Reviews (page 5 of 15)
Listened previously. Expectations: Mid - Verdict: Very Good - It's been a while since I heard this. The big hits are clearly the best tracks here but they are really good and elevate the album enough the make me think I might have to revisit some more 80s rock that I haven't been into since I was a kid.
100% dad music
- First song first impressions: epic and futuristic intro
Not my vibe, but I did really like the first instrumental song
Damn, just banger after banger on this album! XD
Great album
Love. Classic. I feel 9 years old again.
Top-shelf material here
Great! Can't believe I've never listened to it before. Fantastic guitar work, as expected, but surprised how much I liked it. 4
You know, I've always wanted to dislike this record because I've never loved the synths that run through "Jump" (which are truly a product of the time), but I've never been able to. Eddie Van Halen is just too good of a guitarist and David Lee Roth is too charismatic a personality to ever dislike this record. It just screams "goofball fun" throughout. Plus, good gosh, Eddie Van Halen was one of those exceedingly rare guitar virtuosos that actually wrote music that you might want to listen to. Holy shit, can he play a guitar. 8.5/10
Heard of Van Halen and the song Jump, but not this album. Favorites: Panama, I'll Wait, Girl Gone Bad, House of Pain Thoughts: Second listen got me into it more, worth a listen again some day.
la primera parte del álbum sentí que escuchaba todo el rato la misma canción, aunque dentro de todo me gustó, no es nada del otro mundo.
It may not be flawless, but 1984 absolutely pulls its weight - a defining ‘80s rock record with enough hits and jams to justify its legendary status.
Good
good
Some pretty talented people making some lizard brain music. The hits are good but the rest are forgettable. Will always have fond memories chugging beers to this in college but that's about it.
What it does, it does well. Spandex, teased hair & loud riffs.
Really fun album from start to finish imo, not surprised that I liked it so much really
Jump was ok, rest of the album sounded like any hair rock album.
6.5/10
7.7/10 1984 [Van Halen] - 7.7/10 1984: 5/10 Jump: 9/10 Panama: 10/10 Top Jimmy: 6/10 Drop Dead Legs: 6.5/10 Hot For Teacher: 10/10 I’ll Wait: 8/10 Girl Gone Bad: 9/10 House of Pain: 6/10
Still have a soft spot for Jump, that puts me straight back into my early 20s, DJing and hanging around in bars in Camden days... the rest of this is pretty stupid and not particularly interesting though. Waynes World music at best.
Blow, Blow jobs, hand jobs, and possible statutory r*pe(?), the Album. Oh, also all on top of a keyboard.
Listening session: january 30th, while commuting to internship Listened to before: heard one song before Thoughts: I grew up with my dad listening to Jump so that was really nostalgic to me but the rest didn’t grab me unfortunately Favourite tracks: Jump
Idk why but my brain always gets Van Halen and Metallica mixed up so imagine my surprise when the synths started
377/1089 - The Top Jimmy intro has been stuck in my head for a long time and I finally know what song it is now! Great guitar playing. The synths leave a lot to be desired. Overall a very hit or miss album for me with lots of great songs and a good chunk of mediocrity.
It's kind of goofy when you start to think about it.
I'll start with the positives: from a recording/mix/production standpoint, it sounds massive and super clear. Points for production. EVH's trademark shredding is present and correct. The intro to Top Jimmy is quite interesting. Jump is a half decent pop song. However... This album says nothing of substance. At all. Stylistically, it's the worst kind of bonehead, lycra-clad hard rock/glam metal, and the insertion of some painfully 80s synths doesn't help in any way. That this was seen as some kind of shocking artistic pivot at the time baffles me. Lyrically, it's total dross, with nausea-inducing song titles like Drop Dead Legs and Hot For Teacher having aged particularly badly. The latter's drum intro is complete wankery and heralds what might be a contender for worst song on this thing. I'll Wait was probably my favourite instrumental, but again the lyrics are total garbage. Album closer House of Pain brings all these aspects together in one horrific glam metal pastiche. I now understand the movie Spinal Tap on a deeper level. Oh, and the faux-edgy album artwork is pure shock value with no meaningful artistic point of view in sight (look, it's a cherub smoking a cigarette! How taboo!) The best music should speak to your soul; I listen to this and feel absolutely nothing.
Altijd lekker
Det här var ju asnajs, typ lite äcklig album cover men annars?
Way more bangers than I was expecting! Kind of a stacked album
not my favorite style of songwriting but the guitar playing is pretty undeniable
NFL music
Though this was okay, just a 3 stars
An album with Jump, Panama, and Hot for Teacher is a good one, but the rest doesn't work nearly as well for me. It's never unpleasant, but it's overproduced and lacks personality.
They play the shit out of these songs. Too bad the writing isn't terribly compelling.
Frustrating listen, they get some good riffs in there but the whole tone of this album is so obnoxious to me. Jump is good, brownie points for brevity and a great album cover
Maybe I just find Eddie Van Halen influential for a guitar style I find super annoying lol and I'm holding that against this perfectly passable album. Not my jam but well performed and produced. "Drop Dead Legs" is the one new song I enjoyed hearing.
Things I like about the album: The synth melody from Jump with that really cool bass sound underneath it. The drums on Hot for Teacher before the guitar comes in. Everything else sounds awful. Everything I dislike about rock music in one package. Emotionless guitar solos, ceaseless machismo, nothing to spark any kind of feeling.
I like jump
I enjoy dumb guy music as much as the next person but perhaps we've run up against the limits of its appeal with Hot for Teacher. Songs added to my 1001 Bangers playlist: Jump, Panama
didn’t like
I enjoyed it even if it's not my favourite, the voice and upbeat tempos can be grating. But, the musicianqhip is crazy 3.5/5
Not as good as their first album. A bit of a grind starting mid-album.
Not my favorite VH album, but its iconic
As a young kid I would take this cd from my dad and rock out. Since then I’ve only heard a few songs about a million times in passing as they’re pretty hard to dodge. In general I don’t much care for classic rock but this album is still a fantastic listen!
only heard the most popular tracks off of this album, so this will be a relatively new listen for me 1984 - no rating Jump - 5/5 Panama - 5/5 Top Jimmy - 4/5 Drop Dead Legs - 3/5 Hot for Teacher - 4/5 I'll Wait - 3/5 Girl Gone Bad - 3/5 House of Pain - 4/5 Average score: 3.9/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ short, sweet and fun to listen to. i find glam rock/metal to be kinda hit or miss, but this is a sound i can come back to no matter the year
Coming to this just two weeks after their debut album, I have to admit I was disappointed. Whereas their first album had a playful, unpolished quality to it, this felt like the same bag of tricks but with a fancier marketing and distribution campaign. But I do, unsarcastically, appreciate that their albums keep to an unpretentious length under 40 minutes.
