Reviews (page 9 of 14)
Enjoyed, nice short listen. Not something I would typically listen to. Van Halen is often described as hard rock or even metal but to me this is very 80s and feels more produced than something I would describe as hard rock.
Second Van Halen album in a row - it's like the algorithm heard my plea for more VH. Not quite as good as their first album, but still an enjoyable listen with significantly more synth than the self-titled record. Jump and Hot For Teacher are absolute bangers, also enjoyed Panama and Girl Gone Bad. Solid 3.5/5 for me.
Jump, Panama, Hot For Teacher…all massive hits growing up. The rest of the album sucks.
Van Halen was my first favorite band and I'll always remain fond of a lot of their work, but 1984 has never really hit for me the way their earlier albums have. Maybe it's because it was their last album with Diamond David Lee Roth and despite the fact that it was 2005, I resented it for being the album that broke up Van Halen. Maybe it's because they leaned a little too far into their pop sensibilities (I'm looking at you, Jump) and away from their hard drinkin' and hard rockin' inclinations. Or maybe it's just because it's the one my Dad played the least growing up. Either way, it's impossible to overstate how electric and talented this band was at the height of their powers. 1984 is worth the listen just to hear these guys go. DLR was the most exciting front man in that whole scene and Eddie was/is arguably the greatest guitarist of all time, especially for dudes who love tapping. Alex Van Halen's drumming was incredible on that album and throughout their entire discography. It sounds like he has four arms and four legs at the beginning of Hot for Teacher. And as always, Michael Anthony was there with his Jack Daniels bass. Just smiling away. Van Halen's music isn't exactly aging like fine wine, especially when you examine the lyrical content. But it's got it's place, back in 1984. They were the perfect band for the 80s and with this album especially, they exemplified the excess of the decade with sex, drugs, and rock and roll.
You can critique Van Halen for a lot & you'd probably be right to do so but there is something elemental about their guitar work and drum work. 1984 adds some futuristic zest to it with a ton of synths and drum machines but the backbone of the music is really strong. Panama, Jump & Hot for Teacher have all been played to death but there's a reason that they've loomed large in the public consciousness and it's not just payola. Listen to the structure of Panama, it's a furious song. The lyrical content of Van Halen might be cock rock swagger but when the craft is there & it is funny to have a song about wanting to bang your teacher. Aren't you guys like thirty?
I liked this album, and I like Van Halen well enough. It just felt a little more underwhelming than what I was expecting. This does not mean that it was bad, by any stretch, it just wasn't really, to me, the best the band has to offer. I know this album is beloved, and a lot of the tracks are really fun. I really loved the musicianship on this one. Good, but not my favorite.
Easily recognizable hits + songs I’ve never heard. Classic rock album for the time. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
If I was a dude, could see this being fun to listen to while working on my car
It's fine.
One day after Chat Control passed listening to literally 1984. Pretty basic album but still fun. Nothing out of the ordinary. Has a couple of highlights that are spread equally across the album, so it’s enjoyable the whole way through. Doesn’t have any songs that I’d outright call bangers but no bad ones too. Enjoyable album but pretty generic and unimpressive. 7/10
It’s not bad- still a bit lightweight for me.
Van Halen’s Balance Tour (June 1995) was my first concert ever, so I’ll acknowledge my bias right here at the top. If this album - arguably their second best - is on the list then I have to assume their self-titled 1978 debut is also here somewhere. If not, Mr. Dimery and I need to have some words. This was David Lee Roth’s last album with the band (we’ll ignore that 2000’s ‘Old Halen’ era album out of respect) and it was a nice return to form for the band who had struggled to recreate the smashing success of Van Halen 1. Commercially, they certainly did it with 1984, but I’m not sure there’s any comparison in a musical sense. It’s got all of the signature screeching guitar work you’d expect from 80’s era Eddie Van Halen (which again, doesn’t match the more mid-range smoldering/smokey tone he used on VH1, but I’ll stop comparing now). And a bunch of very 80’s keyboard work that I never really needed, but further demonstrate how much EVH brought to the table. I should mention that David Lee Roth also contributed a lot, like when he did SO GOOD at jumping in the “Jump” music video. Gosh, what an irreplaceable legend. For me, the best part is hearing EVH experiment with some different guitar tones in the later tracks. Regardless, 1984 is a fun and pretty lightweight 80’s hair metal album that gave us a solid chunk of any “best of” Van Halen record you’ll ever hear. “Jump” - Hit “Panama” - Hit “Drop Dead Legs” - a perfect example of how VH sounds like the better version of KISS (a rant for another day). “Hot For Teacher” - Hit “Girl Gone Bad” - only for the guitar tone, otherwise the song is just a slowed down derivative of “Hot For Teacher”. Would love to hear the HFT lyrics over this instrumentation though! “House Of Pain” - they put down the hairspray and end the record with 3 minutes of oldschool late-70s metal. PS: I listened to Van Halen 1 as many times as I listened to 1984 this morning. It’s really not even a comparison. I can’t wait to talk more about that one.
Pure nostalgia. Ok album
Pretty solid, though I prefer their debut "Van Halen" album.
I'm sure for someone, many someones, these songs are classics. I mean, Jump, Panama, Hot For Teacher... all good songs. But Eddie was too talented for the songs he wanted to write. It's good.
I saw a semi in the Walmart parking lot that I thought had the Vanzura Halen logo painted on it but it is actually the trucking company’s logo. I do not think however that it is merely coincidence. Running with the devil got stuck in my head so hard I was hearing it in my dreams. I came into this knowing I would hate it. A good hang brought me to a 3.
shredz
EVH is easily one of the greatest to ever pick up the guitar, ridiculously talented. Also Panama always reminds me of Superbad, so extra marks for that.
Didn’t really grab me - perfectly listenable, but unexceptional
It’s got the hits alright, but also some weedly-weedly filler. If that’s not for you, you already know the hits all too well and can live without the rest.
an album named 1984, from 1984. I definitely know Jump but probably nothing else. It’s fun, guitars and one word choruses. Ultimately, pretty boring.
Good but not a fave I can appreciate the guitar work
Why is the production so bad
This album is a mixed bag for me, as my favorite Van Halen song is Hot for Teacher, and my least favorite is Jump. There is definitely plenty to like here, and the talent of everyone is on full showcase for many of the songs, but I just dislike Jump enough that it hurts the entire album for me.
Mostly harmless.
Strays too often in to campy to not also be a little cringe.
Meh. It’s a classic but boring
I wasn’t much of a Van Halen fan back in the day, and some forty years later, not much has changed. I did enjoy hearing these songs again for nostalgia’s sake, and Eddie plays a mean guitar…his solo work is my favorite par t of the record. But the best I can do on this one is three stars.
