Van Halen discography

Van Halen discography

Van Halen performing at the Bell Centre, Montreal on 10th November, 2007. From left to right: David Lee Roth, Wolfgang Van Halen, Eddie Van Halen and Alex Van Halen
Releases
Studio albums 12
Live albums 2
Compilation albums 2
Singles 56
Video albums 3

Van Halen is an American rock band, formed in Pasadena, California in 1972, by the Dutch-born American brothers Eddie Van Halen (guitar) and Alex Van Halen (drums), plus singer David Lee Roth and bassist Michael Anthony. The band's discography consists of twelve studio albums, two live albums, two compilation albums, and 56 singles.

The band signed a contract with Warner Bros. Records in 1977,[1] and in the following year released the album Van Halen. Over the next few years, the band alternated album releases, one per year between 1979 and 1982, and touring to increasing commercial and critical acclaim and became one of the world's most successful and influential bands. In 1984, Van Halen released 1984, which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and had the band's sole No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, "Jump". After the tour promoting that album, Roth left the band due to artistic and personal tensions with Eddie.

To replace Roth, Eddie picked Sammy Hagar, formerly of Montrose and at that time a successful solo artist. Van Halen's first album with Hagar, 1986's 5150, was the band's first No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The three studio albums that succeeded, OU812, For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge and Balance, also topped the charts. In 1996, Hagar left Van Halen amidst much tension with the rest of the band.

Roth rejoined briefly, and recorded two songs with the band for the 1996 compilation Best Of – Volume I, but Van Halen eventually settled on Gary Cherone, frontman of the then defunct Boston-based band Extreme. Cherone's sole release with the band was Van Halen III, released in 1998 to mixed reviews and diminishing sales, being the only Van Halen studio album not to get a platinum RIAA certification. Van Halen's last release for Warner was the 2004 compilation Best of Both Worlds, which featured three new songs with Hagar. In 2011, the band left the label and signed with Interscope Records.[2]

In February 2012, Van Halen released its twelfth studio album and first for Interscope, A Different Kind of Truth, featuring Roth on the vocals and Eddie's son Wolfgang Van Halen on bass guitar. The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200,[3] and became the band's highest charting album on the UK Albums Chart with a sixth spot.[4]

As of 2007, Van Halen has sold 75 million albums worldwide[5] and have had the most No. 1 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart. During the 1980s they also had more Billboard Hot 100 hits than any other hard rock or heavy metal band. According to the RIAA, Van Halen is the nineteenth best-selling band/artist of all time with sales of over 56 million albums in the US,[6] and is one of five rock bands that have had two albums (Van Halen and 1984) sell more than ten million copies in the US.[7]

