The 1986 song that half of Van Halen’s audience hated but it still sold 5,000,000 copies

After David Lee Roth left Van Halen, Sammy Hagar joined the band and helped steer its sound in a new direction. Their first song with Hagar, “Why Can’t This Be Love”, foregrounded keyboards and divided some longtime fans, while signalling that the group would not simply repeat its earlier style.

Hagar was introduced to Eddie Van Halen through their shared car mechanic, after Eddie spotted Hagar’s Ferrari. Hagar said he wanted to bring his own ideas to the band, and sought keyboard parts with the force of guitar riffs; some fans objected, but the song reportedly sold five million copies and helped attract a new audience.