10 Best Hard Rock Albums Of The 80s
3. 1984 - Van Halen
By the time the 80's rolled around, Van Halen were already seasoned pros on the rock scene. The band's 1978 debut was already a classic amongst rock fans and the guitar work of Eddie Van Halen was revolutionizing the music world with every new release the band put out. Now that the hair metal bands were riding their coattails, it was time for the band to show the younger generation how it was really done.
1984 shows Van Halen blending into the 80's rock format perfectly, with songs that don't skimp out on pop or metal like on "Jump," with its bright synthesizer juxtaposed by the jaw-dropping guitar solo. The band also proceeded to blow minds on the stomping groove of "Hot for Teacher" and the definitive ode to excess "Panama." From David Lee Roth's charisma to the Van Halen brothers's solid foundation, every single member of the band brings their A-game to the table for this outing.
This career high came with a price though when Roth decided to leave the group shortly after the album's release. As it stands, 1984 is a staple of everything that was exciting about rock music in the 80's.