Nichts für mich als ganzes, einige Lieder ok. Lebenslauf interessanter als die Musik. Virtuos.
Fun record, but beyond the singles there’s not a lot there
Wer kennt diese gruppe nicht. Jump sagt alles und ist das was es ausmacht
Album opens with some heavy space synth on the short opening instrumental track 1984. Second track is Jump. Very gay song, no other way to put it. Third track is Panama. Didn't realize this album had so many singles. I actually never really cared for this song but I enjoyed it quite a bit this time around. Good headphones definitely make a difference. I feel like I've only ever heard the songs from these 80s rock records on the radio. Sitting down for a focused listening session definitely helps appreciate the production aspect. Track 5, Drop Dead Legs(a lot of these songs are about getting pussy) is ok at best but I am into the guitar solo near the end. Track 6 - Hot For Teacher. Another single(one about getting teacher pussy) and probably what I would have called my favourite Van Halen song if I was asked before listening to this album. Great song but it's close to being played out for me at this point. Track 7 - I'll Wait. Didn't recognize the title but I've definitely heard this one. Back with the heavy synth. Only halfway through the song but this might be my favourite song so far. Weird, I didn't expect to enjoy this one so much, especially since I've heard it in the background 1000 times before. Track 8 - Girl Gone Bad. This can't possibly be about getting bad girl pussy, can it? Opening instrumental section is pretty cool. I just read the lyrics, It's about a girl that comes from out of town and starts working as a prostitute. The songwriter believes she should be with him. So it's about getting prostitute pussy. This is actually my favourite song. Not much for lyrics and there are few pretty awesome instrumental parts. Nice. Closing this out is House of Pain, track 9. Just read the lyrics, it's very obviously about bdsm. Not too bad, better than I expected. This whole album clocks in at only 33 minutes so it's a pretty quick listen. Nine tracks total with four of those being rock radio classics. Although some of the songs here have been played to death, there are some deep cuts(Girl Gone Bad, House of Pain) that I liked and a couple classics that I found a new appreciation for(Panama, I'll Wait). Probably not going to give this one more than 3 stars but I think 3.5 is closer to how I feel.
Pretty generic, but good. I think this is what people think about when they hear Classic Rock. The band all around is very good, but the songs themselves kind of get boring and I wouldn't want to listen to this for any longer than the album already is. Definitely good, but not amazing.
Hard to listen to him and not think of the South Park episode
Fun
later
Unbelievable guitars, but the vibe of Pump it up rock is overplayed.
Fett. Litt sånn gubberock. Vipper mellom 3 og 4. Ender på en sterk 3’er
Some really recognizable hits - hot for teacher, girl gone bad, jump… classic 80s rock!
Pretty solid DLR VH album. Jump and Panama are GOATs.
instrumentally fantastic. so many tracks that made me go, "oh my god, THIS is that song!!" while listening. but man, the lyrics are a piece of work. I will forever consider it a red flag for a grown adult (of any gender) to write songs about being in high school. get over it!!
Jump is really good but the rest is just okay. 3 stars or C.
Van Halen's best. Great 80s hard rock, big hits, very enjoyable. Surprised I haven't really ever listened to any Van Halen.
Nice and talented, but as with GnR, harmed by the decade in which it was released.
Better than Coldplay
I liked the songs I've heard before, and didn't really like the ones I haven't. They got the singles right.
Groovy
Crystal Pepsi! I’ve half listened to half of these song for most of my life and fully listening to them now they’re more solid than I anticipated.
Daora pra kct
𝟣𝟫𝟪𝟦 is a flashy, confident record that captures Van Halen at their commercial peak. 𝘑𝘶𝘮𝘱 is an undeniable classic — that synth riff still sounds massive — but the rest of the album doesn’t quite match its spark. The mix of hard rock swagger and shiny 80s production works in parts, yet it feels more like style over substance. Fun, loud, and very much of its time.
day 11: audio equivalent of the windows 95 release conference with all the devs dancing and clapping hands hehe. proud white american after listening to this one! ROCK FLAG AND EAGLEEEEE!!! not going to pretend this isn’t a fun fkn listen, the songs are over the top and the new-wave/hair metal blend is stylised awesomeness. jump is a classic, and the rest fill a nice tight 30 min runtime (hot for teacher is a questionable choice but the prog section bangs). girl gone bad actually sounds like a rush outtake too. if this was 50+ mins i would hate it but i wont say no to 30 mins of wicked guitars and silly synths. ‘GIANT BUTT! MAKES ME SCREAM!’ already eddy calm down now. this album cover fucks.
Meh. I remember when this album dropped and everyone, including me, was very excited. It was one of the prototypical albums of the emerging glam/hair metal sound. I don't think that it holds up 40 years later. The singles that got airplay are fine and probably the best songs on the album. "Hot for Teacher" really sounds problematic in 2025. "I'll Wait" is underrated and the best song on the album.
I've heard most of the songs many times. They're fine, but I never had a particular connection to them.
I wanted to like this more than I did. Overplayed and 80's flamboyant. I would like to have David Lee Roth as an audible narrator for some class book though.
This album is like being a 15 year old in high school and being visited by 42 year old who claims he’s come back from the future, to show you how to be cool at school. He drives a white Ferrari so you think he might know a thing or two. He visits you at school and threatens the bullies at school which you think is awesome. But also he tries to invite your girlfriend in to quiet rooms on multiple occasions which is pretty fucked up cos she is your girlfriend and he knows that. Also because he is 42 and she is 15. Is this guy even from the future? He might just be a coke-head. Cool car though.
rockig halt. ganz gut aber nichts außergewöhnliches
14.50 (pe), hima, harmaat gen, qobuz ei enää rockia!!! hyvä luoja ei rockia enää
3.4 2x great album but still not in my tip top
I was bopping the whole album.
I hate 80s hair metal, but I actually had fun listening to this. I must have been in a particularly good mood. Eddie's guitar work is great, but I still detest the overall vibe
Enjoyable enough but not dying to relisten to. It’s too clean at times, when it feels they should be harder
I didn't know this album is where all the songs I heard at the end credits of animated kids movies came from! but look at the little baby smoking the little cigarette awwww
Enjoyed it more than I expected to. Hate "Jump" though.
Literally 1984. "Jump" feels like the start of every single 80s movie.
