1984

fun to finally listen to a classic

Classic. I think I overlistened this.

Very good album. Eddies guitar never dissapoints.

This album has a ton of great tracks, ranging from synthy to metal to party anthems. Not every track was a winner, but in general the album is extremely fun.

This is the first time I have listened to a van Halen album the whole way through. It was enjoyable, but I will probably stick to the singles from this one in the future.

I regret that all the spandex and incessant radio plays distracted me from this great album for so long.

Man, this is almost as good as their first album. It's just hit after hit for, like, 8 straight songs. I even like 1984 as the opener. But it all comes crashing down on House of Pain. It was like a precursor to the generic rock years with Sammy Hagar. But still, very solid.

The songs still sound fantastic, some brilliant tracks on here and no filler. Some of really creative songwriting and playing and technically amazing too. Also in Jump has one of the all time classic 80s rock songs. Great album.

Solid, nice length, great drumming and guitars, and energetic guitars, although some dated synths and odd subjects

Wasn’t too impressed at first, but then I really enjoyed and appreciated the crossover of metal and synths

The songs still sound fantastic, some brilliant tracks on here and no filler. Some of really creative songwriting and playing and technically amazing too. Also in Jump has one of the all time classic 80s rock songs. Great album.

An absolute blast! 80's energy melting my face.

Good

Hot for Teacher alone gets it 3 stars.

A day in the studio for these guys is like: "Okay I've just written this sick guitar solo...how can we make a song out of it!?". Admittedly, this music is really good, and the guitars sound really good. They've got some really nice rock sound out of their guitars, similar to Guns N Roses and Queen. They write excellent guitar riffs, and some catchy hooks too, but I do lose interest when it's just fast guitar shredding and not much else going on in the album (like the last two songs). Tough one to rate. Not that bothered about listening again so will go for 4.4 stars rounded to 4

Production: 13/20 Songwriting: 11/20 Innovation: 12/20 Presence of pure bangers: 15/20 Emotional response: 15/20 =62 Really enjoyed that lads

All songs from this album are classical. A great album with only one notable drawback: it sounds a little bit dated, probably because it is a reference album for almost every rock band nowadays. However, worth every song!

Very good, and great memories!

Cool classic album. I'm not super into hard rock but as far as that goes, this is really solid. Loads of character.

While the first album was guitar heavy with the focus in EVH, this album has the better songs. However, the debut album is collectively better as the songs on it better relate to one another. Overall, it is the same rating as the first. I don’t think Van Halen got any better or worse as a band with this album. Despite a slight stylistic change. RIP to the goat.

Hair metal done right.

loved it. awesome album

HEY YOU. Who said that??? We’ll never, ever know.

I enjoyed it especially because there were quite a few songs I knew and liked, but never knew they were in this album by this group.

Boo yah Ooooo RAH Solid album Reckon I love old rock now A few non perfect ones but still great

Fun to blast. Great car ride music. Great choice for a hardrock metal album from the 80s

This not at all what i expected. what a blast.

Good ol' rock 'n' roll. It's neither very hard nor very pop-y. Perfectly balanced as all things should be.

Memories

Still hot for teacher

A classic rock/metal album. Van Halen really mastered the art of fusing metal and pop to create anthems that would appeal to a wide audience. And of course, Eddie's guitar playing is incredible - an innovator who spawned millions of copycats, and influenced guitar players everywhere. And despite all the imitators, he remained inimitable. Eddie always sounded like Eddie. Only criticism is that the album is over too quickly. Some might think a few of the lyrics are a bit questionable, but they were never meant to be taken too seriously. Van Halen were ridiculous and over the top, but they knew it and embraced it. It's unfortunate that a lot of the bands that followed in their wake didn't seem to get the joke.

This is the kind of rock I grew up with.. very big on Much Music. And it was just everywhere on the radio. It's good simple power cords music about sex and parties

Much better than expected. Especially enjoyed Jump

The album where they added synthesizers. The rest, as they say, is history. Best track: Panama

80s guitar wankery gets old, but Eddie Van Halen brings a distinctive groove to his playing that makes musically intricate songs danceable.

5/21 Some good ass rock. Standout Tracks: Panama, Top Jimmy, Hot for Teacher, House of Pain

An arena rock classic. Eddie can absolutely shred! 3.5

Some fun songs, especially the singles I already knew. Eddie Van Halen’s guitar work is of course impressive.

excellent album cover + points for stylized title. more points for jump. everything else was okay!