There's a lot of nostalgia surrounding Van Halen. When I think of 80s radio rock, I think of them. Many prominent figures in my childhood exposed me to Van Halen, especially this album. For example, my driving instructor would play this album while teaching me how to drive. I'll never forget him doing air drums to Jump while telling me "When taking a turn in a car you want to be like shit leaving a whale. Slow to start, quick to exit." Many other great memories surround all these tracks. Made throughout my life and still being made today. I love this album, and music in general really, for it's ability to amplify my experience on this earth. Anecdotes aside...it's just a solid, quick collection of mostly feel good tracks riddled with great guitar, drums and synth. 3.5 rounded up for Button The Driving Instructor.
I get why people like it. Lots of hits. Just not for me.
Bangers yes, but they don't quite hit as much as expected
This album rips. I've never been super into VH, but goddamn, this album absolutely shreds. Not a cover-to-cover classic, but its highs are amazingly high. 8/10
Listening to this made me feel like an in-the-midst-of-puberty middle schooler, and no that isn't a compliment to Van Halen. Only thing that saves this album from being 1 star is the masterful guitar and drum work of Eddie and Alex van halen
Maybe a 3.75. I liked it, I already liked Jump and Panama and this had some other enjoyable songs. However, I did expected a bit more
Fun album, but the best part of it are the rock riffs. I've always found the lyrics of VH to be fun if you're in the right mood, but pretty juvenile if you're not. That stayed true here. Still, this album has a lot of their hits, and there's something to that.
I wasn't a Van Halen fan at the time, but there's no denying that guitar work. And listen to that drummer! This is some good party music! Should have seen them live.
surprisingly? pop
A lot going on here! A bit too loud and rockin' for the day I'm having, but I can respect what they're doing.
Goed in zijn genre, genre minder mijn ding. 2,5/5 maar dat ging niet, dus naar boven afgerond. Vond de man zijn stem niet zo aangenaam. "I'll wait" was mijn favo.
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"
--1984...sci-fi intro --Jump...maybe a little synth heavy but it's a bop --Panama...who's got the nose candy?! --Top Jimmy...great harmonics at the beginning. never was a huge Eddie fan, his playing is too good? if that makes sense. but his technical ability elevates the song here --Drop Dead Legs...a little Jimmy Page in here. descends into some unfortunate noodling --Hot for Teacher...this song reminds me of my salad days in Ms. Franklin's class and makes me feel ho--wistful! --I'll Wait...for some reason I miss Eddie's largely absent guitar here --Girl Gone Bad...this rips. great driving rhythm section. Eddie being Eddie. Diamond Dave at his most sparkly --House of Pain...doesn't sound quite as tight as other tracks. maybe it was added to fill out a short album
Clown music.
So, I have finally heard an entire Van Halen album. The guitar playing is virtuosic for sure, but it doesn't feel all that original to me. And the lyrics don't really work for me either, it all seems to be "woo hot chicks" and such. I think if this had come out when I hadn't already heard a ton of other music, I probably would have liked it, with nothing else to compare it to. But it's too late; this isn't going to work for me now. But I can see why people like it. 3 stars
The LP that broke up van Halen. Some of my favorites by the boys on here.
Powerful intro Hot for teacher
Jump!
guitar riffs is so cool. Great 80s hard rock. :top jimmy Drop dead legs Hot for teacher House of pain
Every song feels too long. Synth lines are ok sometimes, guitar is too self indulgent to care about being good, drums piss me off, bass exists, vocals and lyrics are just so awful. He was 30 writing like he was 15 and sounding like he was 50. Fade out on the last song fuck you.
Me gusto muy ochentero
Le chanteur est cool mais le synthetiseur est trop present pas fan mais sympa
Instrumental prowess is outstanding and I don’t want to talk about the rest.
Short and sweet. Catchy songs.
Jump is natuurlijk leuk. Verder niet mijn kopje thee. Recht-toe-recht-aan hardrock...leuk voor een feestje, niet om te luisteren
I never know what I’m going to get when the genre is metal. This is the hard rocking variety and there is not a weak track on the album.
i actually enjoyed it, it was fun
Its fine, its your clasic 80s album. I think most 80s artists sound very similar. If your looking for 80s music its not bad
Good
Good album, great even, a true classic. It might be the reason why i feel that something is missing.
Ist oook, Jump bester Hit
This was the biggest thing going when I was in 5th grade. So it sure feels like. A classic. Listening now, the synthesizers are a bit much! Oozing 80s. But Eddie Van Halen’s guitar licks are masterful, love this or hate this. Personally, it’s not for me, but there are so many hits on this album and I know the lyrics to almost every song. It was a cultural phenomenon when released and it still (admittedly) kinda rocks. The height of pop “hard—ish) arena rock.
Fave tracks- jump, panama, drop dead legs
Not my fave but not the worst / jump was the best track
Intros and guitar playing were excellent; I’d never really listened to Van Halen to hear how good they were as musicians.
More like 2.5./2.75. Not my favorite 80s rock and not my favorite Van Halen, but high energy and fun if you’re in the mood for it.
Starting off with some of the most iconic cheese synth orchestrations soaring above the mix, Van Halen rose from successful rock band to superstardum. Even though this is not their best album, it is undeniably successful due to it's pop sensibility and MTV flair.
