"1984" is the sixth studio album by American rock band Van Halen. It was released on January 9, 1984, and it marked a significant stylistic change for the band as they incorporated synthesizers into their regular hard rock sound. The album was produced by Ted Templeman and contains iconic songs including "Jump," "Panama," "I'll Wait," and "Hot for Teacher."
The use of synthesizers was a departure from their previous albums and was a result of Eddie Van Halen's desire to explore a new musical direction. This change led to tension within the band and would eventually contribute to the departure of lead vocalist David Lee Roth in 1985.
Despite the internal turmoil, "1984" was a commercial success, peaking at number 2 on the Billboard 200 and selling over 10 million copies in the United States alone, thereby earning the band a diamond certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. It remains one of Van Halen's most popular albums to this day. The single "Jump" became the band's only number 1 pop hit and garnered them a Grammy nomination.