Studio albums

Year Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
(sales thresholds)
US
[8]
CAN
[9]
AUS
[10]
SWI
[11]
AUT
[12]
NLD
[13]
DEN
[14]
SWE
[15]
FIN
[16]
NOR
[17]
GER
[18]
NZ
[19]
UK
[20]
1978 Van Halen
  • Released: February 10, 1978
  • Label: Warner Bros.
  • Format: LP, 8-Track, CS, CD, Digital
19 18 17 10 22 24 US: Diamond[21]
CAN: 4× Platinum[22]
FRA: Gold[23]
UK: Gold[24]
GER: Gold[25]
FIN: Gold[16]
NLD: Platinum[26]
1979 Van Halen II
  • Released: March 23, 1979
  • Label: Warner Bros.
  • Format: LP, CS, 8-Track, CD, Digital
6 15 68 11 22 24 23 US: 5× Platinum[21]
CAN: 2× Platinum[22]
FRA: Gold[23]
NDL: Gold[26]
1980 Women and Children First
  • Released: March 26, 1980
  • Label: Warner Bros.
  • Format: LP, CS, 8-Track, CD, Digital
6 12 128 3 19 23 19 48 15 US: 3× Platinum[21]
CAN: 2× Platinum[22]
FRA: Gold[23]
NDL: Gold[26]
1981 Fair Warning
  • Released: April 29, 1981
  • Label: Warner Bros.
  • Format: LP, CS, 8-Track, CD, Digital
5 11 97 13 18 27 37 49 US: 2× Platinum[21]
CAN: Platinum[22]
1982 Diver Down
  • Released: April 14, 1982
  • Label: Warner Bros.
  • Format: LP, CS, 8-Track, CD, DVD-A, Digital
3 5 79 28 28 19 65 37 36 US: 4× Platinum[21]
CAN: Platinum[22]
1984 1984
  • Released: January 9, 1984
  • Label: Warner Bros.
  • Format: LP, CS, 8-Track, CD, Digital
2 1 11 7 12 8 4 12 11 15 15 US: Diamond[21]
CAN: 5× Platinum[22]
UK: Gold[24]
FRA: Gold[23]
GER: Platinum[25]
1986 5150
  • Released: March 24, 1986
  • Label: Warner Bros.
  • Format: CD, CS, LP, Digital
1 2 5 16 13 30 2 5 11 13 16 US: 6× Platinum[21]
CAN: 3× Platinum[22]
UK: Silver[24]
GER: Gold[25]
1988 OU812
  • Released: May 24, 1988
  • Label: Warner Bros.
  • Format: CD, CS, LP, Digital
1 1 9 9 21 22 9 5 12 35 16 US: 4× Platinum[21]
UK: Silver[24]
1991 For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge
  • Released: June 17, 1991
  • Label: Warner Bros.
  • Format: CD, CS, LP, Digital
1 4 5 11 21 24 17 6 25 12 US: 3× Platinum[21]
CAN: Platinum[22]
UK: Silver[24]
1995 Balance
  • Released: January 24, 1995
  • Label: Warner Bros.
  • Format: CD, CS, LP, Digital
1 2 9 6 18 5 5 17 8 16 8 US: 3× Platinum[21]
CAN: 3× Platinum[22]
BRA: Gold[27]
1998 Van Halen III
  • Released: March 17, 1998
  • Label: Warner Bros.
  • Format: CD, CS, LP, Digital
4 4 8 38 23 24 7 39 5 29 13 14 43 US: Gold[21]
2012 A Different Kind of Truth
  • Released: February 7, 2012
  • Label: Interscope
  • Format: CD, Digital, LP
2 3 4 6 17 12 8 4 3 9 8 14 6 CAN: Gold[22]
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that country.

Live albums

Year Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
(sales thresholds)
US
[8]
CAN
[9]
AUS
[10]
SWI
[11]
AUT
[12]
NLD
[13]
DEN
[14]
SWE
[15]
FIN
[16]
NOR
[17]
GER
[18]
NZ
[19]
UK
[20]
1993 Live: Right Here, Right Now
  • Released: February 23, 1993
  • Label: Warner Bros.
  • Format: CD, CS, LP, DVD
5 15 7 18 30 8 21 30 25 24 US: 2× Platinum[21]
CAN: Gold[22]
2015 Tokyo Dome Live in Concert
  • Release: March 31, 2015
  • Label: Warner Bros.
  • Format: CD, Digital, LP
20 67 59 48 64 74
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that country.

Compilation albums

Year Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
(sales thresholds)
US
[8]
CAN
[9]
AUS
[10]
SWI
[11]
AUT
[12]
NLD
[13]
DEN
[14]
SWE
[15]
FIN
[16]
NOR
[17]
GER
[18]
NZ
[19]
UK
[20]
1996 Best Of – Volume I
  • Released: October 22, 1996
  • Label: Warner Bros.
  • Format: CD, CS, LP
1 1 11 26 16 12 5 19 3 36 7 2 45 US: 3× Platinum[21]
CAN: 2× Platinum[22]
AUS: Platinum[28]
FIN: Gold[16]
BRA: Gold[27]
ARG: Gold[29]
UK: Silver[24]
GER: Gold[25]
2004 The Best of Both Worlds
  • Released: July 20, 2004
  • Label: Warner Bros.
  • Format: CD, CS, LP
3 2 31 55 33 17 25 12 4 17 28 9 15 US: Platinum[21]
UK: Gold[24]
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that country.

