Most Successful Eagles Songs of All Time, Ranked

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The Eagles have made a lasting impression on classic rock with unforgettable songs that still have a strong impact on people of all ages. From the carefree spirit of "Hotel California" to the harmonious beauty of "Seven Bridges Road," the Eagles combine intricate music, heartfelt voices and thought-provoking words.

With their blend of rock, country, and folk sounds, the Eagles have sold more than 150 million records in the United States, making them one of the top-selling music artists in history. As they set out on their last tour, here are their all-time most popular songs, according to their rank on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

15. Tequila Sunrise

April 17, 1973

Desperado

64

This Western-style song, written by Glenn Frey and Don Henley, compares the life of a cowboy to a musician, highlighting the transiency of both lifestyles.

I think he was unsure about it because he thought the title was too obvious or a bit of a cliché, especially since the drink was so well-known. I said, 'Look at it from a different perspective. You've been drinking straight tequila all night, and the sun is rising!' It ended up being a really great song.

14. Already Gone

April 19, 1974

On the Border

32

Neil Young and other musicians, including Robb Strandlund, in the late 1960s. At the time, Tempchin was working at a San Diego club. "We were playing one night, and we were in the back room, which was the kitchen with large refrigerator doors. I opened the door, and there was a jug. So I got the jug out, and for some reason, we thought it would be okay to drink out of the jug. It was hard cider, and I had never had any alcohol or any substance at that point.

We were hanging out with a jug of liquor and started feeling really good, so I said, 'Let's write a country song.' About 20 minutes later in the back room, we came up with 'Already Gone.' The chorus has that 'woo hoo hoo' because I was suddenly feeling so good.

13. Peaceful Easy Feeling

Dec. 1, 1972

Eagles

22

It's not exactly a love song. The guy's saying, 'Hey, it's all good, whether it works out or not.'

This song is still a beloved favorite among fans.

12. Seven Bridges Road

Dec. 15, 1980

Eagles Live

21

"Seven Bridges Road" is a song by Steve Young that was written and recorded in 1969. The most widely recognized version is performed by the American rock band The Eagles.

When they began performing it live, it was an instant hit. "It blew the audience away. It was always a vocally unifying moment, all five voices coming together in harmony."

Their performance of the song comes from a concert in Santa Monica, California, held on July 28, 1980. "Seven Bridges Road" would be their last song to chart in the top 40 until the mid-1990s.

11. Take It Easy

May 1, 1972

Eagles

12

Jackson Browne began composing "Take It Easy", but was unable to complete it. Fortunately, his downstairs neighbor was Glenn Frey, who had been a musician in Linda Ronstadt's band and had recently formed the Eagles.

Jimmy Webb wrote the lyric, "It's a girl, my lord, in a flatbed Ford, slowing down to take a glance at me" and assisted Glenn Frey in completing the song. He recorded the song with the Eagles, and it became their first hit.

Living in the fast lane' does not stay same; it has undergone many changes.

May 3, 1977

The Long Run

11

Joe Walsh, Glenn Frey, and Don Henley co-wrote "Life in the Fast Lane" about an average Hollywood couple living an over-the-top lifestyle. The song's title came from Frey's recollection of an incident while driving in L.A. with his dealer behind the wheel, who kept speeding up, and when Frey asked him to slow down, replied, "That's life in the fast lane."

'Life in the Fast Lane' somewhat captured the stereotypical image of L.A., 'speeding around in your Porsche,' a 24/7 lifestyle that unfortunately held true for many people. The song wasn't really a commentary about the band members or anyone specific – it was more about how disturbing it is to see the wealthy elite indulging in extreme excess. For example, disco had become more than just music, it was an all-consuming lifestyle, which, when taken to an extreme, holds little real meaning.

9. I Can't Tell You Why

Feb. 8, 1980

The Long Run

10

'I Can't Tell You Why' was written by Timothy B. Schmit, Frey and Henley, with Schmit on lead vocals. The song delves into the topics of love, self-reflection, and the intricacies of romantic relationships through a dialogue between two partners. Ultimately, we're left with uncertainty about whether the couple ended their relationship or continued together.

It still doesn't matter: "I Can't Tell You Why" remains a beloved song among fans all these years later.