Album #245 Van Halen: 1984 It must be pretty jarring for Van Halen fans, who presumably adore the band for their one-of-a-kind rapturous guitar work, to turn on one of their albums and immediately be greeted by a synthesizer. Though I enjoy early Van Halen, I’d hardly consider myself a die-hard fan, and their style of really fast and technical guitar playing has never been what I’m drawn to. I much prefer the slower, more rhythmic riffs that you’d find from Television or Dire Straits. Synthesizers, on the other hand, I love, so really this should be the Van Halen album for me, but for as much as I’d love to love it, it really is just pretty good. Jump is a song which is pretty important to me, as it was one of the first songs that I can remember loving and playing to death, and whenever I listen to it I remember a lot of pivotal childhood memories. Panama is probably the other track in which I would say I have strong feelings for, and it still goes hard to this day. But honestly? The rest of the tracklist is just kind of there. It’s good enough and solid, but nothing that I’d be dying to relisten to. I’m never going to complain about thirty minutes of high-octane fun, but I’d be lying if I said I hold this album in especially high regard. Best Songs: Jump, Panama, I’ll Wait Worst Song: Top Jimmy Score out of 10: 7

I expected to hate this, but thought it wasn’t bad at all.

Baby baby baby

Kelpo rokin räimettä, mutta tuskin tulen tän pariin isommin palaamaan. Jump on musta vähän jotenkin puhkikulunut.

tää oli just täydellistä muuttomusiikkia, mutta en tiedä että mitä muuta se sitten voisi olla

Overall - 68 This type of music is just not really for me unfortunately title track is easily my fav 1. 1984 - 72 2. Jump - 73 3. Panama - 68 4. Top Jimmy - 78 5. Drop Dead Legs - 76 6. Hot for Teacher - 71 7. I'll Wait - 63 8. Girl Gone Bad - 58 9. House of Pain - 73

Pretty fun good pop anthems, quick listen for a quick pissin'

Why hello synth, the album name is incredibly apt. This album just sounds so 80's haahah. I actually knew the first song though which was surprising, definitely in some movie I'd seen. A really short album, 9 songs and only just over half an hour. A fun sound, but not really my thing. Some very cool riffs/lyrics at points.

Det er ikkje det at eg får så veldig mykje meir ut av dette, enn at eg blir litt gladare. Men det er nok det i blant. Eddie Van Halen er veldig lett å lika, David Lee Roth ikkje så. Kult at det lett såpass powertrio av dei som det faktisk gjer - tiåret tatt i betraktning.

This is a decade defining rock album. As much as I hate to say it, this encapsulates the 80s better than the Cure, the Replacements, the Smiths, New Order, etc. Definitely a bit over-produced for my liking, but again that was the 80s for ya. Favorite track: Panama

man i really needed this album today. not because it’s incredible or life changing, but because the songs are simple and to the point. “Hot For Teacher” still kinda creeps me out tho

Driving around in my firebird to this

Good hits, the rest is kinda meh

***An ok album

Although ”Jump“ and “Panama” have found their rightful place in the annals of rock history, I think this album struggles with the A-Side/B-Side trap

