Van Halen, ‘III’ – Albums That Almost Killed a Band’s Career

As far as selecting lead singers goes, the third time was definitely NOT the charm for Van Halen.

After racing straight to the top of the rock mountain with original frontman David Lee Roth, and miraculously managing to stay there for another decade after he was replaced by Sammy Hagar, Van Halen chose Extreme singer Gary Cherone as the group's third vocalist. Their first (and only) album together, 1998's 'III,' was a shapeless mess that was panned by critics and avoided by fans. It would be 14 years before the group returned -- with Roth on the mic -- with the triumphant 'A Different Kind of Truth.'

Hear Van Halen Perform 'How Many Say I'