5150 ~ Van Halen (1986)

The die-hard Van Halen fanboys will defend the original lineup with their lives. Luckily, I'm not one of those people. I have an open mind, and I thoroughly enjoy the aptly nicknamed "Van Hagar". I say I'm lucky because the songs Van Halen did with Sammy Hagar are beautiful. There are the hard-rocking numbers, and the ballads. (Yeah, yeah, I love ballads. Sue me.)
5150 is probably the best way they could have introduced their new lead singer to the world. I mean that literally. Side 1 starts with a loud "Helloooooo, baaaaby!" Nearly made me jump the first time I listened to it. Of course, it didn't help that I had the volume up pretty loud, expecting a hard-rocking Van Halen trip. Good Enough is a fabulous album opener, but if I'm being honest, it isn't even close to the best song on the album, although not the worst.
This is the kind of album you'd listen to while going a bit too fast down the highway in the late afternoon/ early evening, with the windows down and the volume up as loud as your ears could stand it. You'd sing along with the entirety of every song you know all the words to.
Since I got this album last August, I've listened to it countless times, in various moods. I call 5150 one of my 'peaceful albums'. By the time the final song plays, I've calmed down from whatever was irritating me, because I share a vocal range with Sammy Hagar, and I can sing along. Because of my various moods when I listen to it, my favorite song changes. If I'm in a rock-out mood, it's Get Up. If I'm in a dark mood, it's Inside. If I'm in a singing mood, it's Why Can't This Be Love. If I'm feeling lonely, it's Love Walks In. You get the point.