5/10 Van Halen are kind of a weird band in that the focus is so much on Eddie Van Halen's guitar prowess, rather then the vocalist. Obviously everyone contributes, but Eddie's really the star turn. As one of a swathe of hair metal bands that came to prominence in the early 80s, Van Halen very much had Eddie's virtuosity as their ace card. Interestingly, this record is really where Eddie stepped outside of that guitar focus and started to get stuck in to the use of synthesisers. It's not all over the album, of course, but I think there's a strong argument that the best riff on the whole thing is the main synth line from Jump. The record really does kick off in style, with a cool synth intro before slamming straight in to that superb slice of 80s pop rock. It's stuffed full of hooks and great sounds and gets things off to an impressive start. Unfortunately, the standard of the record almost immediately slides when we hit Panama. It's ok, but there's not anything particularly stand-out about it. And that's kind of how the record progresses. It often has the attitude and swagger of heavy 80s party music, but on closer inspection, it often lacks the killer riff or hook that would elevate each track beyond being something fairly average. We do get some great moments of instrumental work, with Eddie giving us some solid riffs and solos in various places, but there's not much in the way of top tier central motifs for the songs to really hang on to. For a record that only clocks in at 33 minutes, it feels like there's way too much filler and not enough killer and, for a cocaine fuelled party rock band, it somehow rarely manages to actually present the fun, if cheesy, heart that hair metal lives and dies on. It's a shame, because I really wanted to like this, and as a background listen it wasn't too bad, but ultimately, I don't really feel the need to listen to this again,outside a couple of standout tracks in Jump and Hot For Teacher. Say it quietly, but is it the case that the new wave of hair metal inspired bands, who came at things with tongues firmly wedged in cheek, actually do it better? I'd definitely stick on The Darkness or Steel Panther over this. 1984 - Eddie's got himself an Oberheim OB-Xa and he's not afraid to use it. This is a cool intro with excellent 80s analog synth programming. It's harmonically rich and tonally interesting, as well as being a perfect lead up to... Jump - An 80s classic. It's kind of funny that one of the most iconic riffs by a band built around the guitar skills of Eddie Van Halen is performed on a synthesiser. It's a great song, and that Oberheim riff is so good. It's cheesy and fun, not compositionally complex, but great regardless. Panama - We're now well and truly in the land of hair metal. It's not the most exciting of songs, if I'm being honest. There are some decent moments, but for me, they didn't manage to find any particularly strong hooks, or even any spectacular guitar moments, so this one just drifts by. Top Jimmy - There's a much better drive and attitude to this one. The guitar harmonic use adds an interesting variety in texture between the sections. Structurally, it's a little meandering in places, mostly the chorus, oddly enough, but it's not bad and gathers things together. Solid guitar solo here too. Drop Dead Legs - This is more like it from a riff point of view. It's got a lazy swagger to it and a cool rhythmic flow. I'm still struggling to find much in the way of a hooky chorus or melody to cling on to. There's some pretty fun guitar work, as you'd expect, but as a song it kind of falls a bit flat. Hot For Teacher - I'm back on board now. Some rapid, enjoyable drum work kicks us off and then we kick in to some red hot riffage. Again, super cheesy, super 80s, but they've conjured up some great hooks, lovely little guitar motifs and this is the best vocal performance on the record since Jump. Thematically, it's probably not aged well, but as an example of the genre, it's pretty damn great. Get out my leopard print leggings, it's time to party. I'll Wait - There's some very 80s production and synth programming here. The pace has dropped off quite a bit, and while it feels fairly coherent and there are some decent melodic motifs, it's not the most exciting piece of songwriting. Not terrible, just a bit bland. Girl Gone Bad - The drums here are excellent. Lots of drive and a great groove. The interplay between guitar and vocal in the verse is pretty damn good too. We get a good slice of Van Halen guitar soloing, but things do kind of grind almost to a halt after that. Unfortunately, there's not a strong chorus to be found here, so despite some of the good work, it feels lacking in centre and a bit aimless. House Of Pain - The musicianship across this record has been very good, but I've found it to be lacking in many really strong hooks or choruses to hang the songs off. This is another example, where the component parts are decent, but the song itself just doesn't deliver in terms of being all that interesting or engaging. It's a bit of a shame really.

sockfire, 10 yrs old, with 3 friends lurking in an alley and dipping rhubarb staks in sugar, gathered around a battery-powered tape player listening to a hot new album: Van Halen - 1984. It was a precious moment, full of life and opportunity. The world was ours for the taking. sockfire, 51-yr-old, sitting in his underpants at the breakfast table reviewing a draft legal brief with Van Halen-1984 crooning in the background compared…unfavourably.

