Iconic Rock Band Achieves First No. 1 Album Despite Frontman Departure

On the 24th of March in 1986, Van Halen achieved their first Billboard 200 No.1 album with their seventh studio album, 5150. This record marked a departure from the band’s usual hard rock sound, featuring more love songs and slow ballads in contrast to their typical style. The shift in musical direction was a direct result of frontman David Lee Roth’s departure from the band less than a year before the album’s release.

The exact reasons behind Roth leaving Van Halen have been a subject of debate over the years, but it’s evident that there was tension between him and his bandmates, particularly Eddie Van Halen, who often led the group’s creative decisions. With Roth’s official departure in April 1985, Van Halen found themselves in need of a new frontman.

Enter Sammy Hagar, formerly of Montrose, who joined the band in July 1985 and injected a more relaxed vibe into their music. The result was 5150, an album that quickly climbed to the top of the Billboard 200 charts, a feat that Van Halen had never accomplished before. Their prior album, 1984, had been held back at No. 2 by Michael Jackson’s Thriller, a chart-topping phenomenon that overshadowed many other records that year, including Van Halen’s.

Despite receiving mixed reviews initially, with publications like Rolling Stone giving it only three stars, 5150 was a massive commercial success that helped keep Van Halen in the public eye and produced a string of hit singles for years to come. This new era of Van Halen, characterized by Sammy Hagar’s inclusion, was playfully dubbed “Van Hagar” by fans as a nod to the singer’s surname. Hagar even suggested making this the band’s official name at one point, though the Van Halen brothers disagreed with the idea, as detailed in his memoir.

Featuring tracks like “Why Can’t This Be Love,” “Dreams,” “Good Enough,” and the album’s title track, 5150 was the band’s first album to exclude instrumental songs, which contributed to its widespread commercial appeal. The album went on to sell over 6 million copies, earning it a 6x platinum certification from the RIAA and solidifying its status as Van Halen’s most successful album up to that point. Sammy Hagar’s addition to the band proved to be invaluable, ensuring many successful years for Van Halen.