Van Halen
Date
1984
Credits
- Margo Zafer Nahas Illustrator
- David Jellison Art Director
- Pete Angelus Art Director
- Richard Seireeni Art Director
Van Halen's 1984 album cover features a, surrealist oil painting of a winged cherub smoking a cigarette, designed by artist Margo Nahas. Originally intended for a different project, the band chose this image—modeled by a child holding candy cigarettes—for its rebellious, angelic aesthetic. The art, directed by Richard Seireeni and Pete Angelus, was controversial, leading to censorship in some regions.
The album is Van Halen's commercial peak and final album with original vocalist David Lee Roth until 2012, blending hard rock with dominant synthesizers to achieve massive mainstream success. Featuring iconic hits like "Jump," "Panama," and "Hot for Teacher," it sold over 10 million copies in the US, becoming a defining 1980s rock record.
