Album of the Day

Most bands who'd experienced the success that Van Halen had wouldn't mess with the formula; fortunately the L.A. quartet wasn't like most bands. “Eddie Van Halen discovered the synthesizer” was how producer Ted Templeman explained the remarkable success of 1984, released 35 years ago today. While the Warner Bros. collection doesn't skimp on the group's trademark hard rock (“Panama," “Hot for Teacher”), the keyboard-driven “Jump” and “I'll Wait” are just as exhilarating. The former was Van Halen's first No.1 hit single, and the good-time anthem will still make you jump for joy when singer David Lee Roth takes his place against the record machine for the chorus. The final album by the original foursome, 1984 was also one of Van Halen's biggest hits, selling more than 10 million copies in the U.S alone.