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1984

by Van Halen

Released: January 09, 1984

Hard rock, glam metal, heavy metal, synth rock, pop rock

musicOnOff editorial

Why This Album Matters

This album matters because its strongest editorial story is: Breakthrough.

The Album

"1984" is the sixth studio album by American rock band Van Halen. This change led to tension within the band and would eventually contribute to the departure of lead vocalist David Lee Roth in 1985. 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.

Inside the Recording

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.

Stories and details

Interesting Facts

It remains one of Van Halen's most popular…

It remains one of Van Halen's most popular albums to this day.

Watch and listen

Explore the Album

Van Halen - 1984

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Then

Reception

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. The single "Jump" became the band's only number 1 pop hit and garnered them a Grammy nomination.

Full background

The Complete Album Story

"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.