The Collection II
The Collection II is the fourth compilation album by American rock band Van Halen, focusing on the era when Sammy Hagar was the lead singer. It was released on October 6, 2023, by Warner Records. The collection includes remastered versions of four studio albums and a fifth disc of rarities spanning 1989–2004. It is the band's second album to be released after Eddie Van Halen died in 2020. All the music in the set was mastered directly from the original master tapes, a process overseen by the band's longtime engineer, Donn Landee. The album debuted and peaked at No. 62 on the Billboard 200, making it their newest material to peak at the Billboard 200 since Tokyo Dome Live in Concert.
| The Collection II | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Box set by | ||||
| Released | October 6, 2023 | |||
| Recorded | 1985–1996, 2004 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:49:36 | |||
| Label | Warner | |||
| Producer | ||||
| Van Halen chronology | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
The Collection II is the fourth compilation album by American rock band Van Halen, focusing on the era when Sammy Hagar was the lead singer.[2][3][4] It was released on October 6, 2023, by Warner Records.[5] The collection includes remastered versions of four studio albums and a fifth disc of rarities spanning 1989–2004.[6] It is the band's second album to be released after Eddie Van Halen died in 2020.
All the music in the set was mastered directly from the original master tapes, a process overseen by the band's longtime engineer, Donn Landee.[7][8][9] The album debuted and peaked at No. 62 on the Billboard 200, making it their newest material to peak at the Billboard 200 since Tokyo Dome Live in Concert.
Track listings
[edit]Studio Rarities 1989-2004
[edit]All tracks are written by Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, Sammy Hagar, and Michael Anthony, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "A Apolitical Blues" | Lowell George | 3:51 |
| 2. | "Baluchitherium" | 4:05 | |
| 3. | "Crossing Over" | 5:03 | |
| 4. | "Respect the Wind" |
| 5:49 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5. | "Humans Being" | 3:57 | |
| 6. | "It's About Time" |
| 4:15 |
| 7. | "Up for Breakfast" |
| 4:57 |
| 8. | "Learning to See" |
| 5:15 |
Personnel
[edit]Van Halen
[edit]- Sammy Hagar – vocals, backing vocals, guitars
- Eddie Van Halen – guitars, keyboards, backing vocals,
- Alex Van Halen – drums
- Michael Anthony – bass, backing vocals
Guest musicians
[edit]- Steve Lukather – background vocals ("Top of the World", "Not Enough")
- The Monks of Gyuto Tantric University – chants ("The Seventh Seal")
Charts
[edit]| Chart (2023) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[10] | 80 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[11] | 164 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[12] | 27 |
| US Billboard 200[13] | 62 |
References
[edit]- ^ The Collection II at AllMusic
- ^ "Van Halen 'The Collection II' Spanning Sammy Hagar Era". Rock Cellar Magazine. Rock Cellar Productions. 2023-08-08. Retrieved 2025-11-16.
- ^ Barton, Geoff (2023-10-06). "Van Halen – The Collection II Album Review". LouderSound. Future Publishing. Retrieved 2025-11-16.
- ^ "Van Halen's 'The Collection II' Box Set Announced". Guitar Player. Future Publishing. 2023-08-09. Retrieved 2025-11-16.
- ^ "Van Halen: The Collection II (Press Release)". Rhino Entertainment. 2023-08-08. Retrieved 2025-11-16.
- ^ Kreps, Daniel (2023-08-08). "Van Halen Announce New 'Collection II' Box Set Covering Sammy Hagar Era". Consequence. Consequence Media. Retrieved 2025-11-16.
- ^ Kennedy, Mark (2023-10-05). "Music Review: Van Halen's Hagar Years Get Boxed Up in 'The Collection II'". AP News. Associated Press. Retrieved 2025-11-16.
- ^ DiVita, Joe (2023-08-08). "Van Halen Announces 'The Collection II' Focusing on Studio Albums With Sammy Hagar". Blabbermouth. Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 2025-11-16.
- ^ Irwin, Corey (2023-08-08). "Van Halen Revisits Sammy Hagar Years With 'The Collection II'". Ultimate Classic Rock. Townsquare Media. Retrieved 2025-11-16.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Van Halen – The Collection II" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Van Halen – The Collection II" (in French). Hung Medien.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Van Halen – The Collection II" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
- ^ "Album / Van Halen / The Collection II". Retrieved November 16, 2025.
| Studio albums | |
|---|---|
| Compilation albums | |
| Live albums | |
| Singles |
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| Other songs | |
| Videography | |
| Tours | |
| Related | |