Schwieriger Fall. Das Debut hat mich 78 umgehauen, alles danach war für mich nur noch naja bzw. Hair-Metal für die Mädchen. Als ich 40 wurde hatte ich die Idee Stromgitarre zu lernen. Also habe ich mir ne billige Telecaster-Kopie gekauft und mich bei einem Gitarrenlehrer angemeldet. Und schon schnell gings los mit Van Halen und zwar mit Panama und dem Solo aus Jump. Hat viel Spaß damals gemacht und daher muss ich die 2 Sterne unberechtigterweise auf 3 aufrunden ;-)
3.5 - liked it then lost the mood
I first listened to this a few months ago when we started doing Kerrang albums of the year. I thought it was decent, the best of the bunch at that point but it didn’t really grab and hasn’t on a repeated listen. I appreciate the impact it likely had at the time but to me listening now it feels of it’s time, they even dated it themselves with the title, and it’s not a genre I hold particularly dear. So a decent listen but not one I’ll be returning to.
Decent hard rock! I love the classics but otherwise this is not the most moving music ever
I’ve never really been a fan of Van Halen, and I didn’t expect this album to change that. I went into it with an open mind, but I was bracing myself for generic ’80s American rock. After listening, my opinion is mostly the same, though I did find moments that I genuinely enjoyed. As a whole, Van Halen’s sound feels a bit one-dimensional to me, with not much variation between tracks. That said, this album does have some standout moments: the iconic Jump is still an outstanding track, I’ll Wait is another highlight, and the instrumental opener 1984 is a clever touch. There’s also some undeniably impressive guitar work scattered throughout. On the flip side, much of the record sounds dated, leaning heavily into its ’80s sheen. Songs like Drop Dead Legs just drag and add nothing for me. Overall, it’s not enough to change my mind about Van Halen, but I can at least appreciate why this album struck a chord with so many. Favourite track: Jump – it’s the clear peak of the album. Least favourite track: Drop Dead Legs – dull and forgettable. Album artwork: Not for me – a bit creepy, to be honest.
Cheese rock. Still has some bangers.
It's definitely one of those. I was surprised that I'd actually already heard pretty much every song on this album. Not something I'd choose to listen to on my own, but the stuff is fun.
I don't know what it means that this is a band that I really dismissed as a teenager but have come to appreciate more and more over the years - something about the unabashedly dumb fun unseriousness of it just really hits. Eddie Van Halen is most famous for the shredder pyrotechnics, but it's rhythm playing that really stands out here - the riffs and licks, the squealing tone, the style, and the interplay between guitar and synths over the driving thudding rhythm section. They have a rock solid greatest hits compilation from the David Lee Roth era, but the albums are all half killer half filler. Favorites: Jump, Panama, I'll Wait
I liked this one less than their eponymous. It starts off strong, setting up a synth-heavy sound in the first two tracks, and then it falls off the rails. While their self-titled set up standout moments for Eddie Van Halen's licks to shine, they were often lost in the chaos of this work, and I found my attention wandering throughout the middle section. There is redemption in the last two tracks, but when it was done I was left wanting, the promise of the album's start unfulfilled. Standout tracks: Jump, Girl Gone Bad
Good fun, but I don’t need it in my library
Um disco satisfatório, por seus aspectos instrumentais interessantes.
van halen is the essence of 80s rock, i do feel that some of the songs have not done well through time but its still a good rock album
Good reminder of my youth. But still couldn’t listen to all songs
a bit boring. Not my fave.
Listening to this was playing another round of “Recognize this popular song?” Because what the actual fuck? I’d never have guessed ‘Jump’ to be from Van Halen because I only knew they were a guitar-centric band. The back half of the album is more inline with what I expected Van Halen to sound like than the song I most associate with to the pets show in Sea World lmao. Favorite tracks: Hot for Teacher, Girl Gone Bad
3 big radio hits
Seminal record!
I forget how much I actually enjoy Panama. The rest was alright.
Für Rock ganz ok.
I mean, it's Van Halen, it's obviously gonna be virtuosic as hell. This album is just a string of driving riffs. Not my favorite, but it's not bad either. Oh and Top Jimmy just sounds cool as hell.
One of the better glam rock/metal albums that I feel is really held back by childish lyrics. It's disappointing that this album has some incredibly intricate instrumental work, and there's nothing to sing about besides girls. I think it's a shame that the title track isn't a full song or there isn't an additional instrumental song; would've really helped the album feel more balanced and well-rounded. Especially with the high level the band is musically operating at. Top tracks: Jump, Panama, Girl Gone Bad
Il y a des sons chouettes (top Jimmy, hot for teacher) Niveau voix et musicalité, très similaire à Aérosmith Après Van Halen est surtout connu pour être un guitar hero..
muziek om op de dansvloer te staan... niet nadenken over teksten en dat praktisch alle hair metal muziek en bands onderling inwisselbaar zijn...
Bof
Biz zu classic rocky, wo mi energytechnisch abhole chönti, aber musikalisch ned ganz mini sach isch. I gwüssne moment chöntis aber sehr abfiere, darum gits au 3 baby-fluppe
Some bangers, some filler
This album is exactly what I imagine the 80's sounded like. Nothing special from my 21st century perspective, but I'm sure this was cool when it was released. 3/5
I mean, this is basically a greatest hits album for Van Halen. A record full of giant hits. It belongs in a museum as a showcase of 80s hair metal and theme songs for IROC owners. Respect the musicianship, style, and skill but after working over a decade in bars, I would be perfectly fine never hearing it again.
Hot for teacher might be the best 80s song. Jump might be the worst. Yin and yang bitches
61/1001 :: Van Halen - 1984 Heard before? ✅ Would I revisit? ❌ Rating: 6 Fav Tracks: Hot For Teacher, Drop Dead Legs Listen before you die: Yes Hot For Teacher is incredible. Seriously amazing. Also was Eddie an alien? A wizard perhaps? These licks are hot as hell. Interestingly enough I think people should listen to this before they die but I just don’t want to listen to it again. Let’s be serious, this sounds 80s AF. Panama? I always thought DLR was great but is he? Sammy is terrible but Diamond Dave is so over the top. Anyway I think this is the 2nd time I’ve ever listened to this album. And probably the last. I wouldn’t tell someone to turn off but I’m never gonna turn it on…
Honestly, a bit of fun. Is it one of the best albums of all time? Certainly not. Is it amazing, no. But it's fun. Way better than the other Van Halen album on the list But its a 3
Very high 3 Thought this would be a boring hard rock album, 80s synth stuff sounds a lot less synthetic now we live in the digital age. Shame there's only 2 synth tracks plus the intro The rock tracks arnt just repeated riffs with guitar solos. Complex and engaging. Not a fan of the singers voice tho
Solid album. Easy to see why they were such a popular group.
The hits are good songs and Eddie can shred, but it all gets a little repetitive and I find David Lee Roth's vocals pretty uninspiring.
Not a big fan of the more synth-heavy tracks, but it contains a lot of great guitar riffs.
Amazing talent but pure junk food, cheese pizza with extra cheese.
