With Van Halen back in the spotlight with the awsome new album A Different Kind of Truth, their best album since 1991's For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge, I thought it would be interesting if everyone ranked the 12 VH stuido albums according to preferance.

Mine:

1. 5150 (1986)
According to many sources this was the only Van Halen album ever to be recorded without any behind the scenes drama and I think it really shows. There is such an optimisim to this album that you can tell it's four guys simply having a good time. I think it was very creative on Eddie's part to experiment with keyboards and Sammy has never sung better.

2. For Unlawful Carnel Knowledge (1991)

3. Van Halen (1978)

4. Fair Warning (1981)
Despite being one of the band's weakest sellers Fair Warning is generally considered one of the best among die hard fans, myself included.

5. Van Halen II (1979)

6. A Different Kind of Truth (2012)

7. Balance (1995)

8. OU812 (1988)

9. 1984 (1984)
I know many people will question why I rank this one rather low. I've always found this album to be overrated. Though I love "Panama", "Drop Dead Legs" and "House of Pain".

10. Diver Down (1982)

11. Woman and Children First (1980)

and of course....

12. Van Halen III (1998)

1. Van Halen-Van Halen Their 1978 debut and for my money their best

2.Fair Warning-very underrated

3.Diver Down-the covers worked

4.1984-more synth than guitar, but still had its moments

5. Van Halen II

6. Women and Children First


7. A Diffrent Kind of Truth



No offense to anyone but I cant stand Sammy Hagar and dont like Van Halen with him.

That the Roth albums all rank higher than the Sammy albums is to in no way a conscious decision on my part to slight Sammy Hagar as the lead singer of Van Halen, because I do like the "Van Hagar" years. I just prefer the "classic lineup." That said:

1. Van Halen II (1979)
2. Van Halen (1978)
3. MCMLXXXIV (1984)
4. Fair Warning (1981)
5. Women and Children First (1980)
6. A Different Kind of Truth (2012)
7. Diver Down (1982)
8. Balance (1995)
9. 5150 (1986)
10. For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge (1991)
11. OU812 (1988)
12. Van Halen III (1998)

That the Roth albums all rank higher than the Sammy albums is to in no way a conscious decision on my part to slight Sammy Hagar as the lead singer of Van Halen, because I do like the "Van Hagar" years. I just prefer the "classic lineup." That said:

1. Van Halen II (1979)
2. Van Halen (1978)
3. MCMLXXXIV (1984)
4. Fair Warning (1981)
5. Women and Children First (1980)
6. A Different Kind of Truth (2012)
7. Diver Down (1982)
8. Balance (1995)
9. 5150 (1986)
10. For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge (1991)
11. OU812 (1988)
12. Van Halen III (1998)


Oh, come on! :lol: Diver Down is better than For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge? I can understand how a big fan of the early albums may be turned off by the keyboards on 5150 but For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge is a stripped down rock album. I think everyone ranks III last. :lol: I do feel bad for Gary Cherone since he gets the blame for it and it wasn't his fault.

I haven't listened to all the VH albums, but of the ones I've heard, I have to agree with Mickey and choose their 1978 debut as my favorite, followed by 1984. Diver Down isn't bad, just too relient on covers. That said, their version of "Oh, Pretty Woman" just rocks. :rock:

5156 gets my vote for best VH/Hagar album, because "Dreams" is one of my very favorite songs by the band. Carnal Knowledge contains my other favorite VH/Hagar song - "Right Now".

Personally, I have no interest in listening to A Different Kind of Truth...but I do get a kick out of the nickname some people on the web have given the new lineup with Wolfie - "three old men and a baby". Awful but so true. :rofl:

I haven't listened to all the VH albums, but of the ones I've heard, I have to agree with Mickey and choose their 1978 debut as my favorite, followed by 1984. Diver Down isn't bad, just too relient on covers. That said, their version of "Oh, Pretty Woman" just rocks. :rock:

5156 gets my vote for best VH/Hagar album, because "Dreams" is one of my very favorite songs by the band. Carnal Knowledge contains my other favorite VH/Hagar song - "Right Now".

