When David Lee Roth left Van Halen in 1985, the band didn’t collapse, they reinvented themselves. With Sammy Hagar stepping in as frontman, the group entered what fans call the “Van Hagar” era, an 11-year stretch that made the radio go even louder than before. 

Eddie still brought the fire, but their music shifted. Out went the wild party anthems, in came big ballads and polished hits. Their albums sold millions, proving Van Halen could still rule the charts no matter what. But the vibe was different, less wild, and more controlled. 

For some fans, Van Hagar was proof the band could survive without Roth; for others, it was the moment they lost their spark. This is that era captured in photos, telling the story of a band too big to fail, even if some didn’t like it.