In 1992, Van Halen controversially released Sammy Hagar’s proudest song. Now it has 81,000,000 streams

Van Halen released “Right Now” in 1992, a song Sammy Hagar considered his proudest lyrical work with the band. Its call to act in the present helped distinguish it from the group’s more party-focused material and has contributed to its lasting appeal.

Hagar said he wanted the lyrics to give Van Halen a more thoughtful image, and objected when the music video displayed unrelated phrases instead of his words. The song addresses issues including safe sex and troubling world statistics, framing them as reasons to value the moment and make changes. It has since reached around 81 million streams, making it Van Halen’s tenth most-streamed track.