On avait laissé la bande à Eddie avec un honnête mais douloureux 2 sur 5 pour leur premier album, et me voilà obligé de remettre le couvert avec leur opus magnum, le bien nommé "1984", sorti en… 1984. Pourquoi faire compliqué quand on peut faire simple ? À l'époque, j'avais 14 ans, et si je commençais déjà à lorgner vers des trucs plus sombres, impossible d'échapper à ce rouleau compresseur. Soyons clairs d'entrée de jeu : "1984", c’est le tube, LE tube "Jump". Dès les premières notes de ce synthétiseur (qui a dû faire hurler les puristes du hard rock à l'époque, ce qui me rend le morceau d'autant plus sympathique), tu as envie de bondir comme un kangourou sous amphétamines au milieu du salon. C'est pop, c'est efficace, c'est du chewing-gum auditif, et je dois admettre, non sans une certaine honte, que ça fonctionne. Mais voilà, une fois l'euphorie de "Jump" passée, on retombe dans les travers du groupe. C'est un album carré, certes, la production est léchée, ça brille comme une carrosserie neuve sous le soleil de Californie, mais il y a TOUJOURS ces solos de merde… Putain, qu'est-ce que ça me gonfle. Je sais, Eddie Van Halen est un génie, tapping, technique, blablabla. Mais franchement, cette masturbation de manche, ça ne sert à rien. Ça coupe le rythme, c'est de la démonstration pure et ça n'apporte aucune émotion. Cela dit, il faut reconnaître une évolution. Les voix de castrat qui faisaient "hou hou hou" sur le premier disque ont mûri. David Lee Roth est toujours aussi cabotin, mais il est moins insupportable, plus assis dans son rôle de frontman flamboyant. Sur des titres comme "Panama", il y a une énergie indéniable, du gros hard qui tâche, qui sent la laque et la sueur. C'est un disque qui a eu son heure de gloire, c'est indéniable. En 1984, on voyait la gueule des angelots fumeurs de la pochette partout. C'est un produit de son époque, un monument de ce rock FM américain que je vendais par palettes quand je bossais chez le disquaire, tout en gardant précieusement les albums de The Cure pour moi. Au final, ce sera un 3 sur 5. C'est plus mûr et plus abouti que le premier essai, mais ça reste du Van Halen. C'est compétent, c'est culte, mais je ne vais pas me mettre à porter des collants léopard pour autant.
it’s van halen!
Panama bangs so hard. Obviously the guitar work is outstanding but the drumming is amazing too. Solid album overall
Not a fan of traditional all American dad rock particularly and after this it still stands. I thought the start of top jimmy sounded interesting but then it actually started and it sounded like the rest of the album. Wouldn’t listen again.
Proper cringe stuff. The first two tracks started alright but after that it was a tough listen. Maybe 'I'll Wait' was alright too but it was thin pickings. Glad it was only half an hour
High caliber musicianship matched with adolescent buffoonery. Even with the high cheese factor, Eddie and crew craft some of the best riffs to come out of the 80s!
Just a really odd mix of songs put together. Not for me I’m afraid
im sick of hearing this music but i will admit its good
A few good songs, but overall nothing too special. I think it's just not for me
You can feel about it however you want. I'll even agree Eddie was excellent at guitar and David lee Roth was a charismatic front man. As a modern listening experience however, this stuff doesn't hold up separated from nostalgia. It's dated, wanky goofball rawk only loved by those stuck in time.
Ah my favorite genre, music for misogynists
Half the album are classics, and it doesnt overstay its welcome. Happy to give it 4 stars.
fun rock album- good forf workouts?? 33m 4
"Jump" always takes me right back to being a 5 year old almost more than any song. Tons of childhood memories attached to this album, including looking at the record cover and thinking like "wtf is this angel doing smoking cigarettes?" It's actually a great cover. This album is surprisingly short in total playtime at a little over 33 mins. It's not a deep or intellectually compelling album at all. And like most other Van Halen albums, the singles are standouts while the other tracks kinda feel like filler; not total crap, but not memorable. Regardless, huge decade-defining album.
Really solid album, I liked it more than I had anticipated.
This was huge when it came out. Of course I've heard (and liked) all the singles from it, but don't think I've ever listened to the album in whole. Starts out a bit too 80s synth for me - which is why I always avoided it, preferring the earlier rawer albums, but progresses in to a solid hard rock album.
My first question when this album popped up today, was does it age well? This album was great in 1984! But does it still sound great, or does it just sound tired? I was never the biggest Van Halen fan, and I have no desire to own any of their records, but they have always been a presence in my world. If anything is tired, its Jump, Panama, Hot for Teacher, and I'll Wait. These songs have been so overplayed, I have no desire to listen to them any more. The rest of the songs on the album, are pretty much forgotten, and just sound like Van Halen filler. This album is still a classic, so I cant say its crap because its not. I just doesn't spark a lot of memories or emotion for me.
Mejor de lo que pensaba. Me ha gustado en general y me he guardado "Jump" y "Hot for teacher".
My first five-star album. It has the right number of songs, a clear prelude, and a proper closing. Nothing feels excessive or unfinished. Van Halen sounds complete here: energetic without being exhausting, confident without sounding pretentious. The album defined a generation, and Eddie Van Halen—one of my favorite guitarists—turns virtuosity into pure musical language. There’s really nothing to explain. It’s simply complete.
I find this music embarrassing, but it does make me smile, in a kind of pitiful way.
Divertido, né...
1984- Techno electronic 80s sound. Good start of an album to get you into the mood for what’s coming up next. Surprisingly only 9 songs on the album and it’s only 33 minutes. Jump: THIS IS WHERE THAT SONG IS FROM!! That start of the one minute mark where the drum beat kind of slows down is very pleasing. Again more electronic sound that’s very up lifting. Also really uplifting message. Wait what do they mean by jump. Ohhh that guitar section was amazing now I understand what frank ocean meant. Also the electronic or electric chords that end around the 3 minute mark very sick. Panama: This is such a like outside of the track white guy song. Like the white guy in the movie that is kinda tough but also corny. The instrumental is great though. I’m sure this song goes crazy at some college or middle age bar. Again the guitar player is amazing whoever is playing. Top Jimmy: Again great guitar playing the rift is also really great from the bass player. At first I didn’t like it because it don’t usually like this sort of melody but it’s not that bad. Also the guitar from 1:45-2:13 AMAZING. Like woah who is this guitar player Drop Dead Legs: okay so this is sooo 80s. This song reminds me of the Grown Ups movies like. I can totally see why a white male high schoolers would like this song I guess. I wonder what their concerts were like Hot for Teacher: I like the tapping. The guitar playing is good. This is definitely motorcycle music. I’ll Wait: I like this kind of jazzy mellow Smokey kind of song. It’s a nice mix between electronic, pop, and smooth. If that makes sense. Might be my favorite on the album. Another great guitar section. Girl Gone Bad:The opening instrumental is very fun. I need to know who this guitar player is! Wait that two minute mark scream kind of reminded me of Zeppelin. This was fun. House of Pain: Okay last song. I like this more rock and roll direction rather than more motorcycle rock. This is actually really good. Like the drumming and guitar playing is amazing. Like woah. What an exciting way to end the album. Ranking: 1. I’ll Wait 2. House of Pain 3. Jump 4. 1984 5. Girl Gone Bad 6. Top Jimmy 7. Panama 8.Drop Dead Legs 9. Hot for Teacher.
