Reviews (page 3 of 15)
Last album from first 8 Van Halen run
never would have thought I'd like Van Halen but that's why this 1001 albums thing is so great!
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.
This album is rock n roll royalty. It’s also hard to fathom that this was the final album with David Lee Roth as the lead singer.
really good i loved the beginning of every song but eventually towards the middle they kind of started to sound the same.
Good solid album by Van Halen
9 songs EVH is a great guitarist, but hair metal has never been my thing. The overly enthusiastic tone of a lot of the songs just doesn't hit right for me, idk why, but it seems like almost a parody of the genre itself. Can't give it lower than 3 stars though, as the music is not bad, just not my cup of tea.
This album seems like a real litmus test for Van Halen fans vs. casual listeners. The first five tracks, functionally side 1, are more radio-friendly than their prior sound, and putting Eddie Van Halen, one of one in terms of rock guitarists, on a synthesizer seems like an 80s relic. But side 2 is more of Van Halen's classic sound, and DLR sounds more from the 70s era of hard rock instead of the glam metal of the 80s. Thankfully, Van Halen didn't lose their sense of humor, especially the album art.
Sure this isn't a 5...right? I'm actually on the fence. This is just pure FUN and I love this album. It's really a 33 minute guitar masterclass from Eddie, from finger-tap shredding to hyper-ZZ Top blues to cool atmospheric picking parts. The hits really hit (starting an album with Jump and Panama back to back??) but a few other songs I hadn't really known very well (or maybe ever even heard before) like Girls Gone Bad. Sure the lyrics are a little reductive but this is pretty much large formal arena hard rock at its best for me.
Jump pulls this up to a three - it's fine but ....
Onaj klasik rock album. Campy na nacin na koji samo album koji se zove 1984 moze biti.
Good ol rock n roll. Hot For Teacher is legitimately one of my favorite songs ever. Too many hits for me to critique everything else here too much.
Not a ton of deep thinking substance but the riffs are awesome and it’s a ton of fun to drive to work to on a sunny day
Several bops and several flops. Girl Gone Bad was probably the most interesting song here, but of course there are a few classics. House of Pain wasn't that impressive a closer. 3.4/5 -> 3/5
80’s bierbuikrock, geen grote fan
start peak, dan beetje minder
Van Halen suffers from the same problem as the Stones: The music is pretty good but the singer is a fucking clown, so it's hard to take them seriously. I've heard a lot of people say that this album could come out today and it would be a hit. No way. Have you met the people of today? I mean, maybe if the lyrics were completely rewritten it could be somewhat popular.
This was much better than I remembered. Maybe a little more guitar wankery than I usually enjoy, but solid overall.
I think I got this from Columbia House. Definitely had a cassette. I still like Panama, Hot For Teacher, and to a lesser extent, Jump. I had never noticed that Drop Dead Legs is a rip off of Back in Black.
Not my favorite Van Halen, but very good. Might have been a 5 but I want to make space between it and some of their earlier work. Also, it might be suffering from the fact that I heard Jump two billion times when it came out. Surprisingly, though, the song holds up.
3/5 - Pretty tiresome, to be honest. Panama is a great riff, and Jump was the first song I ever recorded to cassette off the radio on my boombox. I feel like I’ve outgrown the rest of this.
Two Van Halen albums in a week. While they're not my favorite band, they have some really great hits and they are definitely good artists with great musical skills. I didn't like this one as much as self-titled, but it was still an enjoyable ride. I listened to II after completing this one and can see why it was left off the 1001 list.
favs: 1984 jump rating 1.2/5
fav song was jump because it was on glee. It was good but i wouldn’t listen to it x
Yeah. Van Halen rules.
jump being the most pop track on the album is suck a kiiii good for them
Stellar album. Most of VHs best stuff on here. Thoroughly enjoyed this one.
All the goodwill from Jump instantly destroyed by Hot For Teacher.
Álbum excelente de Hard Rock. Vocais e instrumentais excelentes. Músicas muito divertidas. Celest Phoenixcall.
Listens: 3 Standout Tracks: Jump, Panama, Hot For Teacher 1984 is just nowhere as good as Van Halen's eponymous debut album (which I am comparing it to because its also on the List). Points for being a short 33 minute whirlwind of sound. It has some nice tracks (the singles), but is also slightly boring. Solid 3 material. After listen number three, I've changed my mind.I liked it more than I didn't and that means 4.
Decent but wasn't blown away
panama >>> but jump is pretty good too. honestly theyre all fun
Hit after hit, still good.
not for me
no no no no no no no no
Heard this album a bunch growing up so got some nostalgia bias going on
I'm nostalgic for two songs on here, but otherwise it just does not keep my attention. The riffs are good, but something about this brand of "too cool for school metal" does not hit for me
Jump is an all time classic. Some other lyrics didn't age quite as well.
This is fine. Jump is a classic, but there's nothing special about it. Not really memorable.
H: the energy had me in the first half and lost me in the second. Not every song needs an excessive guitar solo. 6/10 H fav song: Panama Z: some sick guitar riffs in here, but VH just doesn’t do it for me. I clump them in the same camp as KISS, Def Leppard, etc. Music to hype up 56 year old divorcees with leather skin. Jump has got to be a top 50 song intro of all time though. 6.3/10 Z for fans of: knocking down your divorced dad’s door, cocaine, the 80s Z fav song: Jump
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.
Top notch musicianship wasted by meaningless lyrics and a cheesy singer. The remastered version sounds so much better than the original. Having Eddie's guitar isolated like that...you can really hear his genius.
