMP OHHH IMMA JUMP YIPPEEEE

Mega!

Probably going to be a controversial album in the reviews, but I'll go right ahead and say this is my second favorite Van Halen album ever, including the Hagar stuff. It starts off with the electronic sync instrumental of 1984, which I KNOW pissed a lot of hardcore VH fans off immediately. What?!?! Van Halen is going New Wave?!?! What!?!?!! But then it hits you like a steam train.. Jump, Panama, Top Jimmy and finishing off the first side with the amazing Drop Dead Legs. I mean, those 4 songs all in a row are straight bangers. The guitar work is amazing, the vocals are great, everything is just perfect. Side 2 starts with Hot For Teacher and what a doozie out of the gate. I remember playing this in 4th grade with my friend because we literally DID have the hots for our 4th grade teacher who was maybe 23, 24 at the time and gorgeous, and I was just realizing that girls are pretty cute when they don't have cooties. I'll Wait was a track I skipped, but now I listen to it more as I found out that Michael McDoanld helped the boys write this tune, and it makes it a more interesting song. Definitely not a typical Van Halen song, but still really good. Girl Gone Bad and House of Pain are straight up strip club songs as Van Halen was going right after the Motley Crue fans. Simple as that. Is it good for their image? No, they broke up after this album... well they didn't break up, but David Lee Roth left to do his own thing, and actually had a couple of solid solo albums with the help of Steve Vai. The rest of the boys hooked with Sammy Hagar and you know how that came out. Good, but just not the same. 1984 was a bittersweet goodbye to the old Van Halen, but I still think overall, it's one of their most complete and well done records. 5/5

Surprisingly good

Lotta hits

so unexpected! I loved it

Great

Hell yeah

Awesome rock classic

Hot for Teacher has one of the best fucking drum solos I have ever heard.

One of the best to ever do it. Classic classic album. When you bear the keyboard intros to Jump and I'll wait you know you're in for a good time.

Again, I grew up with so many of these songs in the background as they were constant radio play: Drop Dead Legs; Panama; Jump (which may have been one of the first videos I remember); and who wasn’t Hot for Teacher, aka, Mrs Krittenbrink. Two observations remain. First, in the annals of drummers I don’t know of Alex VH is given enough credit. After re-listening to Hot for Teacher with a critics ear his drumming is exception and that beat is intricate. Second, I really enjoyed the deep cuts of Jimmy and House of Pain, both of which show a strong focus on their individual musical talents. Overall, this album is a classic for its influence, musicality and just kicking ass!

This might be the best mainstream rock album of the 80's. I don't know if it's shorter than I remember, or that it's just so good that everything flies by. It has the big opening, goes bombastic with Panama, and, if you think that's wild, Alex gives you a killer motorcycle-revved drum fill with the beginning of the B-side on Hot for Teacher. You're locked in until the end of HOUSE OF PAAAAIIINNN and, when the time comes to pick up the needle again, you get that feeling like you're back at the beginning of the roller coaster, jostled back to safety.

This was it. The first album I ever bought on vinyl. This is what took Van Halen from superstars of rock arenas and running with the devil to available to the MTV masses. It gave the casual rock fans a taste of what you knew with their albums before this. The driving of Alex’s drums, Dave’s vocals and Michael’s bass to surround the genius of Eddie Van Halen’s guitar.

This is Van Halen at their most polished, just before David Lee Roth hit the road. The songs are on point, rocking just as hard as the first time I head this record. It’s quick and fun, an iconic album cover if there ever was one, and showcases the best of their talents while also dipping their toes into synthesizer craze that was going on in the 80s, but they don’t stay in that new wave pool for very long. Just a quick dip. This is probably my favorite album featuring the original band members. Just incredible.

This is just a banger of an album. Short, fun and every song is justa good time. Can't NOT give this full marks.

