10 Classic Albums That Artists Hated Recording

There was no chance of Van Halen slowing down for any reason during the early ‘80s. This was the band that practically gave birth to the hair metal scene back in 1978, and the next few years gave them free reign of the entire musical landscape, with little to no time for taking a break. When the band did have some time to recharge their batteries though, Eddie came back with a new toy that he insisted on being on the record.

After messing around with different synthesizers sounds on albums like Women and Children First, Eddie got severe pushback from David Lee Roth when trying to bring synths into the mix, with Dave thinking that they shouldn’t mess with the formula they had already set up for themselves. Once they all touched base at Eddie’s studio though, that’s when Eddie put his foot down and stopped all negotiations…and turned in one of the most electrifying albums of their career. While the morale may not have been as great this time around, this is one of the biggest high points that Van Halen would ever reach, transitioning into the world of pop with songs like Jump and I’ll Wait.

This is far from a sell out kind of record though either, as the band bring back the screaming guitars and party all night approach to lyrics on songs like Panama and Hot For Teacher. The album may have been a triumph, but it wasn’t something the band would survive intact, with Roth quitting halfway through and being replaced by Sammy Hagar a few months later. 1984 was definitely a peak for Van Halen, but it’s hard not to look at it as the end of an era as well.