Not my taste but it sure is someone's
House Of Pain
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”.
Gran disco
Fine they’re good at guitar but the music is simultaneously kinda boring and annoying to me.
Weer zo'n prima album
Van Halen klinkt als een Weird Al-parodie op goede jaren-80 rockmuziek. Jump is irritant en veel van deze tracks zijn niet veel beter. Refreintjes zijn cheesy, vocals zijn niet om aan te horen. De tweede helft redt dit treinwrak van de 1 ster, omdat daar wat flarden van goede nummers voorbij komen.
I had no idea Van Halen did Jump Overall this was much weaker and more pop than their other stuff I’ve heard, wasn’t a fan
Perhaps not my favourite VH album (VHI is probably the best), but not a bad song here. EVH was one of the greatest!
Turns out Van Halen isn't just one guy, they're a band? I imagine this won't be the last time this'll happen...
Jump is a classic. I am happy to not hear the rest of this again
Ah, it’s this album! I can’t hold it against them that I hate the song “Jump.” I honestly didn’t vibe with much else on the album…
God damn - some real good misogynistic bull shit right there. Eddy is a god. The lyrics to these songs absolutely suck. They sound great
I think it’s time to accept that I’m a bigger fan of Panama and Hot for Teacher than I am of the rest of this album. Pound for pound, self titled is far more enjoyable. Jump sucks and always has. Sorry.
I never understand Jump - a guitar led rock band known for out there solos goes for a synth-pop tune with hardly any rock DNA at all. Bit more business as usual on Panama. Classic 80s rock, made for stadiums. I can imagine the 'band on tour' montage music video just listening to it. Bit bland, except for when the shredding starts, like the start of Hot for Teacher. It's just all a bit samey - dated sound and superseded by a lot of rock and metal that came after (e.g. I can hear similarities between Girl Gone Bad and Trivium) House of Pain has a chugging metal riff borrowed from Metallica and glammed up but then the verses have no focus. The chugging riff is good, but it can't hold a whole song. Ah, then we're back to a kind of melodic metal before the classic EVH solo. Best track - Panama, House of Pain 3 stars - there is some decent variety here from synth pop to stadium rock to a bit of thrash and essentially melodic metal. It's just none of it stands out today
never been a fan, but interested to give a full album a go. I mean the hits are recognizable, but the others are underwhelming.
I’m a bit young for Van Halen; my older burnout cousins were into them and the butt rock thing didn’t really appeal particularly as I came of age musically when rock music had made a darker turn. But as a guitar player, it’s hard to not appreciate Eddie Van Halen. Its difficult to think of a modern guitarist who had more of an influence on guitar playing: he didn’t invent two handed tapping, but he popularized it; he was instrumental in the development of the Floyd Rose locking tremolo, in pushing the tonal capabilities of guitar amps. And while the 70s and 80s had a lot of shredders, EVH stood apart not just for his frankly astounding technical ability, but also his capacity to write songs. And yeah even though I want to dislike the bombast here, the dumb sexism, the sheer exuberance on 1984 wins me over. The guitar playing on this album is spectacular, not just on the hits, but also on the lesser known tracks like Top Jimmy with the opening riff with all those natural harmonics. And while EVH is rightly recognized as one of the best guitarists of his generation, you can’t downplay his synth work here either. Diamond Dave is a natural showman and his charisma is infectious. Alex Van Halen the drums and Michael Anthony on bass round out the band with some impressive rhythms. In terms of sheer talent, Van Halen are one of the greatest, but still they’re a fun listen. It’s still kinda butt rock, yeah, but it’s the highest form of butt rock.
Van Halen... This takes me back. Back to the 80s? What? No. I wasn't even alive back then. No, this takes me back to October 5, 2023. That was when I started the 1001 Albums project itself, and the first that I was given was Van Halen's 1978 self-titled debut album. 983 days later, I'm somehow still doing the 1001 Albums project and I get to listen to a second Van Halen album. I kinda wish I could've gotten this as my final album so that it would've gone full circle to the beginning, but the odds of that happening were always slim to none, so I can't exactly say that I'm surprised that I'm not reviewing this on day 1089. Then again, I am still pretty shocked that it took this long for me to get the second Van Halen album. So, after 32 months since my first Van Halen album, do I still like Van Halen as much as I did back then? Yes! This album's great! I do slightly prefer the debut, but 1984 still has a lot to love. Of course, many of that album's strongest elements return. Eddie Van Halen is still one of the greatest guitarists to ever live and David Lee Roth is a pretty good frontman. The songwriting is still fairly basic, but none of it is bad at all. In fact, the best songs on here are really great. "Jump" is a classic for good reason. The synth-heavy sound is definitely a change for the band, but it worked out pretty well, didn't it? The guitar-focused work isn't gone though. You still have some stellar rockers like "Panama" and "Hot for Teacher" to appreciate. The latter of those two songs opens with a pretty cool drum solo, so that's cool! "Panama" actually has a pretty funny story pertaining to why it was written. Apparently there was a reporter who claimed that Van Halen only made songs about parties, women, and cars, and David Lee Roth was like "Umm... no? We've never made a song about cars," so he decided to write a song about a car. I find that very funny and I don't know why. Great song though, as are the other ones I've mentioned. 1984 is a bit of a stylistic turn for Van Halen, but it is not a bad one in the slightest. The first few years of the 80s treated Van Halen well, it seems. I'm not sure that I could say the same for the years that followed since I haven't heard any of it, but maybe they were good too, I don't know. What I do know is that 1984 is a good album. 4/5.