I still remember how big this album was when it came out
Haven’t listened to the whole album in a long, long time. Forgot how good Alex’s drumming is on this one. And SO MUCH SYNTH!
I own this album and mostly only ever listen to the singles. Going back through some of the deeper cuts was fun. Had I been alive when this came out, I'm sure I would've complained about the synth, but now I quite enjoy it. If only DLR could still sing like this.
What is going on here why am I getting scanned by lasers hello? This is so 80s this is like a caricature of the 80s lmao. I thought this was gonna be another boring rock album not something interesting. Where have I heard Jump before?? This is like the 80s song. It sounds the like soundtrack of every 80s movie ever. Do you know what I mean? The synth or whatever in the background is so sitcom. Big fan of whatever tf is going on actually. Maybe from Ready Player One. Definitely from Ready Player One. I really like the guitar it's so cunt. The way it sounds fried (distorted? Idk the right term) is so delicious with the drums and everything. This is soooooo cunt, big fan of this actually. Is it really an oldies classic if you don't have a problematic age gap song? It's a vibe nevertheless. You've gotta appeal to the teenage masses somehow I suppose. You're so right Van Halen, I am a girl gone bad. Speak on it. Favourite: Girl Gone Bad Least favourite: Hot For Teacher
glee version of jump is better than the og version cool guitars otherwise
They chose the singles well. They chose not to make the others singles well too.
Непоганий альбом, дуже позитивна енергійна музика, дуже цікаві інструменти, але мені не вистачило вокалу і якихось чіпляючих приспівів у піснях
Kinda reminded me of Pink Floyd for some reason, it’s plain rock i think, a lot of guitar stuff, very typical
Rawk!
Non stop power rock no skips hot for teacher is the highlight
Uhhuhhh
I think I love 80s rock. This pumped me up
Can’t help but find it funny cos it sounds like so many 80s movies
Back when I was only 67 years old.
Exceptional guitar play of course but the songs are really outdated dadrock, phew...
Decent album, but not great. Jump and Panama remain hits, while Hot for Teacher remains creepy. Stop creeping on women, Dave! Favorite track: I’ll Wait 3
это классика это знать нужно блять!!
Jump!
A classic rock album that doesn’t disappoint
I'm a sucker for a lot of Van Halen, including some of this album.
No Another Overindulgent Record, which I kept forgetting I was listening to, as it just blended away. Not for me.
One absolute banger. Rest of it is so bad.
Album 1015 of 1089 1984 - Van Halen (1984) Rating : 5 / 5 This one immediately took me back to the second half of my freshman year of college. The singles were everywhere at the time, playing nonstop on the radio well into the summer, but I had forgotten just how solid this album is as a complete listen. From beginning to end (with the final track being the weakest for me), this album delivers exactly what you expect from Van Halen. The fun, sometimes goofy lyrics, the rumbling drums, David Lee Roth’s boundless energy, and of course Eddie Van Halen’s wizardry on guitar - it’s all here, firing on all cylinders. Every track feels purposeful, and nothing overstays its welcome. At just over 33 minutes, it’s a short album, but they don’t waste a second. I actually caught myself wishing it were longer, then immediately realized that might have diluted what makes this one so strong. 1984 became part of the musical zeitgeist for a reason, and listening back now, it still holds up remarkably well. A really solid album from a band at the height of their powers.
Getting two stars only for Jump. The rest is one star boredom.
a surprisingly short album! some of the songs on here are pretty nostalgic for me, i remember listening to this kind of music in my dads old car. the guitar in "top jimmy" makes it my favorite song on this album. i got kind of sick of it halfway through.
Nah
Some very upbeat stuff to get you in a good mood.
Hair metal sucks. All of it. The only decent songs here are Jump, Panama, and Hot for Teacher. And they aren't even good. Just OK. You could take all the other songs I haven't mentioned off the album and lose absolutely nothing. Really I think I should rate this 1 star but I'll give it 2. I'm trying to be more positive this year.
Technically proficient as the guitar playing may be, it seems more interesting when paired with synths because it manages to create the spark of an identity in the relationship between the two, otherwise it's flavorless. It's difficult to pin anything specific about Van Halen's sound, in comparisson with the avarage rock band of the time; it's just bursts of energy from a completely uninteresting Hard Rock sound. It confuses complexity with electricity and expressiveness. And lyrically, when it's not a complete vacuum, it's just utterly unbearable. Also thoroughly unsexy for a record that is trying to act very horny. Often just disgusting when it ventures through those areas.
Jump iconica
Tremendo para los ejercicios.
I have to give it a 3 because there are a few hits that I play and enjoy in a cornball way, but it really should get a 2. I dunno if they had their tongue in their cheek and were mocking masculinity or they really bought into hot for teacher.
I don't think there's anything more to say about this that I didn't already say in my review of the first Van Halen album we listened to. I like this one better, but not enough to deserve another star. When the first one came up, I was pretty excited to listen to it. This time, less so, but it's still an easy listen. I guess as long as I listen to some Van Halen once or twice a year, that's enough for me. It's good cock rock.
Maybe it's because I was a kid when this came out and loved "Jump," but this is the only Van Halen album I need. Actually, I'm good with "Jump," "Panama," and "Hot for Teacher," but it's good to hear the other songs on this album, even if they pale in comparison. As usual, Eddie Van Halen's guitar wankery is frequently insufferable—the solos in "Top Jimmy" and "Drop Dead Legs" are especially distracting and disconnected from the songs—but that goes with the territory. This is brainless fun and absolutely iconic. 3.5 stars.
Any good Van Halen song has its fair share of theatrics. This albums pushes it over the top on every song, giving the whole listen a distinctive charm that only Van Halen could provide. And not to mention the mind-melting guitar playing of Eddie Van Halen, as well as the delightfully charismatic lead vocals from David Lee Roth. An obvious highlight is the dizzying “Hot for Teacher”, whose hilarious lyrics elevate what is already a mind-bending, impossibly tight instrumental. It’s all very impressive, and the band makes it look effortless. That is, until the last three tracks bore you with their dullness.
I liked 3 songs, jump, Panama, and I’ll wait. Solid album no songs that were necessarily bad or unlistenable. Didn’t have an experience throughout the album either.
Refused to listen.
The guitar solos are pretty good but they don't fit with the rest of the song
mercifully short
Jump and Panama are sooo good, didn’t really like the rest that much.
