Vol 71: 1984 / Sounds of Silence

Van Halen – 1984

Often stylized as “MCMLXXXIV,” Van Halen released 1984 on January 9th of the same year as the album title. It was the sixth studio album by the American hard rock band and was subsequently the last Van Halen album to feature lead singer David Lee Roth. 1984 is often credited as being one of the band’s most successful albums alongside their self-titled debut. 1984 would inevitably be certified diamond by the RIAA for surpassing 10 million copies sold. Hits such as: “Jump,” “Panama,” “Hot for Teacher,” and “I’ll Wait” can all be found on this timeless dip into American hard rock.

Simon & Garfunkel – Sounds of Silence

Simon & Garfunkel released their second studio album, Sounds of Silence, on January 17th, 1966. The title of the album is a variation of the duo’s first major hit “The Sound of Silence.” In 2013 Sounds of Silence was preserved by the Library of Congress in the National Recording Registry as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” Sounds of Silence hosts hits such as: “The Sound of Silence,” “Leaved That Are Green,” “Blessed,” “Anji,” “Homeward Bound,” “Richard Cory,” and “I Am a Rock.”

You can spin both of these vinyls in their entirety here.