Singles

Year Single Peak chart positions Album Certifications
(sales thresholds)
US US Main AUS
[30]
CAN
[31]
IRE
[32]
NED
[33]
UK
[34]
1978 "You Really Got Me" 36 12 49 Van Halen
"Runnin' with the Devil" 84 2 52
"Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love"
1979 "Dance the Night Away" 15 28 Van Halen II
"Beautiful Girls" 84
1980 "And the Cradle Will Rock..." 55 81 Women and Children First
1981 "So This Is Love?" 110 15 20 Fair Warning
"Mean Street" 12
"Push Comes to Shove" 29
"Unchained" 13
1982 "(Oh) Pretty Woman" 12 1 59 5 28 47 Diver Down
"Dancing in the Street" 38 3 15
"Secrets" 22
"Little Guitars" 33
"The Full Bug" 42
"Where Have All the Good Times Gone" 17
1984 "Jump" 1 1 2 1 2 34 7 1984 US: Gold[21]
IT: Gold
"I'll Wait" 13 2 21 85
"Panama" 13 2 74 15 30 61
"Hot for Teacher" 56 24 89 83 87
1986 "Why Can't This Be Love" 3 1 8 13 8 15 8 5150
"Dreams" 22 6 51 85 25 62
"Love Walks In" 22 4 75
"Best of Both Worlds" 12
"Summer Nights" 33
1988 "Black and Blue" 34 1 42 OU812
"When It's Love" 5 1 23 21 23 28
"Finish What Ya Started" 13 2
"Cabo Wabo" 31
"Mine All Mine" 50
1989 "Feels So Good" 35 6 63
1991 "Poundcake" 1 55 55 74 For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge
"Runaround" 1 50
"Top of the World" 27 1 23 63
1992 "The Dream Is Over" 7
"Right Now" 55 2
"Man on a Mission" 21
1993 "Jump" (live) 93 13 12 26 Live: Right Here, Right Now
"Won't Get Fooled Again" (live) 1 64
"Dreams" (live) 111
1995 "The Seventh Seal" 36 Balance
"Don't Tell Me (What Love Can Do)" 1 36 31 27
"Can't Stop Lovin' You" 30 2 3 33
"Not Enough" 97 27 6
"Amsterdam" 9 46 77
1996 "Humans Being" 1 47 Best of Volume I
"Me Wise Magic" 1 14
1997 "Can't Get This Stuff No More" 12 38
1998 "Without You" 1 56 55 Van Halen III
"One I Want" 27
"Fire in the Hole" 6 65
2004 "It's About Time" 6 The Best of Both Worlds
"Up for Breakfast" 33
2012 "Tattoo" 67 13 62 A Different Kind of Truth
"She's the Woman" 23
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that country.

Videos

Year Title RIAA Certification[35] Vocalist
1987 Live Without a Net 2x Multi-Platinum Sammy Hagar
1996 Video Hits Volume I Gold David Lee Roth, Sammy Hagar, and Gary Cherone
1999 Live: Right Here, Right Now Gold Sammy Hagar

Soundtracks

Year Title Song[s] Album
1979 Over the Edge "You Really Got Me" Van Halen
1987 Spaceballs "Good Enough" 5150
1995 Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie "Dreams" 5150
1996 Twister "Humans Being"*, "Respect the Wind"* Twister - Motion Picture Soundtrack
1998 Lethal Weapon 4 "Fire in the Hole" Van Halen III
1999 Varsity Blues "Hot for Teacher" 1984
1999 Detroit Rock City "Runnin' with the Devil" Van Halen