Self-title 1984 track is a cool synth intro. Next Up is Jump, a great classic. Next up is Panama, another great classic. Top Jimmy and Drop Dead Legs were pretty good. Hot For Teacher is great, standout drums and guitar. Rest of the album is solid. Probably deserves a 4 but I'll go with 5 for how good the better songs are.

An all time classic

Nyt vedetään suoraan mun elämän jukeboxista päivä toisensa jälkeen. Top!

Huhhuh mitä tykitystä! Levyyn mahtui kyllä niin monta eri tunnelmaa, nyanssia ja riffiä että ei päässyt tylsyys yllättämään. Harvemmin kasarirokissa tollasta kuulee. Jos laulut olis vielä ollut jollain tavalla merkityksellisempiä niin olis ollu 6/5. Se ei tämän herran kohdalla kuitenkaan ole oleellista.

I'd give this 4.5 stars. At one time in my life, I would have given it 2, then 3, then maybe 4, as it continues to have grown on me as I've gained more appreciation and perspective for what they were doing, and the "80's hair metal" type sound has also become more tamed than when I was a young 90's kid. I definitely can now hear how their mix of synths and heavy guitar, combined with catchy hooks and incredible guitar work really is something special - even if I still don't like a lot of their other output.

I feel like I just stepped back in time

So good perfect finals study album too.

Incredible album.

Can listen to Eddie play guitar all day long. Also has good ass songs

Van Halen, particularly with Diamond Dave Lee Roth as frontman, are ridiculously over the top, brash, flashy, trashy, and really good fun. You don't come to a VH album expecting profound life lessons; you come for the party, and you get that by the truckload. You also get a finely tuned rock band with one of the most influential guitarists in history, a great drummer, an underrated bass player whose backing vocals always made a huge difference to the sound, and a goofish, clown of a lead singer who has more cocky self-confidence than any of them. This album adds synths to a few tracks but they are still mostly built on Eddie's incredible rhythm guitar playing - the man was an outstanding lead player with chops that many still try in vain to match but his rhythm playing is perhaps even better. Van Halen are probably responsible for the Hair Metal phenomena that spread from California in the early '80s but they can't be blamed for the many inferior copycats who followed in their wake. 1984 was the band's last album with DLR for years and, for me, sits just below Van Halen and Van Halen II. It makes me smile.

The #1 reason you shouldn't trust anything I say is that I prefer Sammy Hagar to David Lee Roth and think 5150 is VH's best album. But, while there is some filler here, Jump, Panama, and Hot For Teacher are simply three of the greatest songs by an American rock band ever.

Banger.

This is an amazing gem. Might be the essential VH Album.

Top album imo, hard rock but very accessible, light lyrics and high energy.

I love VH. Happy music. The best guitar (RIP, EVH) and DLR’s voice is insouciant and lucky. This album brings back happy memories.

Świetna płyta. Zawiera takie numery jak Jump i Hot for Teacher. Jestem fanem.

I did not expect banger after banger of classic rock god music to all be from the same album. This has to be one of the most impressive albums of the entire 1980s.

incredible

Classic rock done right. Multiple serious classics in this album. My only complaint is the last couple songs felt a little phoned in. Pretty cool guitar solos if you are into that.

The soundtrack of my middle school years.

Great album every song is perfect

I really enjoyed this album, plenty of classic's. I think I might be bored of llistening to Jump though, its still a great song but I have heard it so much that its just boring.

