Blimp Time-Hop: Van Hagar Goes #1 With A Little Help From WBLM

33 years ago today, Van Halen 5150 went No.1 the US and stayed on top for 3 weeks. It was the first album with Sammy Hagar and their first album to reach the top of the charts.

To announce the dawn of Van Halen Mach II, 5150 opens with Sammy’s big voice saying, “Helloooo Baaybeeee!” This starts the loud and raucous Good Enough followed by the first “Van Hagar” hit, Why Can’t This Be Love. 

The 5150 album was in heavy rotation in 1986 on WBLM. We played every track that year. The two tracks just mentioned as well as: Get Up, Dreams, Summer Nights, Best of Both Worlds, Love Walks In, 5150, and Inside. We just may have to dig a little deeper today and celebrate the anniversary of this legendary album going No.1.

You know what?  Not only did Sammy Hagar bring a whole new vocal dimension to compliment Eddie’s guitar wizardry, he was no slouch on guitar himself. He played guitar in concert. But, the only song he ever played on in the studio was Finish What You Started from the 1988 album OU812. Sammy revealed that little known trivia during a recent appearance on the Howard Stern Show.

The other big difference between the Sammy Hagar Era and the Diamond Dave Era, was the introduction of ballads to the catalog with Love Walks In and anthems with Dreams.

The made it to Maine with Sammy for the first time in the Summer of '86 for a sold-out two-night stand! Were you there?

Go backstage with Sammy, Eddie, Alex, and Michael on tour in ’86. Happy times. We miss these days.