Sammy Hagar Open to Finishing Unreleased Van Halen Tracks

Former Van Halen frontman says he'd 'drop just about everything' to collaborate on new music with late guitarist Eddie Van Halen.

Mar. 3, 2026 at 6:15am by Ben Kaplan

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Sammy Hagar, who had two stints as Van Halen's lead vocalist, says he would be open to working on unreleased tracks created by the late Eddie Van Halen. Alex Van Halen, Eddie's brother and the band's drummer, has been working on finishing the tracks, with help from Steve Lukather and Eddie's son Wolfgang. Hagar expressed interest in collaborating, stating it would be 'a dream come true for Van Halen fans' if he and David Lee Roth split the vocals.

Why it matters

The potential for new Van Halen music, even after the passing of the iconic guitarist Eddie Van Halen, has generated significant interest among the band's loyal fanbase. Hagar's openness to participate in the project could help bridge the gap between the band's different eras and lineups, creating a unique opportunity to honor Eddie's legacy.

The details

Alex Van Halen has said there is enough unreleased material recorded while his brother was alive to create a final Van Halen album. He is currently working with Steve Lukather, co-founder of the band Toto, to help finish the tracks. Eddie's son, Wolfgang Van Halen, has also contributed bass guitar. Alex Van Halen had previously hoped to recruit Paul Rodgers as the vocalist, but Rodgers is no longer able to do it.

  • In October 2024, Alex Van Halen first dropped some unreleased music created with his brother in the audiobook version of his memoir 'Brothers'.
  • More recently, Alex Van Halen has said there's enough unreleased material recorded while his brother was alive to create a final Van Halen album.

The players

Sammy Hagar

A former lead vocalist for Van Halen, who had two stints with the band from 1985-1996 and again in 2004.

Alex Van Halen

The drummer and co-founder of Van Halen, who is currently working on finishing unreleased tracks created by his late brother, Eddie Van Halen.

Eddie Van Halen

The iconic guitarist and co-founder of Van Halen, who passed away in 2020.

Steve Lukather

The co-founder of the band Toto and a friend of Eddie Van Halen, who is helping Alex Van Halen finish the unreleased tracks.

Wolfgang Van Halen

The son of Eddie Van Halen, who has contributed bass guitar to the unreleased tracks.

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What they’re saying

“I would love to write a song with Eddie again.”

— Sammy Hagar

“Having me and Roth split the vocals - and have bassist Michael Anthony provide backing vocals - would be a dream come true for Van Halen fans.”

— Sammy Hagar

“For me, the spirit of the band ended in 1984. We did good work after that, but the primary spiritual aspect, the magic, the potential, the looking to the future together, all of that stuff, our mutually strange backgrounds – that's what made Van Halen.”

— Alex Van Halen

The takeaway

The potential for new Van Halen music, even after the passing of Eddie Van Halen, has generated significant interest among the band's loyal fanbase. Sammy Hagar's openness to collaborate on the unreleased tracks could help unite the different eras of the band and honor Eddie's enduring legacy.