Notes and references

  1. Obrecht, Jas. "A Legend is Born Eddie Van Halen's First Interview". Musician's Friend. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
  2. Rolling Stone. "Van Halen Announce Album Release, Tour Dates | Music News". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  3. Caulfield, Keith (15 February 2012). "Adele's '21' Hits 20th Week at No. 1, Van Halen Debuts at No. 2". Billboard. Retrieved 22 February 2012.
  4. Jones, Alan (13 February 2012). "Official Chart Analysis: Lana Del Rey scores biggest-selling album of 2012, Gotye shifts another 83k". Music Week. Retrieved 22 February 2012.
  5. Press Release Announcing 2004 Van Halen Concert Tour
  6. "2005 statistics from the RIAA".
  7. Christie, Ian (2009) Everybody Wants Some: The Van Halen Saga. "When Van Halen reached RIAA diamond certification in August 1996, marking over ten million copies sold, Van Halen became one of five rock bands with two albums selling over ten million, joining The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and Def Leppard."
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 "Van Halen – Artist chart history". Billboard charts. Retrieved March 30, 2008.
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 "Van Halen Top Albums/CDs positions". RPM. Retrieved August 19, 2008.
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 "Australian charts portal". Australian charts. Retrieved March 30, 2008.
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 "Discography Van Halen" (in German). Hit parade. Retrieved March 30, 2008.
  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 "Discography Van Halen" (in German). Austrian charts. Retrieved March 30, 2008.
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 "Discography Van Halen" (in Dutch). Dutch charts. Retrieved March 30, 2008.
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 "Discography Van Halen" (in Danish). Danish charts. Retrieved March 30, 2008.
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 "Discography Van Halen" (in Swedish). Swedish charts. Retrieved March 30, 2008.
  16. 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 "Discography Van Halen" (in Finnish). Finnish charts. Retrieved March 30, 2008.
  17. 17.0 17.1 17.2 "Discography Van Halen" (in Norwegian). Norwegian charts. Retrieved March 30, 2008.
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 "Chartverfolgung Van Halen Longplay" (in German). Musicline. Retrieved April 9, 2012.
  19. 19.0 19.1 19.2 "Van Halen New Zealand Charting".
  20. 20.0 20.1 20.2 "UK Top 40 Hit Database". Every hit. Retrieved March 30, 2008.
  21. 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 21.4 21.5 21.6 21.7 21.8 21.9 21.10 21.11 21.12 21.13 21.14 "Gold & Platinum - January 17, 2010". RIAA. Retrieved 2010-01-17.
  22. 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 22.4 22.5 22.6 22.7 22.8 22.9 22.10 22.11 "Gold Platinum Database: Van Halen". Canadian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 2011-12-18.
  23. 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 "Gold & Platinum - January 17, 2010". Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 2010-01-17.
  24. 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 24.4 24.5 24.6 "British Phonographic Industry statistics". British Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on May 24, 2012. Retrieved April 6, 2008.
  25. 25.0 25.1 25.2 25.3 "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Van Halen)" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 2010-01-17.
  26. 26.0 26.1 26.2 "NVPI certifications". The Dutch Association of Producers and Importers of image- and sound-bearers. Retrieved 2008-07-24.
  27. 27.0 27.1 "ABPD | Associação Brasileira de Produtores de Disco - Certificados" (in Portuguese). Brazilian Association of Phonograph Producers. Retrieved June 16, 2008.
  28. "ARIA Charts - Accreditations - 1997 Albums". ARIA. Retrieved July 7, 2012.
  29. "Discos de Oro y Platino" (in Spanish). Argentine Chamber of Phonograms and Videograms Producers. Retrieved January 5, 2009.
  30. Kent, David (2006). Australian Chart Book 1993-2005. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-45889-2.
  31. Canadian peaks RPM - Library and Archives
  32. "Irish Singles Chart – Search for song". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
  33. Dutch peaks
  34. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  35. RIAA Gold and Platinum Search for videos by Van Halen

External links