Eagles

Eagles are an American rock band from Los Angeles, formed in 1971. Their sound covers classic rock, country rock, folk rock, pop, pop rock and rock, and they are also associated with country. The band is active from 1971 to the present and records on Eagles Recording Company.

Line-up and formation

The original line-up consists of Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Bernie Leadon and Randy Meisner. Before forming the band, they work with Linda Ronstadt and play on her self-titled third solo album from 1972. Don Felder joins in 1974, Joe Walsh replaces Leadon in 1975, and Timothy B. Schmit replaces Meisner in 1977. Later members include Deacon Frey and Vince Gill, who share lead vocals for Frey songs after Glenn Frey’s death. Deacon Frey leaves in 2022 and returns in 2023 for the band’s ongoing final tour.

Success and awards

The group sells more than 200 million records worldwide, including 100 million in the United States. It receives five American Music Awards and six Grammy Awards, and achieves six number-one albums and five number-one singles in the US. Eagles are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 and rank number 75 on Rolling Stone’s 2010 list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.

Albums and key releases

The debut album, Eagles, appears in 1972 and includes the US and Canadian top-20 singles “Take It Easy” and “Witchy Woman”. Desperado follows in 1973 and reaches number 41 in the US. On the Border appears in 1974 and includes the top-40 hit “Already Gone” and the band’s first US and Canadian number-one single, “Best of My Love”. One of These Nights becomes their first US number-one album in 1975 and includes the US number-one single “One of These Nights” plus the top-five songs “Lyin’ Eyes” and “Take It to the Limit”.

Greatest Hits (1971–1975), released in 1976, becomes the best-selling album in the US, with 40 million copies sold. Hotel California also appears in 1976 and sells more than 28 million copies in the US and over 32 million worldwide. It produces the number-one singles “New Kid in Town” and “Hotel California”, with the title track reaching the top ten in the United Kingdom, New Zealand and several European countries, including number two in France. The Long Run follows in 1979 and includes the North American number-one single “Heartache Tonight” and the top-ten hits “The Long Run” and “I Can’t Tell You Why”.

Hiatus and later activity

The band breaks up in 1980, reunites in 1994 for Hell Freezes Over, a release combining live and new studio recordings, and then tours regularly. Long Road Out of Eden appears in 2007 and becomes their sixth US number-one album. The Long Road Out of Eden Tour begins in 2008, and the History of the Eagles Tour follows in 2013 alongside the documentary History of the Eagles.