Jump is a banger, but thats really it
Great instrumentals, but everything else is unsufferable.
This album was really consistently good
2.5
🤘
They shred but do their lyrics have to be so stupid. I’d rather not think about a kid banging his teacher, thanks. They have a lot of technical skill, but they don’t use it for good.
Ok, but old sound now
Bien.
Highlights: Jump, Panama, Top Jimmy, Hot for Teacher, Girl Gone Bad Insanely strong opening. Hard af and fun to listen to. Not too crazy about a relisten any time soon doe.
Really great rock album. Jump, Panama. Fantastic.
Saw them live on this tour. Jump is now a classic, but nothing else comes up to that standard. Middle of the road poodle rock.
Total pish
I'm with Jim and William Reid on this one. Apparently they have caused a stir recently in an interview by describing Van Halen as one of the worst guitar players in the world and ruined rock guitar music during the 80's and 90's. This is horrible stuff and so were all all the other soft rock bands who imitated this rubbish.
I GET UP
Jump was one of THE songs of 1984 Together with Panama and Hot for Teacher, Dave Lee Roth's antics were hard to escape this year While the opening has shades of "Mr Robotto", thats all forgotten a couple of tracks in, even though the synth remains a too-prominent element While I certainly prefer some of their earlier material, this is an easy 4 stars for keeping the metal flag flying in the crazy eighties
Weirdly more boring than I expected. Jump is really repetitive. Panama is decent for what it is. Hot for Teacher is awesome. The rest is kind of filler. It's not awful, but I kind of expected more for some reason.
yesyesyes
Kicks ass for 33 minutes. Not a song I didn’t like. No nonsense rock and roll baby
Good dumb fun
база
Haven't heard this album all the way through for a long time; Early foray into synth sound that they would later embrace; Overall solid album with some monster hits, and so so others.
This is a quick and easy 5 out of 5. About half of these tracks I've heard before and at least two of these songs are highly regarded. This is my first time actually sitting down to listen to a Van Helen album from start to finish. I don't think there's a single track I don't like. It's not my exact personal preference (MY KIND OF MUSIC) but the quality is undeniable. It pushes almost all the "right buttons" for me. I'm trying to not have the consensus and reputation of this album convince me of something that may not be true. But, when it comes to (insert rock/metal sub-genre here) this album is exactly what I want to hear. Jump is Jump. This album was only second to MJ's Thriller so that should be evidence enough for it's quality. Highlight of the album, Jump. Jump is Jump. It fucks. Hot For Teacher is second because the drums go hard but Drop Dead Legs has a cool as chorus and riff. A lot of Highlights in this album. Overall, it's kind of boring how good this album is. T3: Drop Dead Legs, Jump, Panama, Hot For Teacher
So 80's in the best way 😆 I love "Jump" and "Panama" 💗💗💗 Guitar 🎸 in "Hot for Teacher" blew me away.. Am I just in a good mood or is this a 5 star?!? Nah its a 4.. Love it
Ok
It’s pretty inoffensive but also kind of repetitive. Will probably listen again
Ready player one type shit
The deep tracks have a good rhythm section, it's clearly very influential for the 80s. i just don't care about the 80s much
Bog standard 1980's poodle rock. The authors clearly needed filler to make it to the 1001, this is one of those.
You know what? I think Van Halen is fair. Heard all the hits and this one has several. But that’s all that’s worth listening to on this. Eddie’s guitar noodling is ok on small doses. Same with David’s vocals.
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.
Talented guys producing music that irritates my ears. Two stars
Loved the energy. So many songs I enjoyed. Perfect length!
Joo Van Halen!!! Echt iconisch voor de jaren 80 synthesizer sound, ik ben heel benieuwd naar iets anders dan JUMP. En dan hoor je JUMP en ben ik weer helemaal terug bij het boek en de film Ready Player One. Dat boek is echt een aanrader. Interessant wel dat JUMP ONEINDIG MOTHERFUCKING LANG lijkt te duren, maar dat het stiekem net 3 min lang is… repetition much? Dit album voelt als Peek witte mannen van middelbare leeftijd muziek. Ik kan het gitaarspel waarderen, knap gespeeld. De muziek luistert makkelijk weg, maar enorm vernieuwend of tekstueel sterk vind ik het niet.
Nope niet voor mij. Als van Halen gitaar speelt klinkt het als een rapper die alleen nog maar let op snelheid en niet op flow. Het nummer jump vind ik ook heel irritant. Het is ook een beetje over de top rock naar mijn mening.
Jaren 80 is meestal niet mijn favoriet, niet oud genoeg om de 80 en de nasleep te beleven en mn ouders niet jong genoeg om het door te geven. Over van Halen heb ik niet zo veel te zeggen. Snap dat mensen de gitaar fantastisch vinden. Energie is goed, ik voel hier te weinig passie voor om iets positief of negatiefs te zeggen. Geen liefde geen haat, tis ok als het een keer voorbij komt.
Meer jaren 80 dan dit wordt het haast niet. Ik heb het album in twee delen geluisterd maar merkte dat ik de tweede helft er minder zin in kreeg. Als je kijkt naar de luistercijfers zie je dat het album van hoog naar laag gaat. Het begint met de knaller jump, waarvan ik heb genoten van de oberheim wat zoveel karakter heeft dat t lijkt alsof het een levend organisme is. De rest van het album is wel een stuk saaier, en veel van hetzelfde, ik trek zijn stem niet zo goed. Daarnaast ben ik in mijn hele carrière als gitarist nooit echt aangetrokken geweest op t gitaarspel van van halen, het is te virtuoos, te overweldigend. Tegelijkertijd heb ik ook enorm veel respect voor hoe hij het instrument als ware opnieuw uitvind en de grenzen opzoekt van je er mee kan. Dat is wel pure klasse.