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.
van halen gone pop. it's fine but id rather be listening to black sabbath or their debut
Really enjoyed listening to this. So far I’ve seen a lot of people say they don’t like this album or rock genre in general. I’m gonna have to disagree with them there. This rock subdivision has always been one of my favourites. The very 80’s sound has always drawn me in with all of its synthesisers and guitar solos. Now of course you can’t talk about this album without mentioning ‘Jump’, and although it probably is one of my favourites on the album, ‘Top Jimmy’ definitely takes the cake for me.
драйвово хот фо тічер це шось..
Fair play calling this 1984 because it really couldn't get much more 1980s. Or maybe it could - it's fun, but I must admit I prefer the synths of Jump to the guitar pyrotechnics.
Peak 80s Rock! Jump is an absolute classic. Rest of album never quite lives up to that level, but it’s still good. Like a lot of the 80s it sounds so of its era now, but my god these songs jumped out of even the most crappy cassette player back in the day. 4
Overall a decent album. It’s pretty fun to listen to, especially with your dad. Jump and Hot for Teacher are definitely the standout songs from the album, although Top Jimmy is a pretty fun one. Nice hair metal / dad rock vibes. The guitar solos are so sick. Eddie shreds.
Look, it's mid-eighties cheese. Is it high art? No. Is it for everyone? No. But anyone who can't put this on and at least nod their head a little is a psychopath. A fun listen for fun people, and thats it
Hair rock & pinch harmonics
65
the corniest shit
ey super buen album, solidisimo y me parece que de lo mejor que escuche del genero. 4,5 Que divertido cuando suena una canción súper conocida y no te lo esperabas Favs: top jimmy, hot for teacher, drop dead legs
-wowowww loading up -stranger things -🎸 favs: drop dead legs, hot for teacher emojis: 🎸🕰️🪽☎️📻
Honestly just fine but jump is a miracle
Ufff que se puede decir, qué álbum más bueno, lo disfrute de principio a fin, un rock al puro estilo de los 80s, por supuesto que lo que más resaltaría sería la guitarra, sonido espectacular, además de la energía que te transmite la voz, sin duda un muy buen álbum, quede con gusto a poco. Los otros instrumentos acompañan bien a lo principal, batería brillante, bajo justo y necesario, sin mucho más pero lo pide al ser un álbum enfocado en uno de los mejores guitarristas de la historia. Nada que decir, volvería a escuchar este álbum, de hecho lo escuché primero de ida y después de vuelta del viaje a la u. Canción favorita: Top jimmy (infravalorada), Jump
Quién ctm es slash, quien conoce a ese wn? Eddie Van Halen señores, que como datito, no es el vocalista de la banda pero es uno de los mejores guitarristas en la historia, tiene un sonido muy característico, es muy versátil, usa muchos recursos, hay riffs potentes, solos increíbles, distintas escalas, toca con armónicos, estacatos, etc. 1984 es un tremendo disco, con un gran sonido, entretenido de escuchar, corto y preciso, no me parecen canciones increíbles desde la estructura musical o la belleza melódica, pero es un disco de hard rock que centra su encanto en la potencia de sus guitarras, en la energía que transmite y en la tremenda interpretación de los músicos. A este sonido hardrock le meten el sintetizador y teclados que suena predominantemente a la izquierda. El disco abre de esa forma, con un sonido muy futurista. Destaco además, la producción de la batería, esa caja suena increíble y el bombo súper potente y grave. El bajo es más bien rítmico al centro. La guitarra y teclados a los costados. Creo que suena todo en su lugar. Este disco quedó 2do en la lista billboard despues de thriller ese año y bien merecido para mi. Es un disco que definitivamente volvería a escuchar. Para mí un sólido 3 Canción favorita: drop dead legs
I never listened to Van Halen growing up, just wasn’t in the house. I got pretty excited when Jump came on, what a banger. The rest of the album was pretty forgettable though. Song added to the playlist: Jump
What a fantastic rock album, what fantastic riffs! I knew of Van Halen being a great Guitar Player, but even the songs are great on this album. I would give up a lot to experience what it feels like to play the guiter like that - like it meant to be!
New to me, was alright, but leaning a bit too much towards pop
EVH and AVH are just too good. David Lee Roth trying his hardest to ruin it. Definitely made the right decision when naming the band.
Goated
Some really cool guitar licks and some fun songs. I can see why this really slapped when it came out.
Is the first album to listen here, it was diferent my favorite track is drop deap legs
Jump is a great song. Otherwise so boring.
Se sintió como un dolor de cabeza con momentos de descanso en el que brillaba la guitarra. Me pareció mucho ruido. I'll wait mi favorita porque es la más "tranqui"
yeahhh
9/10 - was so good and such a classic. i never would've listened to it, but i loved it. almost every song was added to another playlist. i'll wait or house of pain definitely the best
From AC/DC to Van Halen. This is so much more fun and enjoyable. At 33 minutes, this album flies by. Don't love the David Lee Roth "owww!"s, but it doesn't stop me from appreciating this album for what it is. Panama is my favorite track. Hot for Teacher is too cheesy, but the instrumentals are worth the ride, to say the least. Eddie's guitar sound is iconic. A time capsule of mid 80s rock.
I really liked the first half of the album.
Oh dear. Indulgent nonsense.
great guitar + melodies
🥇i’ll wait 🥈jump 🥉drop dead legs HM: 1984, panama
Se me hizo aburrido. Flojo. Si esto es la cumbre del hard rock, no es un género que me llegue. Igual supongo hay álbumes mejores del género. 4/10
Sånn jeg forstår gitarene er bra og sånt men sånn det er virkelig ikke noe for meg syngingen er så mid og tekstene er dritkjedelige nesten alle sangene høres helt like ut og eneste som gjør dette albumet en smule interresant er synthene i noen av sangene men selv de er ganske basic 80talls mainstream synth pop så, 2/5
Just not my kind of thing
Recognized some songs and album was pretty good overall
Würde das Album nur aus Jump bestehen - 5 Sterne!! Aber so???
Absolute banger! One of the best albums of the 80's.