I don't feel tardy

Album #153: Van Halen – 1984 ⭐⭐⭐ I’d never listened to Van Halen before. Not to be a music snob or anything, but the reason is simply that I never got into them when I was a young kid, and I’ve never really seen why I’d suddenly get into them as a grown man. They just don’t strike me as my sort of band. On top of that, I’ve always hated Jump, and listening to it again today, I still hate it. I think it’s got some of the cringiest lyrics imaginable. I’m all for positive songs, and I probably don’t listen to enough positive music myself, but what the fuck is that song actually about? What is he talking about? So the album gets off to a pretty rough start for me with the cheesy synth intro and Jump. It really picks up in the middle, though. This album is getting its three stars almost entirely because I’d never really sat down and listened properly to Eddie Van Halen’s guitar playing before. And fuck me. It is outrageous. He is so unique. I’ve genuinely never heard anything quite like it. By the time you get to Top Jimmy, the guitar playing is just spectacular. It’s so inventive, so unusual, and so technically ridiculous. I play a bit of guitar myself, but I couldn’t play a solo to save my life, so maybe I’m not the best judge. Still, I genuinely have no idea how he’s making those sounds. With someone like Jimi Hendrix, you can at least follow what he’s doing to some extent. Eddie Van Halen’s playing just feels… unbelievable. One thing I do like is that his playing seems to push the rest of the band into slightly stranger territory. There are little rhythmic changes, odd musical turns, and moments that probably wouldn’t exist if they had a more conventional guitarist. Without Eddie, I think this would just be fairly bog standard stock jock rock. My biggest issue is the tone of the album. The whole thing just feels like one big masturbation session. David Lee Roth spends most of the album obsessing over women. It’s girls’ legs, it’s his teacher, it’s his porn magazines… It gives the whole album an air of wankery that I just don’t find very interesting. It’s juvenile, creepy and gross. It’s a full blown album about wanking. At least it’s not pretentious. Sorry for painting such a vulgar picture, but that’s honestly how the album came across to me. What I’d really love is to hear is Eddie Van Halen in a completely different context. Maybe this is a pretentious thing to say, but I’d love to hear him playing in something more avant-garde, like Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band. Not to take anything away from Zoot Horn Rollo, who was incredible in his own right, but hearing Eddie’s guitar playing in that sort of environment would be fascinating. It’d be potentially a lot more interesting than hearing him in a hard rock band singing almost exclusively about women and sex. Sadly, he is dead, so that’s not going to happen. A light three stars, but I did enjoy it overall.

3.5

Idk whatever

5/10 I liked Panama and Jump, the others were mostly self indulgent over the top solos that all end up melting into one giant monotonous cacophony of noise. Saved by 3 good songs.

pretty nice album and definitely listenable!!

I'm not a big fan of hard rock, so overall this wasn't my favorite, but I distinctly remember Hot for Teacher from Guitar Hero World Tour - that opening guitar solo is cool as hell and the track drives forward like a freight train. Super cathartic. Jump has of course become the biggest hit on the record. It's just OK for me, but I can get with the very 80s synth riff.

Ok

Jump always reminds me of the Glee episode where they film the commercial for the mattress store and sing Jump while jumping from mattress to mattress, which makes me smile. Panama is a song I recognized but never would have known was by Van Halen. 3.5 rounded down.

This album is incredibly stupid, the lyrics are dated, it's a real snap shot of 80s American culture. It is also however fun, so well executed and frankly life's too short to get het up over. Lean in and don't fight it.

170726 21:19 2.5

Wanted more. Some big hits though

Eh, 80s rock never did a ton for me. No denying the talent and the amount of play that some of these tracks got on the radio made them part of the musical lexicon for me. The rest of the tracks on this album are fine but nothing stand out.

Rock music

É divertido, mas fazia mais sentido na minha adolescência...

Had no clue they made jump and panama. The rest besides those 2 are just ok

Other than a couple hit songs, it was just mid

Very alright stuff here the only song that I care for is way too over played.

dad rock

It’s been a long week for anthem rock. Better than Guns n Roses, just.

Guitar playing is the best part the rest is nothing special to my ears, never enjoyed that hair metal sound anyway 3.5*

I wanted to hate this corny ass 80's hair metal album so badly, but I can't deny that parts of it scratched an itch in my lizard brain in a way that made me think less of myself. I still believe David Lee Roth should be chemically castrated as a public safety measure.

Not bad, some good hits.

meh

not usually a fan of 80s rock however, this one definitely hit better than most for me, saved 5/9

Pas forcément un album qui a bien vieilli.

Good album but not really my style or maybe I heard the songs too many times

Quand même cool, s’était vraiment pas si mauvais

Maybe Van Halen was another one of those bands I judged too harshly before actually sitting down with some headphones and listening to an album as opposed to just radio singles. I still think they're pretty cringy (mostly thanks to David Lee Roth), but I was expecting some sort of high art, which isn't what you should expect at all from any hard rock band. It's just a fun album. Was expecting to put this as a one or two star, but I'd probably put it as a high three/low four. I'll round down to factor for the cringe

Last album from first 8 Van Halen run

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.

Jump pulls this up to a three - it's fine but ....

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

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.

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.

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.

Decent but wasn't blown away

panama >>> but jump is pretty good too. honestly theyre all fun

Hit after hit, still good.

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

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.

Fine they’re good at guitar but the music is simultaneously kinda boring and annoying to me.