Very fun listen, I've always enjoyed this album. The guitar-work is incredible, of course. More synth than I remembered. Some of the lyrics are cringy though
Such fun. 80s rock is the epitome of classic rock.
Idk how I could rate this less that 5 stars
There was really good tracks that make you want to rock. There’s a couple that were just ok.
Can't beat Diamond Dave.
A fun rock album, makes you want to jump from your chair Fav songs - Jump, Hot for Teacher 4/5
Not really my vibes. 2/5
Some classics
I gave it a chance, I swear. It did nothing for me, but at least its a short album.
very effective anti-smoking ad. smoking has never seemed more uncool!
Some great guitar skills (holy harmonics), but it kinda struck me as immature, like Hot for Teacher sounds like its designed to be listened to by middle/high schoolers
Nothing but hits. I would find it to be a bit too much if it were longer, but clocking in at only 33mins, it's sort of perfect. Fun songs, great guitar. Favorite track is "Drop Dead Legs."
Good hut not as amazing as VH 1 More polished and more commercial and more 80s glam rock instead of just hard rock. Still good but doesn’t ring as true
So many hits on this album!!!
Tiene una q es un temon re conocido
6/10 Buen album, ni muy muy ni tan tan pero bien
Yeah man the 80's I guess man
It's 3.75
Some great glam metal. Favorite Track: Jump - The synths on this are so good.
Somehow I thought this would be all synths, since I mostly remembered Jump. But this has some good rockers too. Over all I was impressed by it.
This one is very nostalgic for me given it's release date and what was happening then. I know it well and enjoy the material. I probably rate higher than it deserves but it difficult to listen to objectively
A fun album with some big songs! I liked it 4 ⭐️
Pretty silly, but pretty enjoyable hair metal. EVH's playing is out of this world; I can only imagine the impact it had at the time.
80s rock at it's rock-stariest. Diamond Dave is the epitome of rock star. The album itself was great, a little too 80s for my particular taste though - hits and all it feels its age.
How many bangers can you fit into one album? Seriously. Even the non-singles from this are so good.
Solid rock album but only seems to Have one gear.
I dunno man, this just felt way too meatheaded and cheesy. By the time Hagar mentions bringing his "pencil" on Hot For Teacher, I just mentally nope out for the rest of the album. I can't say it doesn't deserve its placement in the book, as this was a juggernaut and probably inspired a lot of music like it, though I wouldn't really consider that a good thing. Highlights-Jump, Panama, Drop Dead Legs, and I'll Wait. Also the title track reminded me of Live and Learn by Crush 40, not a bad thing, just thought I'd point it out.
Enjoyed this a lot more than I remembered.
Good guitar work. Overplayed
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
Трясця)))
-1 for Hot for Teacher.
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.
Yk what I actually really fucked with this one
This is so generic it might as well have been in 1984. Call it Rock Music by The Band and blast it on the speakers during morning announcements or whatever tf they were doing in that book. I waited all album for some semblance of quality and ironically it came with the song titled “I’ll wait”.
This is drivel. Remarkably bad. Songwriting is uninspired, and that is not to mean simple, but completely devoid of personality. Pertness is no substitute for character. Guitars, vocals, synths, all sound utterly atrocious, as a general rule. There’s one-and-a-half good tracks (“Panama”, “House of Pain”), and the rest are dogshit. It escapes a 1 because the drums sound ok. Closer to a 1 than a 3.
Heard this way too much on the radio so there's no novelty, good though
Not usually my thing
I think I have this one on an audio cassette somewhere.
I like Van Halen too much to even pretend this was an unbiased listen. Not every song on the album is a banger but they're damn close.
Some fun songs and definitely some good playing, just not something that excited me. I would be happy if any of the songs came on, but I don't think I'll come back to the album. Jump in particular is a lot of fun, if a little cheesy. I did enjoy the guitar playing but I just don't feel drawn to listen to it again. Fav song: Jump Least fav: Girl Gone Bad
Singing Jump for a mattress commercial nearly got the New Directions banned from sectionals! And that's what you missed on Glee. Fun short album! Favourite song: Jump Least: Drop Dead Legs
It was an alright listen. Nothing stood out besides girl gone bad, which was probably the best out of this album. Not a fan on synths.
Absolute banger for the just part. Starting with Jump and Panama sets it up to rock hard.
I love the songs and the theme
I don’t know what I thought about Van Halen prior to this but I understand it now!
bangers on bangers. 4.3 sterne
Liked it a lawt. Panama and Girl Gone Bad and House of Pain were my faves. Love the guitar, like cmon It's Eddie. 7.8/10.
Just a bit too overblown for my liking. Aside from Jump it just feels like very dated AOR.
There are a million Van Halen tracks which best “Jump” but it is, of course, the track which this album - and the band, generally - are probably best known for. Sure, it’s got a catchy synth hook, but I like my Van Halen to beat me up the head with guitars from Eddie VH; so, for me, “Panama” is the top track on this album, especially when the guitar slows down from the last minute of the song. Very few of the other tracks get close to those heights, except for “Hot For Teacher”. I always enjoyed “I’ll Wait”, which is more synth heavy - but has aged terribly, sounding every bit of its 40+ years when compared to “Jump”. Not as good as their debut.