Estou a ouvir a primeira faixa, wtf is going on vêm aí aliens?!? Also, a imagem é um bebé anjo a fumar um cigarro?!? O álbum tem vibes anos 80 (o que faz sentido ne) Bem vibes disco no inicio mas depois passou para rockalhada braba Amei a bateria na Drop Dead Legs Hot for Teacher - e quê a mota não pega, ah calma é “percussão”(?) certo… Gostei da vibe rock mas n fiquei muito wow então ya nao sei se voltava a ouvir este albuns em específico mas adorei ler fofocas sobre a banda que há meia hora atrás não conhecia Achava que o album ia acabar na girl gone bad pk deu bue essa vibe mas afinal tem mais uma Não conheço o Van Halen vou pesquisar sobre ele: - afinal van halen é uma banda formada por dois irmãos: Eddie Van Halen e Alex Van Halen - Há bue fofocas sobre saidas de membros constantes e a banda parou em 2004 - Voltaram em 2007 quando o filho de um dos fundadores entrou p ser baixista - Amei esta fofoca na wikipedia: O primeiro disco do Van Halen sem Roth, saiu em março de 1986 e levou o nome de 5150. A explicação da banda é que 5150 é o nome do estúdio de Eddie Van Halen. Mas rumores persistem que era uma réplica ao álbum de estreia de David Roth, Crazy from the Heat, "enlouquecido pelo calor", já que 5150 é o código da polícia americana para situações onde existe um louco a solta. Além disso, a própria arte do álbum (capa e contracapa) traz uma mensagem subliminar que induz a entender que o homem que ali aparece, não conseguindo segurar o logotipo da banda, seria o David. Ambas as bandas entraram em turnê e disputavam a preferência do público e o espaço na mídia. Em julho de 1986, David lança o primeiro álbum com o seu supergrupo (The David Lee Roth Band), que fora montado para concorrer com o Van Halen, com o nome Eat 'Em and Smile. O álbum seguinte do Van Halen, OU812(1987), supostamente também seria uma réplica ao título, visto que pode ser lido como "Oh you ate one too". Outra possível resposta viria dessa vez de Roth, quando após o Van Halen lançar o álbum For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge (1991), que abreviado fica o palavrão "fuck"; o álbum seguinte de Roth, em 1994, era Your Filthy Little Mouth.
Pelo nome não conheço a banda 😅 (não me mates) Amei a criatividade po nome do album, é literalmente o ano em q foi lançado 😍 1 faixa: wtf? Solinho top de guitarra na Jump Amei a PA NA MAAAAAAA PANAMAA Hot for teacher: novos batimentos do gristo? Q foi este início? Uma mota a dar o berro? Alaksksk No geral achei as músicas um bocado barulhentas, maybe não tou no mood ou se calhar só não é muito a minha vibe. Não desgostei, mas também não gostei, 3* Fav song: panama
i had no idea jump was by van halen. i remember that song being in sing. 1984 was a fun track but most of the album isn’t smth id typically listen to.
Ne mano stiliaus, gera muzika, bet be esmes 5/10 visas albumas antra karta neklausyciau
Pretty good
This album is the epitome of dad music. Despite only previously having listened to Jump, I swear I’ve heard all of these songs at least once on the radio. They were all followed up with my dad asking, “who sings this?” Overall, I really loved the vibe of the album and can see myself listening to it again soon.
Very classic rock album! Enjoyed some songs. In others were the vocals not doing it for me
Still not my thing. I kinda like the cheesy synth riff of "Jump" but even that is mostly a nostalgia for 80s movie soundtracks than the actual song itself. The noodley guitar solos just don't do it for me.
Here we are. First Van Halen album. I'm confident I've never listened to a song from these guys before, though stranger things have happened. I think I've been around music enough to know that these guys are a hard rock band, but that year of release is throwing me. Surely people weren't hard rocking in the mid-80s, right? In any case, I'm locking in hard rock for my prediction. Yup. Hard rock, though I'm ashamed I didn't predict the synth aspect of this music. I liked some of the guitar performances and appreciated the short duration, though aside from that this music is, once again, not for me. I could get into one or two of the songs here, though the rest of the album kind of blends together. Ahhh, fuaaaaark. I've listened to "Jump" before. Good song. Very of-the-time, though those synths manage to hold up in retrospect. They still sound pretty futuristic thanks to the polished sound. The chorus is very good, obviously, though the bridges which lead into the chorus are my favourite parts of the song. Those vocals and rough guitars are pretty great. Book time. "revolutionary in its sound". Metal and electronic was a novel combination at the time. Sold very well. I know Van Halen are an iconic band and I can understand how this album was ahead of the curb, so I can let this one through. I cosign this inclusion.
Track 1. (1984) interlude can’t really rate Track 2. (Jump) so fucking iconic, obviously. Song of the decade. Perfectly encapsulates the 80s. 8.5/10 Track 3 (Panama) amazing guitar and drums. Maybe more their best song but still a solid one. 7.2/10 Track 4. (Top Jimmy) same as last track, good but not ground breaking. Still very good don’t get me wrong. 7/10 Track 5. (Drop Dead Legs) love the guitar especially on this track. Not exactly groundbreaking lyrics but what do you expect from rock lol. Like it more than the previous two though. 7.9/10 Track 6. (Hot for Teacher) interesting lyrics😭 fucking great drums holy shit. 7.5 Track 7. (I’ll Wait) so 80s I love it. This song stands out for me compared to the first 6 tracks. 8.3/10 Track 8. (Girl Gone Bad) not my favourite, but still good. Feels like rushed or just a filler song. 6.8/10 Track 9. (House of Pain) of the bat love the instrumental, guitarist never disappoints. Still seems a bit filler and the vocals are totally drowning over the guitar. 6/10 Overall score: 7.4/10
This album has some great songs that I really liked when I was 18-20.
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
Shows it’s age..
The duality of man. 2/5
Superb rock album Fave track: Jump
Sure. 3/5
DROP DEAD LEEEEEGSSS definitely hard rock
2,5
Waaayy too much testosterone. But hey, the spirit lives on since the teacher was way waaaayyy too hot. Right Eddie...?!?
This was fine. I know it was a formative album but I think I’ve heard it so many times it’s lost its shine.
Album 1 Top 3 faves off the album: Hot For Teacher, Top Jimmy, I'll Wait I'm going to try reviewing albums in a way I don't usually do; that is, by yapping about them to the best of my ability. Maybe by the end of this, I'll have something to say! Van Halen has always been a household name for me, but I haven't gotten around to listening to them in-depth until now. The pacing of this album was well done, stepping off the gas pedal between some of the most driving tunes without losing the energy at the heart of it all. I wish I had something insightful to say about the drumming and guitar, but everything has been said already. They're phenomenal. Lyrically, I think this one falls on the lower end of middle ground. As far as this project goes, I currently have nothing to compare it to. As an avid music listener in general, though, I've heard far worse, *and* far better. Time will really tell where this one falls in the total ranking, but I doubt it's going to be above the midpoint. Overall, this was a solid start to the journey, and an enjoyable listening experience!