Good ablum love the bangers but besides the bangers the other song don’t feel as well polished. But Alex Van Halen’s drum parts are so cool and unique big fan. Basically the highs are high and the lows kinda low highlights: jump, 1984, Panama, hot for teacher
Норм радіо-рок на фон запустити, хіти теж є. З синтами трохи перестаралися. Присутність в цьому списку не зрозуміла
A very 80s glam rock record powered by synthesizers and guitar solos. It's not bad and it's very much a trademark sound of 80s rock. Roth's singing voice is super distinctive and works well for this type of rock. Eddie Van Halen does the heavylifting here, both with great guitar lines and interesting synthesizer work. Everything else is pretty standard in my opinion. There are 2 great songs, the classic "Jump" and the very catchy "Panama". Everything else is kind of average, nothing that good but not bad either.
Van Halen has an element of cheesiness that I can’t get on board with, but this was fun enough
not my cup of tea
Great album
More-than-reasonable classic power rock. The singles from this album are always a good listen. The album tracks, which I don't recall hearing before, were all typical Van Halen, but nothing grabbed my attention in the way the singles do.
Bombastic, fast-paced, and with the energy only a cocoa plant can provide, 1984 is quintessential rock and roll of the 1980s. That of course comes with the usual caveats; rampant misogyny, uninteresting lyrical themes, no slow songs whatsoever, and wildly short 33 minute run time. Surprise tracks that I hadn’t heard; Top Jimmy, I’ll wait, Drop Dead Legs. Eddie at the top of his game and brilliant as always, just wish it wasn’t in such a generic package. DLR is not a top-tier lead by any means. Not sure I would have bought this album while copies of thriller were on the shelf.
I didn’t think I was at all familiar with this album beyond having heard the name Van Halen before and then Jump started playing. Evidently I was very mistaken. It remains to be seen if I know any of the other tracks as well. Neutral on Panama. Don’t hate what’s happening in the guitar but this one word chorus is pretty cringe Honestly I think the above remarks could characterize a lot of my reactions here Gotta say I don’t love this one about the legs Yeah on the whole I think it’s okay. Certainly it’s not bad but I don’t think I’d revisit most of the tracks. Some of the instrumentation is impressive (as I guess you’d expect from a band named after its lead guitarist) but some of it’s kind of tacky
A totally fine 80s album. But oh man is it an 80s album. Relentless synth, guitar solos, and vocal wailing from Roth. Overall an enjoyable listen. Some noteworthy, albeit repetitive, singles.
I really don't like this album cover so I have avoided this album. There's all these great openings in this songs and then it doesn't pan out into a song I like fully. The guitar can be fun and then kind of looses it's edge.
Trying to give this a fair listen since I've never really liked van Halen (but can appreciate talent and rock 🤘 so no hatred) and God i just cannot get behind Panama it makes my ears unhappy. However top jimmy afterward cured my queasiness Hot for teacher goes unbelievably hard as always, and it was a solid final few songs! I liked this album
Not bad
fine i guess
A few classics, not really my thing though.
I have some nostalgia attachments to this, and they are undeniably talented, but this isn't music I'd listen to very often.
Van Halen are one of the hard rock bands I never listen to but this did surprise me. Side B has some solid deep cuts. The main hits dont really do it for me. I know EVH is mega talented but I dont like his style or tone, never like David Lee Roth's vocals either.
Top Jimmy? What the fuck was that? You have hits, some synth but the whole album was the same song over and over.
3.5
In a nutshell: synth rock with swagger. Overall: 5/10
me gusta
Insane guitar but that's about it
Obviously a few classics on here, but the second half of the album doesn't maintain the peak of the beginning. Loses a little from the big songs being overused in commercials and movie trailers, etc.
Interesting
Short but Sweet. Some pretty legendary songs on this one, but my preference for concept albums mars the experience.
Last of the "original lineup" era, and a mixed bag. Eddie's keyboards are used well in places, out of place in others. "Jump" is clearly radio fluff, but other songs are more nuanced, "I'll Wait" a good example. If I never hear "Hot For Teacher" again, it'll be too soon, and, I'll take "Songs that haven't aged well for $1,000, Alex" :)
Surprisingly boppy album! Pretty fun listening but got a bit repetitive by the end, guitars were decent but some of the lyrics were dated.
This record was okay. There are hits on this record, but the deeper cuts didn't hit for me. The lyrics and more importantly, the vocals didn't do it for me. The second half of this record was more enjoyable. Favourite Tracks(s): Jump, Hot for Teacher Least Favourite Track(s): Top Jimmy
Finally, I can say this really is literally, 1984. It’s not just because I got thrown out the YMCA for plugging in my hot dog roller near the pool. How am I supposed to swim without my farm fresh dogs gently rolling next to the pool? I ask you sincerely. It’s the only thing I know. Let’s get another album on the go as j near the end of another scintillating week of wishing I wasn’t working and dreading work. 1984- Intro. Perhaps January in the year that was 1984. Nothing much going on. Jump - I kind of hate this song now. It’s just been too much. I’ve never like the radio friendly synth stabs that carry this thing. Once we get the bands namesake involved on guitar it gets a little better, but this isn’t the strongest output Van Halen has. Looking forward to improving past here. Panama - Once we turn the battered first page of this album you get the much more exciting “Panama.” A song that probably should’ve kicked off the album. Overplayed? Absolutely. You can’t deny that it still goes very hard. Top Jimmy - The top Jimmy? We talkin’ Carter? I’d say that’s accurate. Cool intro, kind of a lame track. Drop Dead Legs - Damn. Such a heavy intro. Meanders a small amount but honestly a pretty fun song for the subject matter. Thumbs up. Hot For Teacher - This is pretty much the perfect party hard rock song. It absolutely rips. Takes you everywhere, almost veers into heavy metal territory and somehow charted. I’ve said it before, the general populace glugs down so much smelly garbage music, that when a real decent song breaks through, it has to be special. Undeniable. And hey, at least it’s not talking about schoolgirls. Flip that creepy old trope on its head. The slow breaks back into the speed are absolutely electrifying. I’ll Wait - Ah see when they leave the guitar behind, I’m just not interested. It’s schizophrenic. This could’ve been a Duran Duran song without the sweet guitar solo near the end. I’ll be damned if it isn’t catchy though. Girl Gone Bad - Man that twang-y riff over the chorus rules HARD. Bass all over the place. Not my favourite song either, but some pretty gnarly elements. House of Pain - Did the rapper/rap group get everything from this album? Jump? Oh it was Jump around. Jump was child rap group “KrisKross.” Anyway. Who cares. Decent close. More guitar virtuosity. I imagine if you were some teenager in 1984, where you lived in Los Angeles or some beach town and enjoyed driving down the street with your friends, this is the kind of thing where you’d throw on and feel like you were the king of the god damn world. As a boring adult in 2025 who likes the cold, this didn’t hit THAT hard. I will say though, when this thing kicked into gear, boy howdy did it ever rip. Too much filler to really put it over the edge, but a rock solid output from Van Halen here. Hey, I wonder where that baby is now. It’s an illustration? There wasn’t really a live angel baby in studio smoking Marlboro Reds? Hollywood is a sham. 3.5 HIGHLIGHTS: Panama, Hot for Teacher
Incredibly dumb and extremely fun.