I put this off all day and ended up having to listen to it the next morning. I just really wasn't looking forward to it at all. For me, the intro is pointless - it's too short to hold any real interest for an instrumental. Jump is fine, but the synths are just SO synthy. Panama is boring and I really don't like the William Shatneresque spoken-word bit. There's just too much instrumental noodling for the sake of it, for me to enjoy this, and certainly too much for me to carry on going track by track in this review. I'll be back if something I like happens... ...nope. 1/5 (but not as bad as the ones I hate, this was mostly just dull)
That Helene band that I’ve never really listened to too much as an album band only on the radio. I definitely understand why they were a powerhouse in the 80s. Every song rocks. Panama is my favorite.
Just no.
It's been a long time since I've listened to this album (I own it on vinyl somewhere), and the singles are absolute bangers, so I was pumped to spin this. Listening back, it's... fine? It's really short - eight full songs and one intro, the entire thing barely clocking at over half an hour - and it leaves you wanting more in a negative way. I felt like I was getting invested and then... plop, over, finito. I mean, the playing is great, David Lee Roth is hootin' and hollerin' like only he can, but it feels really incomplete. I dunno, it's good but I left feeling disappointed.
I really like the opening song. I love 80s synths, and I truly think that was a great way to open the album. I like "Jump" for that same reason. Love the synths and the two groovy guitar parts, but it left me wanting more. I liked the song, put not enough to listen to it again. It reminded me of the 1st Naruto opening song so that was nice lol. "Hot for Teacher" is a disgusting song; I could not listen to it in full. The track that stood out to me the most was "Girl Gone Bad". Loved the beginning of the song and part at 3:00 - 4:00 but the song completely lost me when dude started "oooh"ing and moaning on the track. If he didn't do that, the song would have been an 8 out of 10 for me, but unfortunately it is like a 6/10. Which seemed to be a pattern that I was noticing in these songs. Those types of adlibs or artistic flair is just not for me. Other than that, no other songs stood out to me and while listening, I found myself glad that there are only 9 songs on this album. I did not want to listen to anymore.
4/7
While Eddie's guitar playing is formidable, VH wouldn't have particularly stuck out between all those other glam/hair metal/rock bands. His decision to use synths despite David's distaste of it really created an iconic sound that made the difference. Jump and those other songs still are absolute bangers.
I felt quite let down with this album compared to the first Van Halen album on the list. The feel just wasn’t quite right- I just couldn’t quite put my finger on why. Some good tracks though- ‘jump’ ‘drop dead legs’ and ‘girl gone bad’ the highlights for me. Favourite track ‘jump’ Worst track- ‘Panama’ Average at best 😕 6/10
This is typical Van Halen - rock anthem-y and a fair bit of angst by David Lee Roth on loves lost/won etc You wont be disappointed with this album but you won't find anything super different to what you were used to with Van Halen
Good
Overrated and I hate Van Halen 2/5
I get tired of their schtick FAST. Good job putting Jump first.
Some good moments where they rock but too much horrible cheesy 80's sell out Def Leopard moments too.
One of the best Van Halen albums with the best songs.
Feels like a classic rock album, Solid album for driving around. I liked the guitar work and sound on the tracks. Liked Panama and Hot for Teacher.
whitest album of all time. jump is fun, the rest i don't particularly care for
Eddie Van Halen is BY FAR my favorite of the classic GUITAR GOD hard rock guys like Slash Et Cetera (even though Slash comes later, I KNOW), and it goes a long way for this album, which I like.
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.
I get it, I just don't care
It's nice overall, although I expected more from some songs. I discovered a song I liked that I didn't know.
Pr pr pr panama!
קידומת הולנדית
This is a really solid classic rock album and I really enjoyed listening to it. Very easy listen and the songs don't really get old. They transport you back to that time. This album didn't blow me away, but it's solid. Would revisit! Top Songs: Jump, Panama, Hot for Teacher
2/5 or 3/5 great hits but never really got into it. The last track kinda killed it too
I have a long standing and deep seated hatred of Van Halen, and just about every single one of their contemporaries from this era. This entire obnoxious glam rock phase of society should not have happened, and I think half the reason I like grunge as much as I do is because it virtually killed off this garbage from the mainstream. Having said that, I did attempt to give this album a fair shake. I’m afraid all that did was reinforce my belief that this is not anything close to resembling listenable or enjoyable music for me. I can’t deny that Eddie Van Halen was a very talented guitar player, but beyond that I don’t think I have a single nice thing to say here. The music is generic and boring, the uninspired use of synths does nothing for me. The lyrics are vapid, cocky, and questionable, if not verging on objectionable. I’m certainly going to avoid this record in the future, if at all possible.
So I put this on with the intention of forgetting everything I knew or thought about Van Halen and pretending this was the first time I had ever listened to them. For the short intro song and through maybe the first verse of “Jump” I had convinced myself that there may be a world where, in 1984, when this album had just been released, I could see its appeal. But by the end of “Jump” I came back to reality and remembered that actually that song totally sucks, and it only got so much worse from there. “Top Jimmy”, “Drop Dead Legs” and “Hot For Teacher” are the absolute nadir of the album and maybe of all 80s music. Physically actually a little nauseating. I can say I kind of liked the ~20-30 seconds of drum intro to “Hot For Teacher”. Ugh I hope I never type that title again. All in all I was quite literally counting the seconds until the merciful end of this album. So completely bad in every way.
not as good as Joni Mitchell’s Blue
I love VH I&II, but to be honest, I'm not sure I listened to this entire album outside of it's singles. I won't say I'm a huge fan of DLR, but I definitely prefer this version of the band to Van Haggar. That being said, no matter who is singing, EVH does no wrong on the guitar. I strive to sound this effortless on the guitar. House of Pain guitar riff is KILLER. I'm learning that today. Solid album. Still prefer what they did in the first two albums, but this still great. Didn't feel like EVH was a focal point, which is the only reason I really like VH.
