Vinyl pressings
by Van Halen · 1979
Van Halen II was first pressed on vinyl in 1979. Every vinyl pressing is listed below with its label, catalog number and runout codes, so you can tell an original from a reissue.
52 pressings came out in 1979, the album's first year, in 25 countries. Compare the label and catalog number on your copy, then the codes etched or stamped in the runout groove (the dead wax around the label): they are the surest sign of an early pressing.
HS·1·3312 LW·1 ✲ (G.M.)A Side Etch, exc ✲ stamp - variant 1
HS-2-3312 LW-2 ✲B Side Etch, exc ✲ stamp - variant 1
HS-1-3312 LW-4 ✲A Side Etch, exc ✲ stamp - variant 2
HS-1-3312 LW-1 ✲B Side Etch, exc ✲ stamp - variant 2
HS-1-3312 WW1 ─◁A side runout, variant 1
HS-2-3312 WW1#7 ─◁B side runout, variant 1
HS-1-3312 WW4A side runout, variant 2
HS-2-3312 WW-1#9 • ─◁B side runout, variant 2
I HS 1-3312-1A XG B7 ASide 1 Runout Stamped
HS 2-3312-1B XG o 5Side 2 Runout Stamped
(HS-1-3312-JW II #1)Variant 1, runout side A
(SUB HS-23312 JW I #4)Variant 1, runout side B
HS-1-3312-JW II #1Variant 2, runout side A
HS-2-3312-JW 4 #3Variant 2, runout side B
HS-1-3312 -m -3 (MR) △̶ ̶2̶4̶1̶6̶0̶ △24195 ③Runout A etch; (MR) stamp
H̶S̶-̶2̶-̶3̶2̶1̶E̶ HS-2-3312 M-3 (MR) △24195-X ⑪Runout B etch; (MR) stamp
Not sure how to read the runout? See matrix numbers, runout and dead wax and how to tell a first pressing.
By decade, oldest first. Open a pressing for its full label, barcode and runout details.
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Unknown | Warner Bros. Records HS 3312First yearLP, Album, Misprint | LP, Album, Misprint |
| 1979 | Argentina | Warner Bros. Records 208616First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1979 | Brazil | Warner Bros. Records 36.110First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1979 | Canada | Warner Bros. Records HS 3312First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1979 | Canada | Warner Bros. Records HS 3312First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1979 | Canada | Warner Bros. Records HS 3312First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1979 | Canada | Warner Bros. Records HS 3312First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1979 | Canada | Warner Bros. Records HS 3312First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1979 | Canada | Warner Bros. Records HS 3312First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1979 | Canada | Warner Bros. Records HS 3312First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1979 | Canada | Warner Bros. Records HS 3312First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1979 | Colombia | Warner Bros. Records 23(1031)00131First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1979 | Europe | Warner Bros. Records WB 56 616 / Warner Bros. Records HS 3312First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1979 | France | Warner Bros. Records 56 616First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1979 | Germany | Warner Bros. Records 38623 5LP, Album, Club Edition · Club edition | LP, Album, Club Edition · Club edition |
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Yugoslavia | Suzy WB 56616 / Warner Bros. Records WB 56 616LP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1980 | Yugoslavia | Warner Bros. Records WB 56 617 / Suzy WB 56 617LP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1981 | Germany | Warner Bros. Records WB 56 616LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| 1981 | Germany | Warner Bros. Records WB 56 616LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| 1981 | Germany | Warner Bros. Records WB 56 616LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| 1981 | Mexico | Warner Bros. Records LWB5363LP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1981 | Mexico | Warner Bros. Records LWB-5363LP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1981 | Portugal | Warner Bros. Records WAR56616LP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1982 | Argentina | Warner Bros. Records SLIN 3239LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| 1983 | Canada | Warner Bros. Records HS 3312LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| 1983 | Canada | Warner Bros. Records HS 3312LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| 1983 | Europe | Warner Bros. Records HS 3312LP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1983 | Germany | Warner Bros. Records WB 56 616LP, Album, Repress | LP, Album, Repress |
| 1983 | Germany | Warner Bros. Records WB 56 616LP, Album, Repress | LP, Album, Repress |