A synth-soaked prophecy of American decline, wrapped in spandex and sprayed with Aqua Net. What masqueraded as a party turned out to be a funeral for nuance—“Hot for Teacher” grins through the collapse of public education, “Panama” worships fossil fuels and male insecurity, and “Jump” offers the kind of motivational poster you'd find taped inside a hedge fund intern’s locker. By the time Dave's libido finished crowd-surfing through Drop Dead Legs, America was already halfway into the mall, wallet open, brain off. In retrospect, 1984 wasn’t the soundtrack to a good time—it was the opening credits of the dumbest timeline and the user manual for late-stage capitalism in tight leather pants.
I didn’t realize this was The Album with The First #1 hit on it. And, because I am a child born smack in the middle of the 80s, I tend to think of VH automatically as “lame” so I tried very hard to just listen to the music with no preconceived “ew, 80s hair metal” feels (because VH is, as I have learned, not hair metal and it often mislabeled as such.) I like Panama 100% more than Jump, but I do think the synth+whatever bass thump happens in Jump is pretty intriguing- Panama is more fun to sing along with and the guitar solo is pretty sweet. Hot for Teacher is another fun one but my least favorite of the big three on this album- it’s fast paced fun but I vaguely remember the music video freaking me out because I just remember David Lee Roth’s face yelling at me about my teacher? I don’t honestly remember if my dad was a VH fan- as I’ve gotten older I’ve realized my dad loved glam/hair rock and not necessarily rock n roll inclusively-so I find myself questioning whether I ever truly had the well-rounded musical experience I once believed I did. 😂 I don’t think I grew up with VH. The other songs on this album, are fine. I understand why they didn’t get radio time, they’re just kind of white bread songs. Songs I added to my Spotify: Panama Hot for Teacher
"Aniiiiimalll!!!......Aniiiimalllllallllll!" Listened to B4? No Tracks Already Saved on Spotify: 3 - Jump, Panama, Hot for Teacher Standout Tracks: Jump, Panama, Hot for Teacher, I'll Wait (69/100)
Hot for teacherrrrrrr
I can't be arsed to go back and compare this to Van Halen's debut from earlier (#291) but from what I remember, I'd say good for them for actually discovering catchy Songs and not just playing music to frame Eddie's guitar skills. I had a good smidgen more fun with this. And this being SO 80s, I'll drizzle a bit of nostalgia on it and even go as far as to say: this is what I'd listen to Los Santos Rock Radio for.
Jump is good. Standard hair metal fare but a decent example of it
Panama rips
Classical Van Halen album. It's hard not to add Panama to your playlist of favourite songs. Quite fresh and modern sound for 1984, the year the album was released.
Vrij stompzinnig, maar wel leuk.
Jump is very "of its time". Catchy but I wouldn't really want to listen to this again. Quintisenntial 80's for sure. Catchy as heck, guitar is incredible. Drop Dead Legs is very forgettable. Honestly the more I listen, the guitar is very good but the songs generally are a bit forgettable.
Not as good as the first one, too cheesy sounding. Hot for teacher is a pretty awesome song though Will I listen to again: 45%
Never been big Van Halen fan. Good album, some classic bangers, but got distracted halfway through, and am not really super interested in continuing. It's fine, just not a huge fan of them.
Not a big older rock fan and I’ve avoided Van Halen as much as I could. Although I do like the sound of this album and it was decent
van halen is just not my favourite but he was obviously a genius and all songs are good
I actually quite enjoyed this, not enough to listen again though.
Feels a bit dated
The music is awesome. The lyrics are weak.
Incredible guitar playing of course.
Some very skilled instrumental play, really dumb lyrics. I grew out of this kind of music, ngl.
Fun, quick listen
Literally 1984.
80’s crotch rock. Never was a Van Halen fan but it’s worth listening to for the guitar work.
This just reeked of palm trees, fast cars, cocaine, Budweiser, and blondes with fake tits. And I’ll Wait reminded me of a montage in a movie where they get lots done in a short amount of screen time that is crucial to the plot. Liked the music more than Roth’s voice
I can’t not think about sports when I hear this album.
Decent album. Had to listen to it 3 times for it to be good.
This album absolutely ROCKS. So much effort, talent and coherence in one album. Those were the times. 3/5
Tem a clássica Jump!
Really liked VH as a teen/young adult, and Eddie Van Halen is super talented as a guitarist. But even the classics like Jump feel dated to me now. Panama is still a great vibe, but Hot for teacher is a bit cringe despite the fabulous guitar work. I'll Wait feels dated as well, but Top Jimmy is good. There's a huge difference between the good and bad parts of this album. Power guitar shines through the whole album.
Van Halen is a name I know solely because of Eddy Van Halen's reputation as a great guitarist. I can't say I have ever heard any of his songs on purpose. The guitar and drums were prominent throughout my whole listen, I especially loved it at the beginning of Top Jimmy. Jump, Panama, Hot for Teacher and House of Pain were the songs that stuck with me the most. Everything else was not memorable. I did enjoy how unserious this album felt with the lyrics, bursting with angst and sexual frustration, it was very reminiscent of the Beastie Boys album we listened to.
