Van Halen

Van Halen was a pioneering American rock band formed in Pasadena, California in 1972. Renowned for their electrifying live shows and the groundbreaking guitar work of Eddie Van Halen, the group played a key role in bringing hard rock back to mainstream attention. The classic lineup featured Eddie Van Halen, his brother Alex on drums, vocalist David Lee Roth, and bassist Michael Anthony. Their 1978 debut album set the stage for their commercial success and included hits like "Runnin' with the Devil." Subsequent albums, such as 1984, produced massive singles like "Jump" and sold millions of copies, cementing Van Halen among the top-selling rock bands of the era. After Roth left in 1985, Sammy Hagar took over vocals, leading to four number-one, multi-platinum albums. The band continued to evolve, with several lineup changes and a final studio album, A Different Kind of Truth, released in 2012. Eddie's son Wolfgang Van Halen later joined on bass. Van Halen has sold over 80 million albums worldwide and scored 13 number-one hits on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart. Their influence on rock music remains significant, marked by their energetic style and lasting commercial success. The band disbanded in 2020 following Eddie Van Halen's death.