Weer zo'n prima 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

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.

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.

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.

Ok

It’s pretty inoffensive but also kind of repetitive. Will probably listen again

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.

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.

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.

Some classics

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

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

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.

Solid rock album but only seems to Have one gear.

Трясця)))

Heard this way too much on the radio so there's no novelty, good though

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

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.

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 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

I get tired of their schtick FAST. Good job putting Jump first.

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.

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

This is pretty cool rock, makes me wanna Jump! Very much a front loaded album however

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

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!

Very average album but the known bangers at the start. Eddie Van Halen has a great voice tho that makes it an enjoyable listen.

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…

cool

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 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.

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

Yuh aber lowkey kein Sound gemerkt

Never thought I was going to enjoy a 80's metal albums with synths

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Another 80s album where I like the songs I already knew and don't really care for the ones I didn't.

Had _no idea_ that Jump was by Van Halen.

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.

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!!

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

I think they do their thing very while, it’s just not my thing

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

When rock 'n' roll was cool, man.

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

Love van Halen, mediocre album

The album starts so strongly and then just doesn’t stick the landing in my opinion. That classic fast paced thundering rhythm and wailing guitar is just not for me, I prefer them going hell for leather on a catchy tune.

I don't have the look of a guy that would like any Van Halen, but I lose my fucking mind whenever Panama comes on. What a good ass song. I'm reading on the wiki that David Lee Roth left the band after this album bc Eddie wanted more keyboard and synth centric music. Kinda crazy to do that considering only two songs on this album aren't standard Van Halen butt rock, and those two songs are the big arena hit and a pretty well written one in I'll Wait (Michael McDonald on the track). I think I can hear why Eddie would have wanted to go that route, most of his solos are kinda sparse as far as the band comping behind him goes. The bassist isn't doing much melodic work I'm guessing in an effort to stay out of the solo's way, so it can feel a bit empty. At the same time, I dunno if synths specifically would be my first path. It works for Jump because of the big dumb lick right at the top, it's basically a Journey song. But tracks like Girl Gone Bad wouldn't work with synth. Those kinda tracks WOULD work and fill out a lot more with a B3 though. Just put an organist in the mix. Eddie gets his full band, DLR doesn't have to leave the band because 2 songs weren't butt rock. Everyone's happy. That's my 2 cents, anyway. Album is alright otherwise, like I said Panama goes insane. And I can get with some butt rock here and there. 3.

7/10

More a 3.5

Classic but very short. I know he’s regarded as a top guitarist but I’m not a giant fan of eddies style.

Yeah pretty cool actually

Yeh not my type, but I get it's great for the reasons that it wants to be

Lots of hits on this album from Van Halen, but I preferred their self-titled debut.

the hits are AMAZING on these headphones, I was dancing my way through the album and then the deep cuts come on and they're very not good.... everything settles at 3.

Would give it a 3.5 if I could

Hot for teacher bumped this up a star. Otherwise just not really my cup of tea.

This album is fine. An average, somewhat monotomous sounding record, that is not really my thing. It wasn't too bad having on in the backround, but I dont think I will be listening to it again any time soon. Three stars. (Favorite track: Panama.)

In the Van Halen fan club (AKA, the Van Halen Fan Haven), there was some criticism over their newfound usage of synths—including, evidently, David Lee Roth. I like a good synth, and always found "Jump" to be a fun song, so I never cared much for those criticisms. But then, listening today, I found that 1984 doesn't really hold up as well as I'd thought. And the biggest problem? The synths. Not because they exist, but because they're so... rudimentary. While Eddie Van Halen was without a doubt one of the most inventive, virtuosic guitarists of his generation, he played the synth like a fifteen year-old who just got a new toy. Goofy arpeggiations, basic chord structures, and worst of all (really, my biggest complaint), boring sounds. It kind of sounds like he got a synth on its initial patch, played a few notes and thought, "That's perfect!" Look, "Jump" is still fun. "Panama" is good. "Hot for Teacher" is one of the best songs Van Halen ever put out. It's just not as good as their earlier stuff, and not as good as some of the other hair metal coming out around the same time (like Def Leppard's Pyromania).

A few decent songs, but lacking any kind of bite

Starta dårlig også kom det sæ etter hvert

Great RnR some zep some ZZtop some original very good though

Girl Gone Bad -- oh my

I definitely appreciate Van Halen more now than I did when I was a kid. The riffs are pretty wild, but i stand by my dislike of Roth and the zanier elements of their music. Not to mention how much this has bee overplayed on the radio.