But Then My Homework Was Never Quite Like This 1001 Albums Generator 45 (06/04/2025) Move over Nirvana baby, your cooler older brother is in town and he smokes cigarettes buddy. Chasing your lame little dollar when you could be a little cherub smokin that shit man. Lame ass. Our favorite cig smoking cherub dawns the cover of 1984, the sixth album by hard rock legends Van Halen, and the last album before founding vocalist David Lee Roth departed due to artistic conflicts with guitarist Eddie Van Halen. After an album that was reviewed negatively by contemporary critics, 1984 feels like a return to form for the band. With that said, this album saw Van Halen playing more prominently with synth sounds than on previous albums, to mixed results. There are three all time great tunes here. Jump was an interesting choice for the first single, as it doesn't necessarily sound like the rest of the album, but it's great. Playing damn near like a synthpop song at times, Jump showcases EVH shredding on his synthesizer just as much as on the guitar. That intro riff is just iconic and this is Van Halen's most popular song. Panama is their second most popular and my least favorite of the big three here, but it's still awesome. After being criticized by a reporter as being a band that only writes songs about partying, hot women, and fast cars, David Lee Roth responded that they hadn't written any songs about fast cars, and thus Panama was born. The chorus is an all-timer and the guitar part in the bridge always struck me as strangely emotional even though David Lee Roth's lyrics don't match that feeling at all. Hot For Teacher is the final of the three amazing songs on 1984 and it opens with a powerful drum solo from the overshadowed Alex Van Halen before falling into a fast, swung groove and one of Eddie's most famous guitar solos. David Lee Roth is horny again in this one, with his eyes being drawn to an attractive teacher this time. Van Halen as a band was designed to appeal to rebellious teenage boys and this song is the perfect example of that. A combination of a "school is lame" mentality with a sexual frustration is about as teenage boy as you can get. Drop Dead Legs is a slower paced rocker that has a really cool, groovy outro part and a great start/stop riff with generous hammer-ons. My main issue with this song is that the guitar solo isn't as melodic as Eddie tends to be. Top Jimmy has some interesting guitar parts that border on art rock at times, but it doesn't have as much energy as some other songs here. I also don't love the slow, crooning I'll Wait. This was a really weird choice as a single. I don't find it catchy or memorable and it has a sound that is unlike anything else on the album. I think that the non-hits on this album suffer from a lack of distinctness in general, although the sound of the album is good enough to make that not as negative as it could be. 1984 was a great way to end the David Lee Roth era of Van Halen. It features some of the strongest songwriting the band ever did and while the final product doesn't stand up to the debut in terms of overall quality, it does have more sophisticated composition and instrumentation that make it an interesting listen. It also doesn't overstay its welcome at all, coming in at a cool 33 minutes. 3.5/5, which I just have to round down to a 3 unfortunately. It's close to a 4 though. Favs: Jump Panama Hot For Teacher Least Fav: I'll Wait
Some truly fantastic, iconic tracks. Other worldly guitar playing, great production. Let down by some much weaker filler tracks
Dumb guitar fun. Blessedly brief.
Overall mediocre
I typically give an automatic 5 to albums that I own, but my music taste has evolved. While once a Van Halen fan I prefer Van Hagar over this frenetic mess of an album. I won’t discount the impacts of the classics here (Jump, Hot For Teacher, Panama), but Diamond Dave’s charisma carries the tune better than he can. Side note: they did Gary Cherone DIRTY!
Van Halen's 1984 is a slick, swaggering time capsule of Reagan-era excess, where synths strut alongside shredding guitars and every element is polished to a neon sheen. Eddie trades some of his guitar god thunder for glistening keyboards on the monster hit “Jump,” while “Panama” keeps the top-down rock party going with unapologetic bravado—though stacking the two front and center feels more like label strategy than album flow. “Drop Dead Legs” dips into a sleazy, slow-grind groove that owes more to Aerosmith than Sunset Strip, and “Hot for Teacher” explodes with manic drum rolls and David Lee Roth’s cartoon libido. Then there's “I'll Wait,” a moody synth-laden detour that hints at an art-rock ambition Van Halen rarely explored again. It’s not subtle, but then again, neither was 1984.
Besser als das andere Van halen. Jump ist actually gut
aight
MORE SYNTH
Some all-time tracks mixed with some forgettable tunes
It was pretty good. Better than the police album I listened to previous to this but still only gets a 3.
Njæ
Yeah its a rock album Panama ok
Every time I hear "Panama", I think it's "Everybody Wants Some", which of course means that I'll be spending the day thinking of John Cusack and his anthropomorphic hamburger friend.
Some good songs, overall kinda samey.
Dom kommer förvånansvärt långt bara på deras höga energi, och albumet saknar definitivt inte klassiker. Å andra sidan har dom aldrig varit riktigt min grej, trean är stark!
Klassiskt men inte så spännande
It’s good. It doesn’t blow me away or anything, but it’s good. Eddie Van Halen’s guitar playing is simply incredible. The album is painfully dated though. Those synths… awful. Girl Gone Bad and Hot for Teacher are the standout tracks. It kinda pisses me off how people rate all of these “dad rock” albums at 1 or 2 stars. If you are a contrarian who hates rock and roll just for the sake of being different, then just come out and say it. I will be revisiting this sentiment many times to come.
Literally 1984. It's just a classic rock album.
It's okay, well-crafted, easy to listen, but I'm not sure if it's actually great.
Have on vinyl. So short it almost gets away with it, but 3 amazing singles and then filler doesn't cut it
Very silly peak 80's poodle pop rock. Surprisingly entertaining. Its more fun than Fleet Foxes and I gave that a 3 - does this mean its a 4? Not sure can go that far - high 3. Top track Panama. Going to cruise down the A46 now.
1. Cool sounds, what kind of band is Van Halen again? 2. oh yeahhhh. that one 3. MORE jumping?? ohh it's that other song 4. sure i guess 5. okay 6. kawakami ass title. this is so juvenile. wow it keeps going 7. this album needs a W. this one's pretty alright 8. i was vibing to the instrumental until je started singing 9. the end Vibe Rating: Van Halen's '1984' is NOT the vibe
Album No.6 Came into this album only having heard the iconic Jump, but left actually enjoying it. Even the opening/title track has an air of mystery and intrigue. I love the energy on this album. It's a short album but it uses that time effectively. I think what lost a better rating for me was maybe how repetitive it is? Or maybe how similar the tracks are? Would give it a 3.5, rounding it down to a 3 because I sort of lost interest with some tracks. Favourites: - Jump - Panama - I'll Wait
Other Van Halen albums might rank higher for me; this one’s just okay.
Pollinators clear tbh
I much prefer 70's Van Halen to 80's Van Halen. Hot for Teacher is a banger but the rest of the album I could take or leave. Even Jump and Panama. Maybe it's fatigue from having heard them a million times, but they just don't do it for me. EVH's guitar work though, of course, is fantastic - so adding an extra star.
Energetic, didn't mind a listen through while I cleaned the kitchen but not my jam
Decent, heavy rock
2.8 really
Great sigles. Top jimmy, panama. Drop dead legs and hot for teacher are stand outs. Jump the big single. Some.filler but solid
Rockadelic fun times.
Lot of stuff I don't care for, hot for teacher is cool tho
This might as well be a David Lee Roth album. Songs like Hot for Teacher and Panama wouldn't be nearly so appealing in other, less showy, hands.
Classic 80’s rock. When I was listening to it while driving, I felt like I was on a carnival ride.
I listen to half this record :) Living in the 70's is a banger. I will come back to this one for sure.
Love how the title track sounds so like Jean-Michel Jarre. Jump is of course great. The rest were pretty fun.
