Artists & Bands

Eagles tunes

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The Eagles’ Iconic Rise: 200 Million Albums and Classic Hits

Formed in 1971, the Eagles are one of the most successful bands of all time.

Their self-titled debut album arrived in 1972, featuring two standout tracks: Witchy Woman and Take It Easy (co-written with Jackson Browne).

Interestingly, Take It Easy charted lower than Witchy Woman but has since become one of their most beloved songs. A fun fact: a statue dedicated to the song can be found at the corner of Second St. and Kingsley Ave. in Winslow, Arizona. The lyrics of Take It Easy are said to have been inspired by Jackson Browne’s car breaking down in the area.

Their follow-up album, Desperado (1973), was a concept album about the Wild West. The title track and Tequila Sunrise were released as singles, and while they didn’t chart highly, they remain classic Eagles tracks.

In 1974, the Eagles released On The Border, their most commercially successful album to date. While it included Best of My Love (which went to #1), none of the songs from this album achieved the lasting legacy of their earlier hits.

The following year, 1975, saw the release of One of These Nights, which produced three smash hits: Lyin’ Eyes, One of These Nights, and Take It to the Limit.

All three singles reached the top 5 and are considered quintessential Eagles tracks. One of These Nights was also the name of the album, which went to #1 and sold four million copies in the U.S.

By this point, it seemed like a Greatest Hits album was inevitable—and it ended up serving as a warm-up for what was to come.

The Eagles’ Peak and the Struggle to Follow Hotel California‘s Legacy

Bernard Matthew Leadon III must have thought they’d peaked when he decided to leave the band, but he couldn’t have been more wrong. With Joe Walsh on board, the Eagles released one of the most legendary rock albums of all time: Hotel California (1976). The title track, New Kid in Town, and Life in the Fast Lane became timeless classics.

The album spent eight weeks at #1 in the U.S. and sold 32 million copies worldwide.

Trying to follow this up was always going to be a challenge, and it took three years to do so (I’m guessing the world tour was pretty epic!). After this unfathomable success, bass player Randy Meisner decided to leave the band.

With new bassist Timothy B. Smith, they released The Long Run (1979). The title track and Heartache Tonight did reasonably well, and the album went on to sell 8 million copies in the U.S.—no small feat.

However, it wasn’t Hotel California numbers, and perhaps that’s why this marked the end of an era for the band. They probably all felt they needed a break.

The ’80s saw only live albums and greatest hits compilations. We had to wait until 1994 for Hell Freezes Over, which brought us the final Eagles hit, Love Will Keep Us Alive.

After the Eagles: Solo Careers and Classic Tunes from the Band’s Members

After the Eagles disbanded in the ’80s, each member pursued their own projects.

Don Henley enjoyed a successful solo career, with some of his best tunes including Boys of Summer (written by Tom Petty) and Dirty Laundry.

Glenn Frey had a big hit with The Heat Is On, featured in Eddie Murphy’s Beverly Hills Cop (1984), though he didn’t write the song himself.

Bernard Matthew Leadon III didn’t pursue a solo career after his time with the Eagles. Instead, he had already been part of the legendary Flying Burrito Brothers before joining the band. Their 1969 album Gilded Palace of Sin featured the classic track Do Right Woman.

Joe Walsh, a seasoned session player before joining the Eagles, had previously been a part of the well-known band James Gang. Their biggest hit was Walk Away (1971).

Together, all of the Eagles’ album sales added up to an astonishing 200 million copies worldwide, cementing their place as one of the most successful bands of all time.