Top 12 Greatest Music Albums by JuJu83
Owing a musical (and spiritual) debt more to 1950s Little Richard, 1930s vaudeville, and 1960s L.A.-based surf rock than British Blues (ironically, guitarist Eddie Van Halen cites two of his biggest influences as Cream-era Clapton and Led Zeppelin's "Heartbreaker,") Van Halen creates danceable, funky rock and roll with a Zen-like attitude that has more depth than almost any "meaningful" lyric.
Van Halen - the original David Lee Roth/Eddie Van Halen songwriting team (1978-1984; 2012-present) - created the most innovative, uniquely American rock and roll since Hendrix.
- Chart updated: 11/27/2012 09:11
- (Created: 10/13/2012 07:20).
- Chart size: 12 albums.
There are 2 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 12 Greatest Music Albums has an average rating of 75 out of 100 (from 2 votes). Please log in or register to leave a comment or assign a rating.
The entries in this chart have been awarded a zero rank score because the chart has not been updated within the last ten years.
View the complete list of 53,000 charts on BestEverAlbums.com from The Charts page.
Musically and attitudinally diverse - but, to the band's credit, of a unified and distinct spirit, mood, and sound - this dark funk/rock (with punk, new wave, reggae, and R&B motifs) is, for lack of a better precedent, "Exile on the Sunset Strip."
Whereas Mick Jagger and Keith Richards release a sprawling double-album, cataloging the earthy decadence and ambitions of the early 1970s - 11 years later, David Lee Roth and Eddie Van Halen release a 32-minute diorama of le déluge. The dance-'til-you-drop '70s finally dropped - and "Fair Warning" captures the thrillingly vivid (often dark) emotions associated with the decadent rise and fall (which are also universal and timeless.) [First added to this chart: 11/21/2012]
"Van Halen" (1978) might be the most revolutionarily "American" rock release post-Hendrix/pre-Nirvana, and - if you won't go that far - it's the most exuberant, American rock and roll party, waxed post-Hendrix. [First added to this chart: 11/21/2012]
Van Halen's 2012 "comeback" is intended as a re-introduction to the original, David Lee Roth-era Van Halen, two decades after "1984," the group's commercial apotheosis and last album to feature the Roth/Van Halen songwriting team. (Van Halen made albums after "1984," as did David Lee Roth - but, with brilliant exceptions, both suffered for their hubris.)
"A Different Kind of Truth" (2012) - although it contains nothing as catchy as "Jump" - is as diverse a showcase of Van Halen's skills as "Women and Children First," (1980) except the songs on "ADKoT" are (overall) funkier, heavier, and more fully fleshed-out.
Also, noteworthy: although it sounds impressive on first listen - much like Led Zeppelin's "Physical Graffiti," "A Different Kind of Truth" reveals its depth and brilliance on repeated listens - lyrically as well. They come across as trite and tossed off at first, but hold up on close scrutiny... Much like the band itself. [First added to this chart: 11/21/2012]
Something of a forgotten classic, due to David Lee Roth's descent from international superstar to cult figure, "Eat 'em And Smile" is Van Halen-on-steroids. There are gonzo instrumental excursions, ("Shyboy," "Elephant Gun,") great rock singles, ("Yankee Rose," "Goin' Crazy,") and strutting funk, ("Big Trouble," "Ladies Night in Buffalo?")
Much like the Ramones, David Lee Roth is a likable but divisive artist - depending on who you ask, he's either a clown who can't sing, or a living representation of the most vital, rock and roll attitude. Despite its musical virtues, whether you like "Eat 'em And Smile" will probably depend on which side of the fence you fall. [First added to this chart: 11/26/2012]
With "1984," Roth/Van Halen achieve an influence, commercial status, and artistic reputation as wide-reaching as Plant/Page's circa "Led Zeppelin IV" - "Physical Graffiti." Unfortunately, there would be no follow-up to "1984" for 28 years, (i.e. "A Different Kind of Truth," 2012.)
David Lee Roth's Zen/vaudevillian/hedonism and emphasis on showmanship conflicted with Eddie Van Halen's introverted, increasingly delicate musical sensibilities, emphasis on technique, and desire for overall "respectability," (a concept often antithetical to great rock and roll.) Roth left Van Halen on April 1, 1985, acrimoniously. [First added to this chart: 11/21/2012]
No band since the Beatles is able to better incorporate would-be genre-exercises into its signature sound, resulting in an ever-broadening pallet, which touches on nearly every popular music style on the dark "Fair Warning," the summery "Diver Down," and the something-for-everyone mega-seller, "1984." [First added to this chart: 11/21/2012]
Created as padding for a hit single, "Diver Down" is barely 31 minutes long, featuring 5 cover songs - at least 2 of which are blatant jokes, and the rest performed a wink-and-a-nod - 3 short instrumentals, and only 4 Van Halen originals.
Against all odds, "Diver Down" is not only listenable - it's Van Halen's easiest listen, only occasionally requiring more of the listener than a sense of humor, e.g. on the warped "Hang 'em High," breezy "Secrets," and new wave piece de resistance, "Little Guitars."