I swear every hard rock album is the same You've heard the one song on this album worth hearing
Cheesy but I enjoyed it
I want to give it a 4 but it does sound very similar to other music coming out at the time
It had soaring moments of fun and kinetic energy. I liked it.
I liked the songs "Jump" and "Panama"
Good album
Rock, 1984 -> 3
3.5 - Really solid album, added Panama to my everything playlist.
Van Halen is classic rock music. Had a blast listening to this and it’s just fun to say “Van Halen”. Notable tracks 1984, Jump, Panama Hot for Teacher.
Guitar in top jimmy is so good. A shame most of the songs just take me back to commercials from the early 2000s. Guess thats what happens when you become iconic. Would I enjoy these songs more without this context? Eh, maybe.
i mean its probably exactly what you'd expect
It’s good. I liked the guitar riffs and some of the drums. The lead singer is alright but sometimes him and the background singers are annoying together. Lyrics to some of these songs are cringy and horny. Favorite songs are panama and i’ll wait.
5. It's a great album, I am just so sick of hearing it. This album is played all over every radio station every day. But it is still a very solid rock album despite it being overplayed. Favorite Song: Jump Least Favorite Song: Panama Overall Score: 6/10
Heard some songs from it before. Fun 80s music 3/5
Of it's time.
really cool guitar work on every song incredible guitar solos other than that kinda reptitive jump, panama, and hot for teacher are cool girl gone bad is also fun definitly my favorite otherwise im not seeing myself returning to it.
Satisfying but empty 80s cheese.
Fun album. A little glossier than early Van Halen; way more synths. Unlike my VH a little heavier but this is always good.
Starts strong. Some stone cold classics here but ends fairly proggy and weak
- I like fun. But Van Halen in general, and this album in particular, is one speed of fun that never changes. This band almost demands that you do not go plunging for depth. - "Jump" is probably the best track, if incredibly overplayed. "Panama" is also fun if you do not pay attention to the banality of the lyrics. And the drums at the top of "Hot for Teacher" are unique. That's all I got.
Had popular hits on it but honestly didn't care for this album much. It's not bad, and an easy listen, but I don't think I would ever intentionally come back
No way no way!
Wokeness be damned, Hot for Teacher went stupid on this
I think if I was in a better mood I would've enjoyed this more
It's cool. Hits with staying power in a 33 minute package. That being said, it's not like it's incredible or anything. It's probably like a 3.5 but I'm rounding down in this case.
literally 1984
Nichts sticht heraus, es ist aber auch nicht schlecht
Defined an era
My Ready Player One brain was ready to drop a 4 on this after that awesome intro track followed by Jump…. But I didn’t like it quite that much. Still pretty good though!
Way better than expected! Epic-core
honestly this album is kind of 'awesome' as hell but its maybe not my speed looool
Very familiar with many of these songs and just had no idea it was Van Halen... don't they sell a lot of tee shirts too!
Jump Panama Hot for Teacher I'll Wait
I've only ever heard this album in rock bars. EVH lays down some serious riffage but this album is pretty middle of the road.
3 just for Jump and Hot for Teacher. Otherwise pretty meh.
A bit dated now but quite enjoyable. Good fun
Fun album with many recognizable songs. But I hate that this kind of hair metal music was all about chicks, drugs and whatever. Too bad the Van Halen brothers were both pieces of shit too.
Ett band som bärs mycket av EvH:s otroliga gitarrspel. Jag har t.ex. aldrig varit något fan av deras sångare och låtskrivandet överlag lämnar väl en del att önska men det är ändå en hel del bra låtar på denna skiva och det är härligt peppigt på ett sätt som bara 80-talet kan leverera. 3 av 5.
Я не фанат рок-музыки, но некоторые моменты треков мне понравились. Кстати, заметила знакомые мотивы, которые, возможно, слышала в фильмах и мультиках своего детства.
I love the guitar and the vibes but dislike the whole braggadocios nature of the band, feels like the same song 9 times
Nice little Van Helen album, there were two songs that were familiar, but overall I would say that I feel like it is a bit meh nowadays. I am giving it 3.5 stars, so I am rounding it down to 3.
Fun and enjoyable but I feel like it’s a style that “you had to be there” for. Started ti all sound the same after awhile.
Default Rock, the singer sounds out of place sometimes and the some felt too long. not all bad some songs was okay. 3/5
1984 - too short N/A Jump - lite 8 Panama - decent 6 Top Jimmy - lite 6 Drop Dead Legs - decent 7 Hot For Teacher - decent 6 I'll Wait - decent 6 Girl Gone Bad - lite 7 House Of Pain - strong 5 Favourite 3 Tracks - 1. Jump 2. Drop Dead Legs 3. Hot For Teacher - KEEP IN MIND, SCORES ARE FROM A FIRST LISTEN -
its fine, pretty much what I expected, and im glad its not much longer. I thought the synth stuff was going to be the whole thing, but the last half feels like leftovers from before. Favourite songs: 1984, panama, house of pain Overall around 5/10
Surprisingly good. I forgot how good Van Halen could be. As expected, the guitar is the highlight, but David Lee Roth gives some of his best performances here too. Gets a bit repetitive and falls off a bit towards the end though.
Ist mir ein wenig zu pompös
Predictable hair rock 2.5/5
I personally do not enjoy this brand of "rock." Giving a 3 purely off the vibes and nostalgia
Classic. Love it.
Is it fair to criticise an album for being clichéd, when it pretty much invented the cliche? As a guitarist, you can't ignore Eddie Van Halen. The man is one of the most influential musicians of the 80s. When everything works together, the band can be amazing - Hot for Teacher is an absolutely incredible track, and Jump is deserving famous. And yet - the rest of the album just left me cold. One van halen solo is impressive, but after an album of them I just felt empty. The lyrics veered from dumb to idiotic, and beyond the virtuosity, there's just nothing there. Giving it a 3 because it wasn't outright offensive, and H4T and Jump are worth at least a point each.
Decent and mid rock record 3/5
Fav: Jump Least Fav: Drop Dead Legs
will i return to it? no was i pleasantly surprised? sure pop-ier and less angsty than i expected solid listen
A rollicking good time. Beyond Jump (jump!), I really enjoyed Drop Dead Legs, Hot For Teacher, I'll Wait (esp. the guitar solo), and Girl Gone Bad. The guitar is so distinctive, but the vocals are up to it.
I’m hot for Hot for Teacher
Only way to go after Panama is down
no, I don’t think so. bonus point for some SLICK guitar
Eddie’s got some all time skills, but not enough to get me to enjoy this band. Couple of classic tracks on here, though I’m not including Jump. I’ve been to more than two basketball games in my life so I’m already tired of that tune.
