Sammy Hagar names the most emotional album of all time: “One of the greatest”
When asked what his occupation was, Sammy Hagar promptly replied, “Making tequila and bringing it to the masses – plus I’m a singer and songwriter”. This is not the answer of a man who you think would like emotional music. It’s the answer of someone who likes going out, parties, and loud music packed with energy. In some ways, that is all correct.
Hagar likes to bring music to the masses. This means he makes music that electrifies audiences and encourages people to dance and sing. When you listen to the tracks he made with Van Halen, it’s hard not to get your head nodding. In that regard, Van Halen’s gigs were one big party, and Hagar continues that spirit within his solo career.
Because of his attitude, you wouldn’t necessarily think he likes to listen to music that makes him feel emotional, but he does. When he went through a list of his favourite albums, many of the nominations might be what you would expect. He praises Pink Floyd and Dark Side of the Moon, “Because it never gets old”. He also brings up records by Tool, James Brown and Cream, but the one that stands out from the bunch is Jeff Buckley’s Grace.
“Once again, this album doesn’t really need explanation,” he said, “Jeff Buckley’s only album is still one of the greatest, most complete albums ever made. Listen to the whole thing. It’s so emotional; it never fails to get under the skin. It can still give me goosebumps, choke me up and inspire me to go deeper as an artist.”
When you consider the kind of live show that Hagar puts on and his happy-go-lucky attitude, the way he continues to describe the album might highlight why it makes him so emotional. “It’s also one of the loneliest records—it’s most powerful to listen to alone with headphones. It’s not the kind of album you think of cranking up in the car when driving down the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) with your buddies—it’s a solo experience.”
Buckley’s Grace is one of those projects that wasn’t recognised for its brilliance at the time of release. When it came out, album sales were exceptionally low, and critics didn’t take well to it; however, in recent years, it has gotten a second wind and currently sits at 8x platinum (and only half of those sales are Sammy Hagar’s).
It makes sense that an album which requires you to listen alone would make Hagar emotional. The experience of music in solitude can be a reflective moment for whoever is listening, but with someone like Hagar, who is the opposite of his general experience with music, it’s expected to tug at the heartstrings.