I saw another reviewer write something along the lines of "I really wanted to hate this, but I just can't" and I think I fall into that boat as well. Something about the whole idea and image of Van Halen has always rubbed me the wrong way, but I've never actually say down and listened to an album. Is it completely over the top, cheesy, and hyper sexualized? Absolutely. Are the songs catchy, with undeniable hooks and skillful playing? Yup. It's just one of those 80s albums that worked its way into the zeitgeist for good reason. The chops are there. The synth leads are hooky, and the guitar is blazing. Makes me want to drink 10 cheap beers and get behind the wheel of a Camaro. Still not my favorite music, but I won't deny it's got some juice. 3/5.

Jump!

A trio of big hits and a whole load of filler. I did love the videos from the Dave Lee Roth era of Van Halen, but the music always felt a little lacking. I know this album as a classic of the hair metal genre in the 80s, a genre I never really liked. I feel three stars is more than generous here.

Fun: but just not quite right for me

Decent 3,5

Good for its genre. 3.5 stars

This album has an undeniably iconic sound: this is the 1980s in a time capsule. I can't listen to it without feeling like I'm watching Back to the Future. I don't think this is a bad thing by any means, but it's not my thing. That being said, there's a couple songs like "Hot for Teacher", "Girl Gone Bad", and "House of Pain" which are less heavy on the synth and work better for me.

classic but like in the burger kind of way like its good i can see them using these songs as background music in a movie like a good ham sandwich, its just good i lose a little interest towards the end of the album, but overall i think its a strong album experience (I just don't like the songs individually)

Day 230 Just big dumb rock and sometimes that’s exactly what you want to hear. Highlights Jump House of Pain

EVH's solos are very impressive and he makes the guitar screech in unique ways, but I don't think it's to my taste. Sometimes less is more. Beyond the solos the songs are uninteresting.

Fun dumb rock and roll, it's not my favorite from VH (Fair Warning) but worth a listen. My conservative parents who grew up in the 80's hate VH to this day, but I'm sure they also heard these songs played to death.

Does what is says on the tin. Hair rock/ light metal. Jump clearly the best known song on the album but the fact that I thought Panama was Animal (by Def Leppard) as the tune and metre were so similar shows how interchangeable these bands are. 3 out of 5 stars.

This felt cheesy to me. I liked "Jump" and "Panama" but the rest was all crazy sex talk.

Kovia klassikoitta, muut kappaleet ei sit sen erikoisempia. Odotin ehkä vähän enemmän, siks annetaan "vain" 3 tähteä. Parhaat: Hot For Teacher, Jump, Panama

What an opening, the sci-fi sound was quite unexpected but as a ‘techno that sounds like youre on a spaceship’ fan I bloody loved it. Jump is obviously a classic but I must admit beyond that my knowledge of Van Halen is extremely limited. Did enjoy the listening experience for this one, the music n instruments are just class, though it looses points for how much some of the songs (specifically Hot for Teacher) made me cringe. Jump takes the favourite song spot on this one (sorry if that’s basic) I just couldn’t help it

It's kind of a victim of its own success in the sense that it so defined the sound of 80's rock that it sounds almost like a parody of the same genre and period today. The guitar work was great enough to make up for the lackluster lyrics at least on some tracks.

1984 is a good record in it’s genre. Everyone involved the band is extremely talented. I have much respect for both EVH and DLR. Van Halen knew how to have fun and not take things too seriously. This is not their best record. I like it fine and it’s got lots of great moments but there’s way too much about it that is not in the right lane for me to score it particularly highly.

Jump and Panama super famous songs.

Not as good as their debut, but solid

Some 3/5's are just kinda average. Others are this. Can something be fun, but you also not particularly like it? That's this album. Good for a listen, but I've no interest in listening to it again. To much synth and too many talk singing parts.

You can hear the influence this band has had on many bands after it. The sound is great for the most part, the technical aspect that is. The lyrics are however rather simple, and questionable on some songs.

Good

Solid album. Hot for teacher is the highlight for me, can’t beat a blistering solo

Not as good as the debut, but still a fun hard rock album

i had a fun time 😎

Alright but does it need to be included in the book?

Oh, this is like the “peaked in high school” music of the 1980s. Guitars shred though, they play really well, and the energy is great. It’s incredibly well done sonically. I like the production a lot, & I appreciate the brevity of the tracklist. Just not for me.