É um album bem de rock anos 80, curto e animado, o que é muito bom.Gostei de Drop Dead Legs e House of Pain, e Jump obviamente.
Great guitarist, but I don’t like this type of music. Rated 3 because of talented guitarist.
love the part where he tells you to kill yourself :D
So like, it's fine, lots of iconic songs on it like Hot For Teacher which are always a fun listen. But it's hard to listen to this album without the context of all the modern things I've heard. Some fun guitar riffs (Jimmy Legs) but I don't love the vocals at all
Half an hour of solid and fun guitar/hair-rock with the all-time-banger "Jump" to stand out. In terms of the guitar-work I like "Girl Gone Bad" best.
3 out of 5. I had no idea so many well known songs came from this album.
Petty freaking good. Nothing to unpack here, just songs about banging chicks.
My best friend in highschool and I used to have a constant debate if Van Halen or Jimi Hendrix were the better guitar player. I still think it’s Hendrix. I’ve listened to this album in the past and it’s got a few really solid tracks but a surprising amount of filler for a 33 minute album. I prefer their self titled album but this one holds up relatively well. It’s surprising that Jump is so good despite having almost zero guitar from a band renowned for their guitar god. After Panama and Hot for Teacher there’s not left for me here. Maybe the archetype has changed with the times but a song about someone having hot legs feels so ancient. Hot for Teacher is a classic but even the lyrics feels like the Greasers in Greese talking about Danny Zuko’s summer fling.
Every song is pretty good. I think Jump is the only song I knew before, and is the most memorable. I definitely enjoyed this album but for some reason it didn’t draw me in as much as I would like.
literally 1984
Jump is one of the most epic rock songs in history. Mid 80s. Excellent stadium rock, fantastic guitars.
Shift in sound. A little cheesy
its dumb fun, what more do you need
[7/10] Surprised me, I liked this! Kinda falls off at the end.
Alright
Loved the classics, was eh on the others. Hot for Teacher did not age well
Not my favorite music but I had fun
On one hand I don't like 80s hair metal. On the other hand it's not a bad version of hair metal, if I'm going to listen to it.
Pretty basic.
Ok
A good introduction to the 80s rock sound. However, the album fades away when compared to other pieces by Van Halen.
Jump, Panama and Hot for Teacher are classic hair metal tracks but the rest of the tracks aren’t quite up to the same standard even with EVH’s guitar playing pulling them along.
Full of hits - fun to listen to although I rarely choose to do so. It’s only fitting when I chug beers with my old buddies
Pretty fun album
I enjoyed it! It's good fun glam rock and of course Eddie is the master of the solo. 3 stars only because I didn't have much of a desire to listen to it again but I wouldn't be mad about it if I did.
There are three songs here that are significantly better known than everything else, and it’s easy to see why as the quality outside of Jump, Panama and Hot For Teacher takes a massive nosedive. Technically gifted as EVH is his playing is all flash and little substance for me - if you want a guitarist known by three initials start looking at SRV instead. Mid-rate, poodle rock, ‘hey ma, look how good at meedly-meedly solos I am!” uber-American inconsequential ear-botherers.
Decent album with some epic tracks.
not my cup of tea
Oooh I love Van Halen. Listened to the first two a lot so it would be nice to delve into newer material. Some big hits here like Jump, Panama and Hot For Teacher. I don't know if it's my headphones but I'd expect it to sound "bigger". Also, Jump is such a perfect song. Eddie is awesome here, instead of shredding like he can, he gives us tasteful licks that really add to the songs that's driven by keyboards. Solo is shreddy yet short, and it ends like something out of Camel's The Snow Goose. Dynamics on Panama are to die for. Just great. It's different from their early stuff. Not as heavy probably. Still incredible. Drop Dead Legs is not as good. Similar formula. Nice muted riffs. Still very nice dynamics to keep the song interesting. Hot For Teacher is exciting. The start is kind of a homage to Eruption in a sense, in that it shows off Eddie's skills. Then it kinda morphs to a more bluesy ordeal and then picks up energy again. Gotta hand it to Van Halen for always keeping interesting dynamics in their songs. I feel like after Hot For Teacher the album kinda fizzes out. The famous singles are great but the album tracks not as much. I'll wait is nice, but it doesn't have that VH oomph. Girl Gone Bad is slightly better, still I feel like after Hot For Teacher the energy is gone. I like the vocal melody on House of Pain, but the mix is kinda bad making the vocals sit in the background instead of the forefront. The Keyboards are so 80s. All in all, a great addition to the catalog but uneven, not on par with VH and VHII IMHO. I'd call this three stars. Note that I'm rating the 1001 best albums ever here so three stars is a lot, it means par for the course. This inspired me to listen to other later VH albums. 5150 is so much better.
More tolerable than other hair metal from the era. I really don't care for Panama and Jump, but Hot for Teacher is a classic with great playing from Van Halen and saves the album from rating it lower. The other deepcuts here are fine if not something I won't really visit again. The album feels too polished for a hard rock album.
Fun, but in a kind of stupid way. The hit songs really stand out and the rest of the album is pretty mediocre. 3/5 Might listen again
There are two kinds of people. People who realize half this record sounds like a chain saw, and people who realize Jump + Panama + Hot for Teacher are all that matter.
I’m a known Van Halen hater, their hits are truly the worst. Panama is an abomination, Jump is beyond annoying, and Hot For Teacher would be cool if there were no vocals. Those last 3 songs earn this an extra star though, I was very pleasantly surprised.
The album pop metal was made for. And this project seems to be showing me that I prefer Van Halen to Led Zeppelin.
Jump was the number 1 song on the hot 9 at 9 for months when I was in fourth grade. It felt like the entire school year. To say this album was popular would be an understatement. I prefer Sammy, but 1984 is pure Van Halen in your face rock.
Some great songs. Some dated stuff. Love DLR
fun music! generally not super memorable I fear… but fun!
Cool!
This was not bad rock music but it was pretty samey, I can't say anything really stood out. Stand-out: Panama
I get this as a fun party night out with its semi-live feel but as a serious album it is clearly lacking. Virtuoso guitar is one thing but it needs context and subtlety. Ideal for air guitar and head nodding with one's mates.
4 Good tracks, everything else was forgetful.
van halen's 1984 has a weird aura in the respect that, like, intellectually i understand this is an album whose target audience is horny drug-addled adults, but emotionally i struggle to imagine this sound impressing anyone over the age of like 12 i came into this album with fondness for the singles and left it with slightly less (but still some) fondness, perhaps because i'm also no longer 12 alex van halen was a beast on the kit tho
It's fine. It has a couple stand outs and mostly filler. Extra star for not being long
Alright
I remember these songs from MTV in the 80s. Catchy, but never really vibed with them