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.
This is pretty cool rock, makes me wanna Jump! Very much a front loaded album however
This album is such a treat, with the most 80s synth elements imaginable, with some incredible Eddie guitar work. Also, the hits are just classics for a reason. Can't wait to hear their first record.
Classic hits, amazing guitar work, iconic drums. This album is a classic for a reason and no wonder it’s on this list. I enjoyed it for what it is, it’s not really my style or preference and I will be unlikely to listen again, but I didn’t hate my time with it
start and end of album are rather different but i like both genres so…
Descent album, not very impressive. The instrumentals at the end are pretty intense.
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.
This is a lot shorter and a lot better than I remember.
I don't get it. It's music for people in high school, but also they aren't particularly good at school?
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.
Full of classics that I, as a ragged midwestern kid coming up in the 90’s, would blare in my pickup truck to embody the shape of the mulleted coolness of my ancestors. Little did I know that ten years prior, they’d already moved on. All I had to do was Jump!
Lo quiero en vinilo
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.
Couple vital hits, obviously, but the rest is… fine
Many classics. Love the melodic rock. Very nice.
Very average album but the known bangers at the start. Eddie Van Halen has a great voice tho that makes it an enjoyable listen.
My only experience with Van Halen is finding one of their albums in my dad's record collection and being completely shocked. love my dad but I can't help but feel this is music for to numb the mind (or for strip clubs, or for 80s movies) . Panama actually includes a recording of Eddie revving his Lamborghini, taken near the tailpipe. I might be past the point in my life where I could have appreciated this.
evh a monster
Iconic and thoroughly fun this album is packed with hits.
Like more than i thought i would. 33 minutes ain't bad. Done obvious bangers and the others were pretty good
джамп очень хорош, остальное не запомнила кроме того что коротко; главное что джамп столько до этого слышала (от Эмбер), даже не закралась мысль что у Ван Хейлена что-то знакомое…
Not that i'm too impressed - that was close to what i was expecting from this album. Solid.
I liked some of the songs back in the day, but now some of them just seem sexist and outdated. Not my cup of tea.
1984: wonky synth noise kind of weird intro Jump: overplayed but still good reminds me of red rocks show Panama: good song but the guitar is all panned in the left ear and doesn’t have a lot of depth because it’s just in left Jimmy: really cool song different than normal Van Halen style Hot for teacher: obviously a great song fun to play and great in every instrument except for vocals but it is dlr Girl gone bad: even for a Van Halen album this has a standout guitar solo. Jazzy interlude
No. Just no. Panama awful lyrics. Top Jimmy awful licks. And repeat. Drop Dead Legs sounded a bit ZZ Top like but their Legs song is much better. Yes he can play guitar but to what end.
(1 + √9) / (8 / 4) =
If ever a rock band deserved to be one hit wonders. More 80’s than an octogenarian’s funeral.
One hit wonder
Tätä on tullut nuorna poikana vinyyliltä kuunneltua paljon. Huippu levy ja DLR aikakauden parhaimmistoa!
just a really silly album overall
很难得的能让我喜爱的hard rock，虽然他听起来不像
It's 1984...it's great.
cool
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
a part of me wishes I could become a world leader just so when macron comes to visit my country I can get my band to play hot for teacher instead of la marseillaise
Это было охуенно.
peak, but it gets annoying after a while
Jump
it's rocking, i'm having fun, not much else to say
I remember not being as terrible impressed with this album as many of my friends. But later listens have given me a better appreciation of it.
I don’t know why I thought this would be a harder rock but I guess it’s because I’ve never gone out of my way to listen to Van Halen. I could listen to these bitches shred for days
This is THE coolest fucking album ever made
This is dope
Another album that I never listened before. Well until yesterday of course. I know all the singles from this album (Jump, Panama and Hot For Teacher) but I never heard the other tracks of this album. And well I was suprised. I really enjoyed all of them and really thought that wouldn't be the case. 4/5
I was pretty cool when it came out. It took a while to get used to VH on synth (still not convinced). But I don't think it has held up well in 2026.
Rock and roll baby. Mul ei oo mitään nostalgista yhteyttä tähän harmiksi.
Fabulously energetic and just all around fun album, that despite having some insanely complex musical arrangements, somehow feels super approachable.
Pretty much peak Van Halen
Big hair, big rock I guess.
Their sixth album. Hair Metal /Rock. Hell of an intro and opening track. It's all so over the top, massive sound and 80s. It is such a short album but swings a big punch. No airs or graces, just Hair Metal in your face. Hair Metal, spandex, slow motion videos of leaping high kicks, it's all bollocks really but we all need escape from time to time eh !? This is just some food fun.
There is a world in which I enjoy these synthesizers and noodly guitar but I think that is a world in which David Lee Roth is a real estate agent.
Sound of an era.
Un heureux mixte de Bon Jovi (pour les synths), de Aerosmith, de KISS. Pas totalement mauvais. Mais le tout me semble de moyen mauvais goût, je suis peut-être influencé négativement par l'affreux cover. Au moins c'est juste 33min
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!
Yuh aber lowkey kein Sound gemerkt
Not bad
하드 록의 레전드 정점급 사운드.
