Sammy Hagar Opens Up About His Explosive New Live Album in Revealing Interview

Rock icon Sammy Hagar recently joined Loudwire Nights to celebrate the release of his new live album, Sammy Hagar & The Best of All Worlds Band: The Residency. During the conversation, the former Van Halen frontman opened up about his artistic ambitions, his current chapter in Las Vegas, and how he feels about the legacy he’s still building.

“I Want to Outdo Myself” — Hagar on Ambition and Recognition

Unlike many artists chasing chart success or accolades, Hagar insists his only competition is himself.

“It ain’t about, ‘I want to be bigger than those guys,’” he told host Chuck Armstrong. “No, it ain’t that at all. I want to outdo myself.”

Still, the Red Rocker admits there’s one milestone he’d love to reach: being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist.

“Van Halen’s already in there, but then Sammy solo, post-Van Halen, the Circle, and now the Best of All Worlds Band — I would like to have that trophy on my wall,” he said. “I’ll admit it. Yes, guilty as charged.”

And if not a Hall of Fame induction? A lifetime achievement award, he said, would be just as meaningful.

Retiring to Rock — Why Las Vegas Is the Perfect Fit

Hagar’s latest live album was recorded during his 2025 residency in Las Vegas — a city he now calls the ultimate retirement plan for musicians.

“When people ask how long before I retire, I tell them: Vegas is retirement,” Hagar said. “We’ll still do some shows here and there, but this is a way to keep going longer.”

For Hagar, Las Vegas offers the kind of stability that traditional touring never could.

“Anyone can perform longer there,” he explained. “You get a good night’s sleep, good food, no travel — you just rest all day. A drummer’s body lasts longer. Everything works better.”

And even when the road takes a toll on the body, Hagar says there’s one thing that revives a tired artist: the crowd.

“Rock and roll is the doctor,” he said. “You hit the stage, those people start screaming, and you see that happiness — it brings it out of you.”

Ozzy, On-Stage Mistakes, and Keeping It Real on the Record

Hagar also reflected on several personal and professional moments during the interview, including the death of heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne.

“He did it,” Hagar said of Osbourne’s final public appearance. “He was on his deathbed, and when I spoke to him briefly [at Back to the Beginning], I could see he didn’t have much life left. And he still pulled it off. What a legend — he lived up to, and beyond, the myth.”

Hagar also spoke candidly about his own performance at that event. By his own account, it wasn’t his best.

“I was so caught up backstage that when I heard them call my name, I ran out unprepared,” he recalled. “I didn’t want to use a teleprompter, so I choked on the first verse. When I came back, I apologized to Ozzy’s team, and they said, ‘Don’t worry — that’s exactly what Ozzy probably would’ve done.’ That made me feel better.”

Despite that hiccup, Hagar takes pride in the authenticity of his new live album.

“I’ve made a lot of live records, and with most of them, we had to go back and fix things or re-record parts,” he admitted. “But for this album, we had nine shows to choose from. If one version had a mistake, we just picked a better take from another night. Nothing fake.”

Sammy Hagar & The Best of All Worlds Band: The Residency is available now.