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.
A few decent songs. I could always appreciate the talent of Van Halen without necessarily liking the music
Jump is great, the others not so much.
I looked up to see if there was a known connection between this album and the book by George Orwell. There is not. Jump is a banger tho.
Coldplay left me well, cold
Wow it's the 2 Van Halen songs everyone knows and an otherwise generic hair metal album. +1 star purely for the guitar playing
Probably giving this a higher score than I should just because of Eddie, but his riffs are so good, even if this isn't the best album showcasing his skills. Also I kinda like Panama and have some nostalgia for Hot for Teacher, thanks to Guitar Hero.
Would be 2 stars if not for Hot For Teacher
I guess I'm not in the mood for big riffs, but I appreciate it I guess
I try not to have guilty pleasures. By that I mean that I try not to feel guilty about my pleasures. Life's too short. However, I am genuinely annoyed by how much I liked this obnoxious record. I've always skipped Van Halen and their brand of radio-friendly neon and sleaze. And trust; there is not one moment of artistic revelation on 1984. It is late glam/early hair spectacle from start to finish. But damn, the bombastic synths, Eddie Van Halen's virtuosic trickster riffs, and the watertight rhythm section of Alex Van Halen and Michael Anthony are so much fun that I find myself, even as a middle-aged man, being drawn to their testosterone fuel like a cartoon character floating through the air after smelling a cherry pie cooling on the windowsill. And David Lee Roth? This son of a bitch is the platonic ideal of a dead-eyed, leather-clad douchebag. He wins the award for most punchable face in rock 'n roll. He's the walking/talking equivalent of a roofie in your drink. He's the god of the ugly peacocking sham glam assholes. But, reluctantly, I have to admit that he's still a god. None of the swaggering frontmen of the hair bands that followed Van Halen in the mid-to-late '80s could hold a candle to him. He irks me, but he is so, so good at what he does. In a way, Van Halen's 1984 is humble in its execution. It is fun, and it rocks. It never pretends to do or be anything other than a stupid good time. On that point, it is a raging success. Four stars.
4/10 Best songs: Panama, I'll Wait Exactly what I expected from an '80s rock album: lots of sex, huge numbers of guitar riffs, and overly long tracks. Not my type of music. How would I fix it? Shorten each song, drop a guitar riff or two, and be more interesting.
This record was a bit of a phenomenon at the time. "Hot For Teacher" got a ton of MTV airplay and both "Jump" and "Panama" were big hits as well. Halen purists were offended by the synthesizers, but the record did in fact rock in places. That said, I think it's hard to top II, Diver Down, Women and Children First.
Not bad, had some good songs but can't say I'd actively put it on.
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
hay phết có mấy bài đã có sẵn trong playlist rock của tao từ trước. nghe rất phóng khoáng và năng lượng, kiểu thời người ta còn mặc đồ màu sắc sặc sỡ và để các kiểu tóc chất chơi đẹp vcl
it was so much fun listening to it, classy 80s sound
7/10 jump 12/23/25
Such a classic Tons of energy, great songs Not much to say
Impressed by the energy on display but does every song need a guitar solo? Yes, because it the 80’s. Jump is forever a party song classic, Hot for Teacher is horrendous and the rest is middling.
I didn’t find it too amusing. Not really for me but a lot of hits that comes from them.
Superbra! 8/10
White, American 80's rock in a nutshell. White people are cool, America is cool, 80s were cool, rock is cool. This is dogshit
masterclass after some shitters between this and vh2
Awesome, I don't mind the synths at all.
decent, couple bangers i didnt expect but not rly my thing
Great album by a great band.
I generally don't like this kind of music or attitude, but these guys were really good. Especially on their first few albums, before the dreaded Hagarness set in and drained the humor and light away. They had a nice combination of heaviness, melody, musical dexterity and occasional vaudeville goofiness. This one has some of their biggest hits. "Panama" is great, "Jump" is fun, "I'll Wait" okay, and "Hot for Teacher" is kind of dumb. I prefer Diver Down.
Synth
not bad riffs Would I listen again: No Deserves to be on this list: Maybe 3.6
Sigh, no thank you
62
I’ve heard worse
It's only a little annoying. 4.2.
I don't know how I didn't realize that so many of these songs were Van Halen. I always had this impression of them that was harder.
I jumped, rest was okay, Panama ook goed
Very 80's, but pretty good. Faves: Jump, Panama, Hot for Teacher
De eerste twee nummers zijn zo iconic dat ik niet weet of ik ze serieus kan nemen haha. De rest was eigenlijk heel goed, dus ik heb me vermaakt
good classic 80s dad rock, nothing crazy but nothing terrible best song: panama, hot for teacher
4.5 I loved this as a lad and now
3.75 ich habs nicht ganz fertig gehört, weil ich kaum Zeit hatte. die ersten paar Songs waren aber ganz ok. ist halt so ne art glam metal(?), aber schon gut
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.
I don't know I didn't like it
Loved
Best song: Hot For Teacher Worst song: Hot for Teacher The whole album feels like a friend of a friend aggressively nudging me in the ribs with his elbow and winking to make sure I get the “innuendo”
Some childhood classics hear. Hot For Teacher? One, please.
Would have no qualms adding this to my collection. Never listened straight through before, but enjoyed it all the way. Nice that it's not so long that it might start to wear on you if this weren't your thing.
There is better hair metal out there but this is pretty good. Wish it had been more synth-forward as the beginning tracks implied.
Ach hätten sie den sythn nicht entdeckt...
2,8 - Maximal durchschnittliches Album. Jump absolut nervig, sonst ein paar Hits. Kann man insgesamt durchlaufen lassen. Highlights: Hot for Teacher, I'll Wait
J'ai beaucoup aimé. Il y a de l'énergie sans que cela soit désagréable. L'album est entraînant (surtout Tip Jimmy), la guitare électrique est bien présente et la bienvenue. J'aime bien comment il pose. Par contre je n'ai pas compris les paroles, il faudra que je revienne dessus. 2 écoutes
yani hot hot for teacherı biliyordum ve güzel. ama albümün geri kalanı müthiş boş mu sanki? house of pain belki biraz güzel ama genel boş bir albüm sevgili van halen.
Synth driven genesis meets the who Jump Panama Hot for teacher
Fine rock album It may be something I’ll come back to, but I didn’t find anything too special with it. Jump is a classic, but that’s the only one that really stood out to me. Everything else was just alright.
