Unboxed

Before 1985, when Sammy Hagar became the second frontman for Van Halen, he had a fairly successful career as a solo artist. Unboxed compiles his best songs from the decade before he replaced Diamond Dave. In truth, this is probably the best way to hear Hagar solo because, like David Lee Roth and Joe Walsh, Hagar's individual records were never really strong enough to stand alone. Standout tracks on Unboxed include "Heavy Metal," a murky, futuristic cut recorded for the film of same name, the bluesy, blustery "Three Lock Box," and the anthemic radio cut "I Can't Drive 55." In 1997, Hagar left Van Halen to recharge his solo career. --Jon Wiederhorn