10 Bands Who Survived A Lead Singer Change
1. Van Halen
Van Halen were one of the undisputed rulers of the hard rock 80's, with Eddie Van Halen's soaring guitar pyrotechnics matched by David Lee Roth's undeniable stage presence. It seemed that the band would go on forever, but the unthinkable unfolded after the album 1984 when Roth announced his departure from the group.
Roth's charisma was truly one of a kind, which led many fans to believe that his absence would be the nail in the band's coffin. Instead of trying to find a clone of Roth, the band finally fund the right fit with veteran rocker Sammy Hagar. When the band ventured int the studio, the follow-up 5150 took the band to even greater commercial heights.
Hagar's strengths were also in his stage presence, which was completely different from the non-stop party animal Roth was. The way Hagar addressed was much more down-to-Earth, which led to fans embracing him with open arms. Even on later releases, Hagar flexed his muscles on hits like "When It's Love," which saw him setting into the rockstar role. There seemed to be no recovery to losing a frontman like David Lee Roth, but miracles occur in music, and Hagar was the ideal ingredient that could keep the heart of Van Halen beating for years to come.