| 1983 | Mexico | Warner Bros. Records LWB 5363LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Russia | Santa Records П93 00677 / Santa Records П93 00678LP, Album, Unofficial Release · Unofficial | LP, Album, Unofficial Release · Unofficial |
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | US | Warner Bros. Records HS3312LP, Album, Test Pressing · Test pressing | LP, Album, Test Pressing · Test pressing |
| 2010 | Europe | Warner Bros. Records 8122-79793-8LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered | LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered |
| 2010 | US | Warner Bros. Records HS3312LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo |
| 2015 | Europe | Warner Bros. Records RR1 3312LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered | LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered |
| 2015 | US | Warner Bros. Records HS 3312LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered | LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered |
| 2019 | USA & Europe | Warner Records RR1 3312 / Warner Records 081227954932LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Repress | LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Repress |
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | US | Warner Records R1 670898 / Warner Records 081227880705LP, Album, Limited Edition, Misprint, Reissue, Stereo · Limited | LP, Album, Limited Edition, Misprint, Reissue, Stereo · Limited |
| 2022 | US | Warner Records R1 670898 / Warner Records 081227880705LP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue · Limited | LP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue · Limited |
| 2024 | US | Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab UD1S 2-033 / Warner Records UD1S 2-033LP, 45 RPM, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo, Box Set, Limited Edition, Numbered · Limited, Numbered | LP, 45 RPM, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo, Box Set, Limited Edition, Numbered · Limited, Numbered |
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| ? | Brazil | Warner Bros. Records 36.110LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| ? | Canada | Warner Bros. Records HSC 3312LP, Album, Club Edition, Reissue · Club edition | LP, Album, Club Edition, Reissue · Club edition |
| ? | Canada | Warner Bros. Records HS 3312LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| ? | Europe | Warner Bros. Records K 56 616 / Warner Bros. Records WB 56 616LP, Album, Repress | LP, Album, Repress |
| ? | Europe | Warner Bros. Records WB 56 616 / Warner Bros. Records K 56 616LP, Album, Repress | LP, Album, Repress |
| ? | Europe | Warner Bros. Records WB 56 616 / Warner Bros. Records HS 3312LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| ? | France | Warner Bros. Records WB 56 616 / Warner Bros. Records HS 3312LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| ? | Germany | Warner Bros. Records WB 56 616LP, Album, Repress | LP, Album, Repress |
| ? | Italy | Warner Bros. Records W 56616LP, Album | LP, Album |
| ? | South Korea | Stereophonic M 1315LP, Album, Unofficial Release · Unofficial | LP, Album, Unofficial Release · Unofficial |
| ? | US | Warner Bros. Records HS 3312LP, Album, Repress | LP, Album, Repress |
| ? | US | Warner Bros. Records HS 3312LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| ? | US | Warner Bros. Records HS 3312LP, Album, Club Edition, Reissue · Club edition | LP, Album, Club Edition, Reissue · Club edition |
| ? | US | Warner Bros. Records HS 3312LP, Album, Club Edition, Reissue · Club edition | LP, Album, Club Edition, Reissue · Club edition |
| ? | US | Warner Bros. Records HS 3312LP, Album, Club Edition, Reissue · Club edition | LP, Album, Club Edition, Reissue · Club edition |
115 vinyl pressings of Van Halen II are listed here, from 30 countries, released between 1979 and 2024.
The earliest pressings are from 1979, in US, UK, Belgium, Australia and more. One of them is Warner Bros. Records HS 3312, released March 23, 1979.
Check the catalog number on the label (first-year pressings use HS 3312, K 56616, WB 56 616, 208616) and the codes etched in the runout groove, then compare them with the pressings listed above; for example, HS·1·3312 LW·1 ✲ (G.M.) and HS-2-3312 LW-2 ✲. Later reissues often keep the catalog number but change the label design or the runout codes.
It depends on which pressing you have and on the condition of the record and its sleeve. Early pressings from the album's home country in near mint condition are usually worth the most; common later reissues are worth far less. Scan your copy with VinylLens to see its value for every grade.