Ikke for mæ, kult med hits men alt e helt Nordkjosbotn

Blir for bonat

Better than I’ve given it credit before but still not my thing at all. The guitar work just feels so show off instead of making the song better. Also cannot stand the ewwwewweYOWWWWs that happen every song. I will give it to hot for teacher, Panama, and I’ll wait those three are good songs. Jump is one of the worst songs ever. It feels so much like they’re more interested in being sexy than writing good music.

A couple bangers, good rock album overall

I don’t dig this music scene and always assumed I didn’t dig Van Halen either. I see that’s not completely untrue, though I wouldn’t say I dig em either. But something about them feels more interesting and less cringey than their counterparts (though there’s some of that still). Eddie shreds - main riffs and spastic proggy math-rocker interjections) but does so in service of the song. The music is energetic and fun. Bounces from hard rock to synth pop - and can manage both reasonably. But also still like overall whatever ya know?

Hits are fine…others seem like filler.

14 year old me would have given this a 5 just for the Hot For Teacher video. Unfortunately it didn’t hold up 40 years later. I’ll Wait turns out to be by far the best song on the album. Panama and Jump have just been overplayed. 3.5

Bra

Gotta love Van Halen. 7/10.

Fine

This is okay. The hits are good, but the rest falls flat for me.

It was a good album! Already knew around half of the songs. Didn't blow my mind, but was definitely fun. I don't quite want to give it a 4, but like 3.5-3.75

Can't deny it's one of the classics. Surprised how short the album is.

it's fun, but not a cohesive album yet the songs sound similar and run together.

Thoughts are all over the place with this one. For one, about 2/3 of the people the read this will immediately disregard my opinion because I prefer Sammy Hagar to Diamond Dave. That being said, I still think "Hot For Teacher" is one of the greatest songs ever, and "Jump" is the best use of synths in a rock song, ever. The rest of the album I'm a bit cooler on. "Panama" is good, the rest of the songs I honestly though were on earlier albums. Another one of those "Better than a 3, but not a 4" albums for me. I think this time, I have to drop it to 3, just because I doubt I'd ever listen to this all the way through again on my own volition.

Yeah look not my favourite, not my kind of music but some bangers were present

“Dumb” bombastic and overblown yet extremely technical this is a lot of things, but mainly it’s fun

It's not bad but it didn't really do anything for me. Doesn't feel like there's really any heart to it.

Æ får litt lyst til å kle på mæ en trang lys jeans og knulle ei hårat 80-tallsdame. Samtidig så e det så bonat… men også litt fet.

Et par kule sanger, men altfor mange seige låter innimellom, særlig mot slutten.

i liked I"ll wait and panama

Can't really get into them but rip evh

Its very of the time. Which means I'm not annoyed by it but I'm definitely not buying the album.

The album itself is solid and consistent, but to me the songs are completely unmemorable. I listened to the album twice and still wouldn’t be able to tell you which songs are on it besides Jump and Panama. Overall, these are familiar and reliable tunes that would work well to introduce someone to what I perceive as old-fashioned rock. 3.5/5

Very glam rock. Definitely enjoyable, but kinda samesy and it felt kinda short.

3/5 Veeeery samesy, but solid album regardless. Not really my style of rock.

I liked it. Not my favorite genre ever tbh but a lot of hits I know and love. Added to my library and will keep on file for a summer mix

I dunno about this man...these are kinda barely songs. But sometimes it sorta rips.

2026. 02. 24

I liked the earlier stuff better but not too bad.

Has great tracks, it is the summary of 80`s music

Interesante, el verdadero Guitar Hero. Highlights: Hot for teacher, I’ll wait, house of pain No puedes terminar tu álbum en fade out

não faz meu tipo, mas as músicas “jump” e “panama” são bem boas

I don’t have to listen to this to know every song, every solo (guitar and drums) and every DLR “whoowhoo” filler lyric. 1984 was a damn goodyear musically and this was definitely one of the highlights. Without cynicism or political correctness, I could still like this album, but likely won’t seek it out again. Goodbye misogynistic 1980s rock’n’roll, you’ve had a good run…

Lightweight heavy metal. Good guitar riffs and driving bass. They make a good sound but it is very polished metal! 🤘🏽

Goood intro, kjekk stemning, rå gitar, mid stemma, alternativt, kule trommer. Hitta hardt på morgonbussen.

man... this album just isn't for me but i see where it is for a ton of people and don't get it twisted...it is. obv panama is my jam but i told rachel this just sounds like shitty rush to me- which is not even a good representation of this. whatever one of the most popular 80s albums, sure. ill prob never listen to this album all the way through again - that song hot for teacher is weird and dumb

There are some really fun songs on here. I would definitely give it three stars.