Personally, I have no interest in listening to A Different Kind of Truth...but I do get a kick out of the nickname some people on the web have given the new lineup with Wolfie - "three old men and a baby". Awful but so true. :rofl:


A Different Kind of Truth is really worth listening to. Its a great album. :)

Dave:

1. Van Halen
2. Fair Warning

Those two are sometimes tied for first place in my opinion.

3. Van Halen II
4. Women And Children First
5. 1984
6. A Different Kind Of Truth
7. Diver Down

Sammy:

1. 5150
2. Balance
3. OU812
4. For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge

4. For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge

:faint:

:faint:

My least favorite of the Sammy albums. A few good songs, but it's flat to me.

But I will say that for the first time, the drums and bass were up there in the mix.

My least favorite of the Sammy albums. A few good songs, but it's flat to me.

But I will say that for the first time, the drums and bass were up there in the mix.

Andy Johns produced that one. He was an engineer on Led Zeppelin II and the sole engineer on Led Zeppelin IV and The Stones' Exile On Main Street. He is very good with bass and drums and is one of the reasons For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge came out so good.

Everyone remembers 1984 for "Jump", "Panama" and "Hot For Teacher", but I think the most underrated cut was "I'll Wait". To me, that was one of Diamond Dave's best vocal performances.

Everyone remembers 1984 for "Jump", "Panama" and "Hot For Teacher", but I think the most underrated cut was "I'll Wait". To me, that was one of Diamond Dave's best vocal performances.

A song I love off that album is "Drop Dead Legs." It wasn't a single or video, but man, did it have a blazing guitar outro from Eddie.

Back when that album came out, the last thing you thought would happen was that Dave would leave the band. They'd finally broken through to the mainstream and were, no pun intended, on top of the world.

At least he left at the band's peak. To me, Eddie and Dave have always had that vibe similar to that of Mick/Keith and Axl/Slash. While Sammy was great in his own right with VH, he and Eddie never had that kind of chemistry.

A song I love off that album is "Drop Dead Legs." It wasn't a single or video, but man, did it have a blazing guitar outro from Eddie.

Back when that album came out, the last thing you thought would happen was that Dave would leave the band. They'd finally broken through to the mainstream and were, no pun intended, on top of the world.

"Drop Dead Legs" is a great song! I think its second only to "Panama" as the best song on the album. "Jump" is good but not great, same with "Hot For Teacher". I really don't like "Top Jimmy" and "I'll Wait" (Dave doesn't have the vocal range to do ballads). I've always found 1984 to be very overrated.

I wonder how "I'll Wait" would sound with Sammy singing it.

Van Halens debut was the best IMO

I'd have to say it's a tie between Van Halen & Van Halen II. That's because, "Dance the Night Away", "Beautiful Girls", "Feel Your Love Tonight" and "Ice Cream Man" are my favorite Van Halen songs.

Oh, come on! :lol: Diver Down is better than For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge? I can understand how a big fan of the early albums may be turned off by the keyboards on 5150 but For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge is a stripped down rock album. I think everyone ranks III last. :lol: I do feel bad for Gary Cherone since he gets the blame for it and it wasn't his fault.

It's nothing against the Hagar era. It's just that to me, they were an entirely different band with him at the helm. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, mind you; just saying it's an apples-and-oranges comparison. I just prefer the Dave era, so by nature, all the Dave albums will rank higher in my book than the Sammy ones.

^ Agreed. Dave and Sammy were both frontmen with completely different styles, yet each added something special to VH. That said, I also prefer the Roth era because more of my favorite VH songs were from his reign. "Dance the Night Away" is indeed a terrific song. :cool: :D

It's nothing against the Hagar era. It's just that to me, they were an entirely different band with him at the helm. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, mind you; just saying it's an apples-and-oranges comparison. I just prefer the Dave era, so by nature, all the Dave albums will rank higher in my book than the Sammy ones.


I know that many people do look at the two eras of Van Halen as being two different bands. I've never done that though. After all, there is a major difference between early Beatles and late Beatles but they are still the same band. Van Halen with Dave was a really good hard rock band. With the first album Eddie reinvented rock guitar. Alex and Mike made up one of the great rythem sections in rock. Dave is only an average singer but good lyricist and great frontman.