I once had a dream that I was at a fair ground with my wife and daughter. We were standing in a line and chatting while waiting for one of the rides. All of a sudden, the drum intro from Hot For Teacher was playing, but inside my body/head. It was pervasive and dominating. I slid to the ground and realized that the beat was my heart going crazy. Like I was having a serious jammer. I wasn't surprised by this for some reason. I was more so kind of embarrassed to have everyone looking at me and worried for my family who had to witness it. The looks were of concern and panic. I though, was calm with the exception of the frantic heartbeat. The beat eventually slowed and became a regular heart beat pattern, but this slowed down too and eventually stopped. I couldn't see faces anymore, but the sunset sky was peaceful. Anyways, that was fucked and I woke up wondering if I had some sort of cardiac event in my sleep. Thanks, brain. There would be worse tracks to go out to. This album is awesome. Pure rock and roll swagger from maybe the best iteration of the band. So many classics crammed in here. Occasionally the guitar is overly technical seemingly just for the sake of it, but 95% of the time, the composition is spot on. Some great 70's prog stuff going on in some tracks. The synth opening for I'll Wait could fit nicely in a Fabio Frizzi arrangement, and the drums are just excellent in every track. Good stuff

CLASSIC ALBUM!

Sometimes, an album doesn't need deep meanings. This album is fun, electric, throttled with talent, and some of the best 1980s music you'll ever hear. An easy V-star rating from me. Favorite Track: "Jump".

One of the best so far! I love the band and this album is awesome!

Instant 5, just add high volume! “Jump”, “Panama”, “Hot For Teacher”… unmistakable classics in a classic album.

not one skip on this entire album

This is an eleven-teen !! One of the 🐐 s For all you one-raters: - chances are the music you like might not exist without VH - Eddie VH is one of the most talented musicians to ever walk on earth - this was four guys in a room with instruments. No laptrpps, no auto tune , just talent - many of your parents went to stand in line at the record store on 12/31/1983. To buy this on vinyl (or cassette). Ask them …. - VH is not hair metal. They are their own genre of music.

This is a phenomenal album! It’s a strong 4.6-4.7. Bangers, new found bangers, great flow, creative, this is one that I could get stuck on for a while. 5/5

You're going to do sports (or do anything else) and forcing yourself by powers of RETRO💪 Legendary classic!

Fantastic hard rock blended with perfect melodies and virtuosic guitar playing.

Jump back to back with Panama. Also Hot for Teacher. Just a half hour of straight heat

obvi a solid album, if not a bit full of itself

i went thru the DLR run of van halen records semi recently and had a rly great time, the vast majority of them are basically equal in high quality to me which is kinda wild considering theyre all pretty different, or at least scratch different itches. the final record of this lineup is still so fresh and vital and forward-looking that it genuinely feels like it could have been a debut...just bright and buoyant and consistently full of energy. the synths are the main experiment but they dont actually appear on more than a couple tracks...yet the impression they make extends so high, they rly are just How Synths Are Supposed To Sound. it feels like in this period, eddie just woke up every day and accidentally coughed out a legendary riff or lick without even trying. an always reliable record, one of the platonic ideals of an anyplace anytime listen in terms of Fun Rock Music. the pencil innuendo is incomprehensible tho...

O monstro das guitarras!

Maybe the greatest rock album of the 80’s.

Forgot how much ass this album kicks 😊 this album gets 5 just for Hot for Teacher♥️ but it is bangbangbangin’ perfection until and including I’ll wait. This was my 1st concert, went w my dad😍 and we shared a suite at the Brendan Byrne arena w Queen?!?!? Amazing experience. I LOVED VH, esp this album - Mike and cranked it on saturday in the car so good not one bad/ mediocre track

VH’s zenith. Top to bottom insane. Every musician is in peak form.

Infectious. From the first note to the last, the energy is on, and whether you like the music or not, it's on. Who can resist?

Plainly, this is a joy to listen to. The reviewers that rated this 1-star because they hate hair metal are brain-dead, and should broaden their perspectives. Whether this is your usual poison or not, you don't need to be a genius to recognise that these fellas are wildly talented with their respective instruments. I can see the smiles on their faces as I listen to it. They obviously love the art they're making If you did rate this low - go back and listen to Girl Gone Bad again. Reeaally listen to it. Then go back to the hits, and read your review again. If you still don't feel like a knucklehead then this project clearly isn't for you

OUTRO dos melhores discos de hard rock de todos os tempos

Love the use of synths and David Lee Roth is a great rock vocalist. Jump into Panama is a phenomenal 1-2 punch. Hot for Teacher has one of the best intros of all time.