Excellent album. Super fun. Think glitter, big hair, shaved pecks and vests.
Never thought I was going to enjoy a 80's metal albums with synths
Good listening.
I listened to this album a long time ago. I thought the cover was cool. “Jump” was the track that was played everywhere. I never understood the hype surrounding it. Even though I’m a child of that era, I found the rest of the album uninteresting. That hasn’t changed. I won’t miss a thing if I never listen to this album again. 3/5
Really enjoyed this one! Good guitar work, not too much. Like the singer's voice, but didn't love it. Could swing along a couple of times. Would listen to this one again.
Did not know I like Van Halen this much.
Standard 80s rock with some classics in here
I was in high school and bought this on vinyl when it came out. I knew it wasn’t a great album even then! “Jump” and “Panama” are solid, though.
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.
Pretty stock rock n roll; never been a huge Van Halen fan, and this record sounds like the epitome of Van Halen - big riffs, lots of reverb, solos. Just not for me.
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.
Singles still hold up STRONGLY. 33 minutes is the perfect run time for an album like this.
No es mi tipo de música. Sin más
This cemented van halen as the dominant 80s group with expert guitar playing
Betty Boop ftw
I think I'm a little too not heterosexual and not a white dude to enjoy this fully.
For me, this was the beginning of the end for VH. First four albums were phenomenal. Diver Down was good. This one was pretty lame, maybe with the exception of Panama and HFT.
Cool ass cherub smoking cigarettes… just jamming out without a care singing about being cool… it’s hard to hate Van Halen. Even though I remember Jump as the overused pop culture song it’s just so hard to hate it when you hear it. Cool and fun. It’s the simple things that make life worth living.
Si te gusta tocar la guitarra si o si tenés que escuchar este álbum, porque las locuras que hace Van Halen son impresionantes, tiene muy buenos temas y varios me sorprendieron por su complejidad sonora, el álbum del angelito prometió y cumplió.
Hell yeah, a van halen album. A very 80s sci fi intro. Love it. Right into jump, it’s obviously a classic! Great to hear on this album. Panama, Top Jimmy, Drop dead legs. All great guitarwork, especially that solo in drop dead legs. While hot for teacher is questionable lyrics wise, it is in fact an absolute bop. I’ll wait was great! Another few lyric choices I blinked at, but awesome all the same. Girl gone bad was just some pure rock fun! The guitars, the drums, all were great. House of pain was a perfect closer to this album. Overall, this album didn’t try to be anything it wasn’t! It had a sense of self, didn’t go on for too long, and was super fun! 4.5/5 ⭐️ 116/1089
I was so disappointed when this album first came out. It was a terrible transition from a dirty, hard Rock band into shiny synth pop band. It's really no surprise that they fell apart after this since they had no cohesive sound. This album still has a couple of bright spots, but for the most part I can't stand to listen to it.
To me, this album is the ultimate mid-80s time capsule, perfectly capturing an era of flashy showmanship, big hair, and sonic evolution. Van Halen absolutely kills it instrumentally, especially Eddie. He totally changed things up by mixing those synths with his insane guitar, creating a sound that was both commercially massive and technically brilliant. "Jump", "Panama", and "Hot for Teacher" are still the hot shit, but even the other tracks are killer. No filler here, just 33 minutes of pure energy. Yeah, the lyrics are a bit dated rock star and teenage, but it's so much fun, you can't help but grin. It's loud, proud, pretentious, and the best of the original Van Halen line-up.
Has classic VH songs here. But not that into American rock, seems too 1 dimensional and crass. still good though, but I wouldn't crave this music. Sounds like music that they would play in an old American navy bar.
it's fine. just more fucking boomer drug rock.
Another 80s album where I like the songs I already knew and don't really care for the ones I didn't.
Everything I hate about the 80's wrapped up in a short 30 minute album
Had _no idea_ that Jump was by Van Halen.
This isn’t the best album of the 80s but god damn if it’s not close. Shreds, rips, just fuckin rocks.
5.5/10 - it’s a 3 because of an incredibly strong opening (1984, Jump, Panama). The rest of the album is not something I would go back to, but man are the opening 3 tracks elite.
There are a couple of fun, decent songs on here, but I wouldn't choose to put them on. The album ends pretty weakly and trails off. 4/10
It was fine. I knew Jump, Panama, and Hot for Teacher. Weirdly, I dreamt about the song Panama last night. I barely know that song and it was on my album today. So weird!!
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
Forty years after its wall-to-wall permeation of the airwaves, it’s hard to deny the infectious fun of Van Halen on and in 1984. You can’t listen to this album without seeing the broad grins on every band member’s face in those omnipresent videos; Van Halen was having a good time as rock gods and weren’t afraid to show it. I was surprised how great all the singles still sound today, even “I’ll Wait” (co-written by Michael McDonald, who was apparently in every 1980s recording studio). And the rest of the cuts piece the album together well enough to maintain the energy for 33 minutes. 3.5 stars
As a teenager I loved the big standout tracks on 1984, and they still hit. But as an album, it doesn’t age as well for me as others — the synth-heavy sound locks it firmly in its era, and outside the hits it doesn’t resonate the same way anymore.
Great album, can see myself listenin to it in a certain setting. Not a everyday album for me
Solid 80s rock album. I was never the biggest fan and that won't change now.