5150 is sort of to Van Halen like what Rubber Soul and Revolver were to the Beatles. It was more experimental and took the band's sound in a new direction. The band members were all in their 30's by then and they were making an album that was a little more adult but still fun. Sammy was important to this because he has better vocal range and is more intellectual than Dave. Though I know Dave is very well read and that's one of the reasons his lyrics have always been so clever.

I wonder how "I'll Wait" would sound with Sammy singing it.


I was a little harsh on "I'll Wait" in the other post. I don't skip over it when I listen to 1984 or turn the station when its on the radio but it just isn't one of my favorites. As far as Dave singing ballads, "Dance the Night Away" is so much better. I just find 984] to be overrated. It has sold 10 million copies to the 2 million sold by the excellent [I]Fair Warning or even the five million sold by Van Halen II.

"I'll Wait", "And the Cradle Will Rock...", "Jamie's Cryin'", Everybody Wants Some!!", "Dancing in the Street", and "Hot For Teacher" are all songs that I cringe with pain every time I hear them. That's one thing I'll give the edge to Hagar for, his voice has never irritated me like Roth's does on certain songs. His unneccessary yelping can get quite annoying.

5150 is sort of to Van Halen like what Rubber Soul and Revolver were to the Beatles. It was more experimental and took the band's sound in a new direction. The band members were all in their 30's by then and they were making an album that was a little more adult but still fun. Sammy was important to this because he has better vocal range and is more intellectual than Dave. Though I know Dave is very well read and that's one of the reasons his lyrics have always been so clever.

I think the difference between 5150 and Rubber Soul was that The Beatles had Help! to bridge the gap (though I'd argue Revolver was the real departure, with both Help! and Rubber Soul serving as the "bridge" albums). There was such a jarring difference between 1984 and 5150 that it's like comparing apples and oranges.

I agree that Sammy is the better singer, but I think Dave is the better frontman. I really like the chemistry Dave and Eddie have onstage--even in the clips I've seen of the new tour. As for who's the more intellectual, that's a toss-up.

I wonder how "I'll Wait" would sound with Sammy singing it.




puke: thats how it would sound LOL

I agree that Sammy is the better singer, but I think Dave is the better frontman.

I think so, too. I don't think he's quite in the same league as Freddie Mercury or Steve Perry as frontmen go, but Diamond Dave had his own unique style.

I think so, too. I don't think he's quite in the same league as Freddie Mercury or Steve Perry as frontmen go, but Diamond Dave had his own unique style.

Looking back -- I've been a VH fan for over thirty years now -- I don't think Dave ever had a great voice, technically speaking. But what it did have was character.

I used to joke back in the DLR days about how many yelps he'd have per album. I thought it was funny.

I like both the Roth and Hagar eras of VH. But I give the original era a nod because they were more adventurous. Sammy was technically superior as a singer and the change in direction reflected that.

Dave knew his limitations as a vocalist, but he also knew what worked for him. That's why he was/is memorable.

Hagar never paraded around like he was some sex God that all the women wanted. So score one for Hagar.

Hagar never paraded around like he was some sex God that all the women wanted. So score one for Hagar.
I love Sammy Hagar. When he was with VH, he never acted like the arrogant, cocky, sex-crazed pervert that Dave always made himself out to be. Plus, Sammy is a much, much better singer than DLR. Dave just doesn't have the vocal range that Sammy has.

Hagar never paraded around like he was some sex God that all the women wanted. So score one for Hagar.

Besides, Sammy was married with young kids then, and seemed quite happy to be so. Isn't he still with the same woman today?

Hagar never paraded around like he was some sex God that all the women wanted. So score one for Hagar.

Well he didn't really have the looks to pull it off.

Besides, Sammy was married with young kids then, and seemed quite happy to be so. Isn't he still with the same woman today?

Married to Betsy Berardi from 1968-1994 (2 sons).

Currently married to Kari Karte since 1995 (2 daughters).

OK, thanks!!