A lot of classic songs ive heard before and didnt know where they came from

A solid album with iconic electric guitar riffs at the centre of every song.m proving why Wild Stallions needed Eddie Van Halen on guitar. Found myself head bobbing to the catchy tracks but ultimately nothing else on the album matches the iconic status of Jump!

i liked the album. i feel i need to listen to it i few more times but i enjoyed “i’ll wait” and the end of “girl gone bad”

Hot for teacher, great drum and guitar but the drums sound like card board boxes. House of pain has some class riffage. Hints of Led Zeppelin at points, great guitar and some unnecessary complex drum parts. But otherwise I'd question why this is in a list of 1001 albums of notoriety.

A part of the evolution of rock, it had its place before.

Probably more of a 3.5 (which I can’t choose) but as far as hair metal goes this album is tight with punchy synths and I enjoyed it. Hot for Teacher is a standout and the other classics are good but I also really enjoyed Top Jimmy as a deeper cut. Solid album.

Considering this album's persistence in the zeitgeist and my own memories of jamming to dad rock with my dad, I was very excited for this listen and had high expectations. I was honestly super disappointed, spending most of the time just waiting for the actual songs to give way to Eddie and Alex playing solos or eccentric fills. Overall there were a lot of highs, but the meat of it is forgetably basic (borderline pop-y) choruses and verses for me. Like an action movie with a boring plot and phenomenal action sequences.

Not to my taste

This album will always hold a special place in my heart. This came out when i was 11 and it reminds me of Friday nights at the roller rink, drinking suicides and playing Donkey Kong 3. And the rhythm guitar on Panama is still one of my favorite guitar parts of all time. However besides the singles this album doesn’t have much more to offer. EVH though heralded as one of rock’s greatest guitarist is shamelessly self-indulgent as a lead guitar player and most of the band besides the bass player seem to revel in this same indulgence. For the memories it gets an extra star.

Some good songs, some lack substance

Generally this is very basic sounding pop/light rock music. I think individually the members are talented. It doesn’t come together in an interesting way. I’ll Wait sounds like so many other songs in this genre. Almost too referential to other songs. Hot for Teacher is musically interesting but lyrically seems silly from 30 year old men. When I hear the musicianship it makes me wish the songs were better.

I've always been a casual Van Halen fan. Always understood their influence and knew their hits and this album as three of their biggest ones (which also happen to be some of my favorite songs of theirs). However, the songs outside of them (with maybe the exception of House of Pain) felt generic and uninteresting. I'd give it a 3.5/5 if I could off of the strength of those hits, but for this experience its getting rounded down to a 3/5.

I appreciate Eddie Van Halen's influence on every guitarist ever after him, but I'm just not a huge fan of Van Halen's music. I do take hair inspo from them though Best: I'll Wait, Jump

Album No. 0147 on my list. My second (and last) Van Halen album on the list already. "1984" contains some of the bands biggest hits, so I was curious how the rest of the album holds up. Well, I'm afraid it doesn't. "Jump", "Panama", and "Hot for Teacher" are classic, peak 80s masculine hard rock songs. But I found the rest of the album rather mediocre. Not bad in any way, but really rather a bit boring. The songs feel either more like filler songs or just do not really reach the standard of the three aforementioned songs. "Top Jimmy" would be my fourth favorite song (fun, catchy), but again, it just doesn't quite reach the standard, and neither do the others. So, we got three hard rock super hits (one can certainly argue about how well they have aged, but they are certainly iconic in a sense), and a couple of filler songs. I'll obviously add those hits to my playlist. 3/5 stars.

Standouts Jump Panama Hot for Teacher I'll Wait

Sort of familiar to me, probably because they are so famous. Jump is catchy but the rest is forgettable.

Solid 80s corporate cock rock. A disservice to the legacy of EVH. Extra point for Jump.

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.

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.

Good

6.5/10

It's kind of goofy when you start to think about it.

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

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.

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 my favorite VH album, but its iconic

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

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.

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

Powerful intro Hot for teacher

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

Ist oook, Jump bester Hit

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

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!