A 180 in attitude from "Fair Warning" - "Diver Down" is as summery, extroverted, and fun as its predecessor was dark, introverted, and gritty. Figuratively, if "Fair Warning" was Eddie, "Diver Down" is Diamond Dave. [First added to this chart: 11/21/2012]
Van Halen stretch themselves slightly on "Van Halen II," e.g. there's the pure punk of "D.O.A." and prog of "Light Up The Sky," but the majority of this album is reminiscent of the debut - which isn't a bad thing. "Somebody Get Me A Doctor," "Bottoms Up!" and "Women In Love..." prove that transcendence of the debut was not a one-off affair. "Outta Love Again" hints at the funk-rock that would appear on Van Halen's later albums, although it's one of the few styles that the bands hasn't fully-fleshed-out. [First added to this chart: 11/21/2012]
While proving that there's more depth to David Lee Roth than his - by then, cartoonish - MTV persona, (e.g. Roth writes arguably the best rock ballad of the '80s in "Damn Good," and crafts dynamic yet listenable neo-psychedelia with "Skyscraper" and "Hina,") the album's relatively tepid reception proves that the late '80s public did not value this depth.
Only the dreadful "Stand Up" mars what's otherwise an impressively ambitious finale for the "Eat 'em And Smile" band. [First added to this chart: 11/26/2012]
Many of "5150's" songs show promise and inspiration ("Dreams;" "Best of Both Worlds;" "5150;") however, filler like "The Inside," and "Get Up" undo the album's cohesion.
Van Halen did not change its band name after the David Lee Roth break-up, unfortunately, because Van Halen without David Lee Roth sounds only vaguely similar to the original band, and possesses an entirely different spirit.
This engenders a situation akin to when, during the 1980s, Coca-Cola changed its formula. If "New Coke" had been released under a new name, it might not have been as successful out-of-the-gate due to brand loyalty, but comparisons to the original wouldn't have eroded its credibility. [First added to this chart: 11/21/2012]
Don't agree with this chart? Create your own from the My Charts page!
Top 12 Greatest Music Albums composition
Decade | Albums | % | |
---|---|---|---|
1930s | 0 | 0% | |
1940s | 0 | 0% | |
1950s | 0 | 0% | |
1960s | 0 | 0% | |
1970s | 2 | 17% | |
1980s | 8 | 67% | |
1990s | 1 | 8% | |
2000s | 0 | 0% | |
2010s | 1 | 8% | |
2020s | 0 | 0% |
Artist | Albums | % | |
---|---|---|---|
|
|||
Van Halen | 10 | 83% | |
David Lee Roth | 2 | 17% |
Top 12 Greatest Music Albums chart changes
Biggest climbers |
---|
Up 1 from 12th to 11th OU812 by Van Halen |
Up 1 from 5th to 4th Eat 'Em And Smile by David Lee Roth |
Biggest fallers |
---|
Down 1 from 4th to 5th 1984 by Van Halen |
Down 1 from 11th to 12th For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge by Van Halen |
Top 12 Greatest Music Albums similar charts
- Ranking Van Halen by Spyglass (2020)
- Top 4 Music Albums of 1978 by dr_worm_md (2012)
- Top 10 Music Albums of 1980 by 5thbeatle (2012)
- Top 5 Music Albums of 1982 by 5thbeatle (2012)
- Top 5 Music Albums of 1984 by 5thbeatle (2012)
- Top 10 Greatest Music Albums by capnpete (2010)
- Top 10 Greatest Music Albums by In3pt (2010)
- Top 12 Greatest Music Albums by Dominoes34 (2010)
- Top 9 Greatest Music Albums by Xalechim (2011)
- Top 10 Greatest Music Albums by Blondie (2011)
Top 12 Greatest Music Albums similarity to your chart(s)
Not a member? Registering is quick, easy and FREE!
Why register?
- Join a passionate community of over 50,000 music fans.
- Create & share your own charts.
- Have your say in the overall rankings.
- Post comments in the forums and vote on polls.
- Comment on or rate any album, artist, track or chart.
- Discover new music & improve your music collection.
- Customise the overall chart using a variety of different filters & metrics.
- Create a wishlist of albums.
- Help maintain the BEA database.
- Earn member points and gain access to increasing levels of functionality!
- ... And lots more!
Register now - it only takes a moment!
Top 12 Greatest Music Albums ratings
where:
av = trimmed mean average rating an item has currently received.
n = number of ratings an item has currently received.
m = minimum number of ratings required for an item to appear in a 'top-rated' chart (currently 10).
AV = the site mean average rating.
N.B. The average rating for this chart will not be reliable as it has been rated very few times.
Showing all 2 ratings for this chart.
Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
---|---|---|---|---|
04/16/2018 15:06 | hoyquarlow | 31 | 87/100 | |
07/02/2014 21:57 | sssvnnn | 2,816 | 83/100 |
Please log in or register if you want to be able to leave a rating
Top 12 Greatest Music Albums favourites
Please log in or register if you want to be able to add a favourite
Top 12 Greatest Music Albums comments
Showing all 2 comments |
Most Helpful First | Newest First | Maximum Rated First |
Longest Comments First
(Only showing comments with -2 votes or higher. You can alter this threshold from your profile page. Manage Profile)
Hello, David Lee Roth
I think this is the first chart i've seen comprised of albums of one artist. I'm not sure how VH could be america's most influential since their first album wasn't out until 1978 -- they surely were heavily influential in the hair metal scene of the 80s.
Please log in or register if you want to be able to add a comment
Your feedback for Top 12 Greatest Music Albums
A lot of hard work happens in the background to keep BEA running, and it's especially difficult to do this when we can't pay our hosting fees :(
We work very hard to ensure our site is as fast (and FREE!) as possible, and we respect your privacy.