8. Witchy Woman

Aug. 1, 1972

Eagles

9

Don Henley and Bernie Leadon, who left the band in 1975, co-wrote "Witchy Woman", which became an huge success from the very beginning. It was one of the Eagles' first big hit singles.

"Witchy Woman" describes a woman who captivates and fascinates the singer. Henley based the lyrics on several women he knew, as well as one he was reading about - Zelda Fitzgerald, the wife of F. Scott Fitzgerald. He was reading her biography while writing the song.

7. The Long Run

Nov. 27, 1979

The Long Run

8

The title track from the 1979 album, "The Long Run," paid tribute to Stax/Memphis R&B music style. However, it had a more somber tone, reflecting on the fact that the musicians were now dealing with aging.

The making of 'The Long Run' was a pretty somber experience for us, despite the huge success of 'Hotel California.' We were witnessing the rise of punk and the waning popularity of disco, leading to some harsh criticisms in the press that we were no longer relevant. Those negative comments actually inspired us to write 'The Long Run' - lines like, "Who is gonna make it? We'll find out in the long run.

However to clearly complete your data, it's recommended that you go to the extreme.

Nov. 15, 1975

One of These Nights

4

One of the few songs sung by bassist Randy Meisner (who passed away in July 2023) and written by Meisner, Frey and Henley, "Take It to the Limit" made it to number 4 on the Billboard charts.

Don Henley didn't like performing the song live, even though it was a hit with the audience. This became a source of tension for the band. It ultimately led to a physical confrontation between him and Glenn Frey, resulting in his departure from the Eagles.

5. Lyin' Eyes

Sept. 8, 1975

One of These Nights

2

"'It was about all these girls who would come down to Dan Tana's looking great. They'd be there from 8 o'clock until midnight having drinks with all of us musicians, then they'd go home because they were actually courtesans.'

"The Hotel California" group, The Eagles, placed second on the Hot 100 chart and reached the top 10 in the Billboard Country Chart with its song "Lyin' Eyes". In 1976, the song won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group or Chorus.

1. Heartache Tonight (Tie)

Sept. 18, 1979

The Long Run

1

Don Henley and Glenn Frey co-wrote "Heartache Tonight" with Bob Seger and J.D. Souther. Frey, who sang lead vocals on the song, had known Seger since he was a teenager.

I had been listening to Sam Cooke records at my house, so Glenn Frey and I would walk around my place hand-clapping and finger-snapping, singing the verses to those songs. The melody clearly mirrored the sound of those Sam Cooke shuffles.

Seger and Frey added the chorus, and the song took home a Grammy for Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group in 1979.

1. "Best of My Love"

Nov. 5, 1974

On the Border

1

The men were "typical, frustrated young men" who were talking about their relationships.

The song was the band's very first number one song in America.

Fake New Face in Town

Dec. 7, 1976

Hotel California

1

The third number one hit for the Eagles was written by Frey, Henley and Souther, and it dealt with the idea of their "replacements." Disco and punk music were emerging, with new artists and bands like the Eagles starting to seem out of touch.

What sparked our concept of 'New Kid' was our interest in gunfire as a metaphor. It centered around the idea that at some point, a new, much faster individual would arrive in town, announce their speed, and then prove it by demonstration.

That's the story of life. It's the story of growing older - especially after your teenage and young adulthood years, as you hit your 30s - and you start to realize that nothing stays the same forever. And that there are a lot of other people, both men and women, who are going through the same thing, who want the same things, and who are going to have their own moments, too. And that's perfectly okay, that's just the way it's supposed to be.

1. Hotel California (Tie)

Feb. 22, 1977

Hotel California

1

Classic rock stations often feature "Hotel California" as a must-play track. This song has become synonymous with the Eagles, much like "Stairway to Heaven" is associated with Led Zeppelin.

It says the song is a general take on being a rock star in 1970s LA. "Some of the wilder interpretations of that song have been really great. It was actually about the outrageousness of American culture and a few women we knew. But it was also about the tricky relationship between art and money ... It's a song about growing up and learning from experience."

The hit song and the album with the same name were huge hits on the charts. The song's single sold over 16 million copies in the United States by itself, and it won the Grammy for Record of the Year in 1978.