When It's Love is a power ballad by American rock band Van Halen. It was released in 1988 as the second single from their eighth studio album OU812. It was the most popular song from that album, hitting No. 1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock charts and No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.Whitburn, Joel. The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 6th ed, Billboard Publications, Inc. 1996. The song has been a live performance staple since it was released in 1988. The song was also included in the set list for the band's ill-fated 1998 tour with Gary Cherone. Eddie Van Halen has stated that this particular guitar solo is a nod to Eric Clapton. It became their 3rd and last top 10 hit.
Reception It was featured on a VH1 special, The Greatest: 25 Greatest Power Ballads, where it was ranked as the 24th greatest power ballad of all time.
Charts Weekly charts + Weekly chart performance for "When It's Love"Chart (1988)PeakpositionCanada (The Record)34Irish Singles Chart23UK Singles (OCC)28US Billboard Hot 1005US Billboard Mainstream Rock1
Year-end charts +Year-end chart performance for "When It's Love"Chart (1988)PositionUS Billboard Hot 10082
In popular culture The notes of When It's Love are played throughout the 80s-set Bluey episode Fairytale. In the Bluey album Rug Island, the eight track is titled Fairytale, again including the notes of When It's Love.
See also List of glam metal albums and songs
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Further reading