5 stars one of the best albums

4.7 - I dont think I could name a single van halen song before listening to this album but straight away new the first track. From then on it was just a joy to listen and cant wait for more of his albums

Van Halen will always have a special place in my heart. This is a great album. I love the synths incorporated into this one, and it has so many tracks that will never get old to me.

Set your pretensions aside and enjoy this ride. A great reminder of Eddie Van Halen’s talent: he didn’t just play fast (although he certainly played fast as shit): he played musically and always interestingly. In relistening to this album I found myself focusing on Eddie’s rhythm guitar sections even more than his solos - the way he’d add little notes and rhythms to guitar parts in the verses of the songs is fascinating. Sorry to the Van Halen purists, but I think Jump is clearly the band’s best song. What a jam, I’ve always loved it. Panama is great of course too. Hot For Teacher is hilarious and fun. It’s somewhat ridiculous at times, but properly showcases Eddie’s talent and David’s absurd swagger in a joy ride that could have only come from the mid-80’s.

Reminds me of skateboarding with my buddies. Classic.

Stupendous, polished, posh and still nasty gritty rock n roll. Van Halen never dissapoints and 1984 might be their most commercially successful album at the absolute peak of the Van Halen mania. This was a personal favorite of mine from my childhood and certain deserves the accolades this album gets.

Originally, I was going to write this a three. But then I forgot how hilarious some of these songs are. And technically, really good.

Teenage sexual tension 9/10

Great album, this and the first Van Halen album are the best ones in my opinion.

9.5/10. This is so corny. I love it. It features various memorable songs. It deserves five stars for Hot for Teacher alone. :) I have a random story that I wish to share!!! Sometime ago, I noticed that one of my online forum games has been plagiarized. The game involves aging a character. All of the players in the game control said character. Since my game was plagiarized, I decided to troll the user who made the plagiarized version of my game. I basically made the character a mutant who is built up of Maynard James Keenan's head, Adam Jones' left-arm, Justin Chancellor's right arm, Paul D'Amour's torso, Danny Carey's left (or right) leg, and Mike Portnoy's right (or left) leg. Yes, I'm a fan of TOOL and Dream Theater. Anyway, this character had an obsession with the song Hot for Teacher. I constantly referenced that song. Eventually, the plagiarized version of my game was taken down. Perhaps they were sick and tired of my mutant character being so obsessed with Hot for Teacher. Regardless, Hot for Teacher is still a banger. That song now constantly reminds me of my mutant character. Also, the drum solo at the beginning of the song is awesome!!! :)

So much fun :)

I own this album on vinyl and it's one of my favorites. Just so, so good, with all of the delicious musical goodness that defines Van Halen. My only complaint is that it's too short, so I listened to it twice today. Five stars, easily.

Fun album with a lot of classics like Hot for Teacher and Jump

Great Music! Great performances. Some timeless classics. One of Van Halens best albums

Absolute classic

I've heard this album a million times and I still enjoyed listening to it. Not much more to say than that.

Super!

grew up listening to VH. This is not my favorite, mostly because it's the most overplayed. I am 2 weeks in on this album generator thing and just happy that today's album wasn't more Brit-pop which seems to be a popular theme

Man this whole album is full of bangers!!! 5 stars hands down. These guys know how to make amazing intros. The drum solo at the beginning of Hot For Teacher is dope! Intro to I'll Wait, fire. Would have been fun to be in my 20s during the mid 80s.

УУУУ ГАТ ИТ БЭЭЭД ГАТ ИТ БЭЭЭЭД ГАТ ИТ БЭЭЭД АЙМ ХАТ ФО ТИЧАААА

A classic. Love this album, even the non hits on this are killer. Girl Gone Bad is way proggier than I would’ve thought. Just a kick ass 80s metal album.

He's real good at guitar