Great album. Love 1 best of all.
While not a fan of their sound or David Lee Roth's voice, there's some good songs on here. I'll Wait and Hot for Teacher especially, as well as Panama. Not a fan of Jump, but still brings me back to those carefree middle school days.
Straight banger
Great album! You clearly know is an album from the 80s.
Iconic opening, but rest didn’t really stand out for me unfortunately
i also have this on cd. obviously a very critically acclaimed album. not sure it’s my thing but i like the guitar
Far too samey for my taste. A couple of good tracks, but not an album I would come back to.
Such a great album!
Excellent energetic rock.
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.
A lot of tracks sounded similar but boy does it pump you up at times.
some good tracks but not exciting as a whole
This is a classic and I think Eddie Van Halen is over of the most important guitar players since Hendrix. Still I never really cared for their music, I prefer the - heretic as it is - Van Hagar era.
It's okay, I guess. Production-wise fairly tame, tracks are fairly repetitive, vocals not really my thing.
If I’m ready to go back to the mid-80s Grow out my hair, put in some glitter and pop some pills with a bottle of vodka. I know what I’m putting on.
The undisputed heavyweight champ of 80s rock and roll.
The sound of an era
There’s a lot of adolescent preening and technical flamboyance here. Sometimes it hits (Hot for Teacher; I’ll Wait), but often it misses (Girl Gone Bad, Panama, the title track). The synth sound and playing is bad. The guitar and drums are excellent, of course, but they would have been better if they stayed in the pocket rather than showing off. So clearly the Template for Guns and Roses, who brought a harder sound and none of the humor found here. A 3.
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.
Juvenile hair metal. "Hot for teacher"? Really? C'mon.
Already a classic in my household. Love
Not my style
I've heard the singles on this album a million times, but have never listened to the entire album. Solid album. I enjoyed hearing Eddie's guitar work on the songs I wasn't familiar with.
Great album, thanks to Eddie's great guitar riffs and sound!
Solid
Enjoyed, nice short listen. Not something I would typically listen to. Van Halen is often described as hard rock or even metal but to me this is very 80s and feels more produced than something I would describe as hard rock.
girl gone bad is tea
Nice
I remember listening to this record when I was a kid. My uncle had in on vinyl and I would spend hours crouched in from of his record player with headphones listening to it over and over. I've still never heard an album intro so surprising and etherial that then leads into one of the greatest rock songs of all time. This sets up the rest of the record for a brilliant rock ride that never lets up.
Second Van Halen album in a row - it's like the algorithm heard my plea for more VH. Not quite as good as their first album, but still an enjoyable listen with significantly more synth than the self-titled record. Jump and Hot For Teacher are absolute bangers, also enjoyed Panama and Girl Gone Bad. Solid 3.5/5 for me.
Track 1: Great - he's found the synthesiser! This is going to be fun. Track 2: Jump - driven by the synth. Awesome. The guitar solo actually fits the music even. Track 3 - 6: Where's the synth gone? Did they hide it from him and force him to play those stupid solos with too many notes? Track 7: It's baack. I'll Wait. This is a good tune. Tracks 8-9. Boooo. Is a good album gone bad.
Jump, Panama, Hot For Teacher…all massive hits growing up. The rest of the album sucks.
1984 has always been a favorite of mine because of its sentimental value. It contains tracks that introduced me to Classic Rock at an early age. I can remember hearing Hot For Teacher for the first time and being struck by the drum solo; it was nothing like I'd ever heard before....and it was most likely either with Jim or in Jim's dad's car on the way to baseball or basketball practice. Jump and, of course, Panama are the other classics on this one. I always think back to the scene in SuperBad where McLovin is doing donuts in Bill Hader's and Seth Rogan's cop car with Panama blasting. Even though I'm not this huge Van Halen fan, they were one of the first rock bands (alongside AC/DC) that really caught my attention.
Van Halen was my first favorite band and I'll always remain fond of a lot of their work, but 1984 has never really hit for me the way their earlier albums have. Maybe it's because it was their last album with Diamond David Lee Roth and despite the fact that it was 2005, I resented it for being the album that broke up Van Halen. Maybe it's because they leaned a little too far into their pop sensibilities (I'm looking at you, Jump) and away from their hard drinkin' and hard rockin' inclinations. Or maybe it's just because it's the one my Dad played the least growing up. Either way, it's impossible to overstate how electric and talented this band was at the height of their powers. 1984 is worth the listen just to hear these guys go. DLR was the most exciting front man in that whole scene and Eddie was/is arguably the greatest guitarist of all time, especially for dudes who love tapping. Alex Van Halen's drumming was incredible on that album and throughout their entire discography. It sounds like he has four arms and four legs at the beginning of Hot for Teacher. And as always, Michael Anthony was there with his Jack Daniels bass. Just smiling away. Van Halen's music isn't exactly aging like fine wine, especially when you examine the lyrical content. But it's got it's place, back in 1984. They were the perfect band for the 80s and with this album especially, they exemplified the excess of the decade with sex, drugs, and rock and roll.
You can critique Van Halen for a lot & you'd probably be right to do so but there is something elemental about their guitar work and drum work. 1984 adds some futuristic zest to it with a ton of synths and drum machines but the backbone of the music is really strong. Panama, Jump & Hot for Teacher have all been played to death but there's a reason that they've loomed large in the public consciousness and it's not just payola. Listen to the structure of Panama, it's a furious song. The lyrical content of Van Halen might be cock rock swagger but when the craft is there & it is funny to have a song about wanting to bang your teacher. Aren't you guys like thirty?
Album came out when I was -10 years old
For a second I was shocked by the thought that, if I had been around and old enough in 1984, I could have been into this record, too. But then I sighed in relief… thankfully it’s 2026 (there must be some kind of silver lining to living in these times), and I can wholeheartedly say: I would have known better — this record is (and always was) absolutely terrible! Hot Teacher might just be one of the single most insufferable songs I’ve ever heard (to the point of almost causing physical pain), making the lyrics of Def Leppard sound like an advanced master’s class in poetry by comparison.
I liked this album, and I like Van Halen well enough. It just felt a little more underwhelming than what I was expecting. This does not mean that it was bad, by any stretch, it just wasn't really, to me, the best the band has to offer. I know this album is beloved, and a lot of the tracks are really fun. I really loved the musicianship on this one. Good, but not my favorite.
Easily recognizable hits + songs I’ve never heard. Classic rock album for the time. ⭐️⭐️⭐️