Pure 80s excess, and how could it be anything else? I was born in 1984 and “Jump” was No. 1 on the charts the week of my birthday. (Though Mom preferred Michael Jackson and “The Safety Dance.”) I gave a 2 to another 1984 album, Born in the USA, because I have such a craving for a different kind of Springsteen. But who could expect Van Halen to be anything but this? It’s sparkling jumpsuits and MTV and the way Marty tortures his dad in Back to the Future. It’s what us alt-punk-indie kids rejected in the 90s, but you can’t pretend you didn’t know about it. It will never be a favorite of mine; but listening to it carefully, I found moments to love, especially “I’ll Wait.” Might as well JUMP…
i've only ever heard of van halen as a rock band, was so not expecting this electronic sound highlights: jump (duh), hot for teacher, girl gone bad 3.5/5
Classic
4 bangers, 4 mid tier and an intro squeezed into 33 minutes is pretty impressive. Was sitting at a 3.5 until I'll Wait came on.
This album rules. "Jump" and "Panama' may have been overdone but they are smashes for a reason....I also love "I'll Wait" and "Hot For Teacher". They embraced synths and modern production without selling out, and its a really nice length of an album too. I want to go 5 but I'll save 5 for the self-titled album
Some jams. Bias: My first concert.
I'll wait is my favorite, but I'm not into this type of album, but yes incredible guitar players.
I think they do their thing very while, it’s just not my thing
A bit too sparky for me
I think 'Jump' is really the highlight here, it definitely does hold up. The rest of the album is fine, some of the songs are very skeezy and dated which does leave a sour taste. I like the guitar throughout, the songs are all really elevated by how good the guitar sections are. However this album is not stand-out in any way, really generic hair metal. Not bad, just doesn't offer much variety. However I appreciate that it doesn't overstay its welcome. At just over 30 mins, it's hard for this album to become too boring, it goes on just long enough and that works to its benefit. I wouldn't turn this off if it were playing, but I'm only going to remember 'Jump' as it really is the only song that really grabbed me. Fav Track: Jump
Wow - I’m embarrassed to admit how much I liked this. Shows that you have to separate the music from the look of the band. If I judged solely on the manitards this would never have gotten a listen. 4 stars. Boolean rating: yes! Glad I heard it before I died.
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.
please don't make fun of the fact that the first time I heard Hot for Teacher was on Glee
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
Short and sweet. Proper classic rock, love all the synth. Not too much differentiation between tracks, but still a very good listen.
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).
When rock 'n' roll was cool, man.
This was a lot of fun. I'm pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it.
Utter cack
No fault of Van Halen, but the music is just not for me. It's very much of the 80s, even though the album came out in the 90s. It's just very cheesy, some of the guitar solos don't match the song, and feel like they are just forced in to show off Eddie Van Halen's obvious talent, but because he's an amazing guitarist, it doesn't mean some of his solos work. I've never been a fan of David Lee Roth singing, so I'm sure the album is a masterpiece to some, but it's just not my musical taste. In saying that, there are good songs, and it is an album I could listen to, but not one I'd listen to again. But hats off to "I'll Wait", it's the song that I should like the least, as it has all the issues I have with the album, but that's a solid song, as is "Girl Gone Bad", the bass for it is genuinely fantastic.
I can see this being groundbreaking but it's a bit too over the top for me.
Yes, Glam Metal is commercial and mainstream as shit. That doesn't mean I can't have a grand old time listening to it. Hot for Teacher's drum intro is still as iconic as ever, and you can't help but shout "PANAMA!" each time it's sung in the songs. It's as eighties as eighties can be. But that adds to the merit of this album rather than detracts from it if you just consider it a fun time.
You can tell not everyone was on board with the new sound by how much effort the drummer is putting in. If the drummer is capable of a hot for teacher but doesn't do even a fraction of it on some of these songs... Van Halen works best when they all have their foot on the gas, going fast, loud and straight ahead. If they slow down you can see the places where it is unrefined. Like most of the lyrics. I'll give this one the benefit of the doubt, because hot for teacher is basically the best hair metal song out there.
Still holds up after all this time, I had no idea that the drummer was that good.
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Es gibt kein cliché hafteres 80er, weiße Rocker, Highschool Album als das. Jeder Song ist so oberflächlich. Klar die Gitarre ist nicht schlecht, aber es gibt keine Gefühle die in den Texten verarbeitet werden. Das ist langweilig. Es wäre so eine richtige Filmmusik für: wir fahren in 2 Wochen die Route 66 ab mit 2 Harleys. Das auf Dmax ausgestrahlt werden würde. Das Album ist NICHT gut. 2/10 Jump ist ganz OK, aber das Lied ist noch das beste vom Album. Das Album Cover sagt eigentlich schon alles über das Album. Irgendwie erinnert mich das Album an richtige Amerikaner, Republikaner.
I can get it why many people like this - but it just isn't for me. Too many high tones, and those stupid synths.. Meh. I'd rather go with Motorhead.
It was better than I thought and had some great guitar bits, but it just feels like frat boy music....
Too much gimmicky synth for my liking
Annoying and juvenile at times, this still has enough charisma and attitude to be worth a listen.
Een comeback maken met Van Halen, sounds like a good plan. Maar dat was het eigenlijk wel echt, want het gaf mij in ieder geval wat onverwachte energie op deze trage, tropische dag. Het heeft mij weinig irritatiemomenten opgeleverd, waar soortgelijke bands zich wel altijd schuldig aanmaken. Best een goed rock album, maar laten we het niet groter maken dan het is. De 80s touch is wel aanstekelijk! Vooral op 'I'll Wait' en natuurlijk 'Jump'. 6,5/10 I'll Wait Jump