As one of the most loved bands in musical history, the Eagles appeal to a wide range of fans. With songs ranging from folk to country to a more rock-oriented approach, the band coupled these influences with intricate harmonies, heartfelt lyrics and impeccable musicianship. With some of the best-known tracks of all time, even casual music fans are probably more familiar with the Eagles’ biggest hits than they realise.
While ranking the albums, as with the other bands I have written about, the final placements are a combination of what I consider to be my favourite songs (and how many appear on any given album), the overall influence of the album and my own personal journey with it. I make no apologies for ranking them while considering the balance between ‘best’ and ‘favourite’.
Feel free to add your own rankings and comments at the end!
7: The Long Run (1979)
Originally intended to be a double album, the band struggled to write songs worthy of inclusion on the follow-up to Hotel California. After a lengthy tour and with relationships in the band stretched (ultimately to breaking point), the signs of tension are evident within the music. The Long Run is an uneven album. While Hotel California was excellent throughout, the issues with this album are highlighted by the gulf in quality between the best songs and many of the others. This is further exacerbated by the lack of flow across the changing styles of the album. It also contains one of the band’s weakest songs – The Disco Strangler.
The line-up of the band for this album had changed once again with Timothy B. Schmit replacing Randy Meisner and despite claims by some that he did not have the skill and feel of Meisner, Schmit performs well. Despite selling more than 8 million copies in the US alone, The Long Run is considered a commercial failure compared to its predecessor, which always seems unjust when albums sell to this extent. However, without doubt, it is my least played of their albums.
Three favourite tracks: The Long Run, Those Shoes, The Sad Cafe
6: On The Border (1974)
On The Border is a transitional album for the band (soon to be member Don Felder contributes guitar on two songs) both in terms of songwriting and style. As a result, it sometimes appears a little disjointed. It was also an album that did not have the most straightforward of productions. Initially helmed by Glyn Johns in London, the conflicts between band members and producer (mainly linked to John’s no drugs policy and his wish to steer them away from a harder rock sound – unmistakeable on the Watergate scandal inspired title track) led to many recordings being abandoned – only The Best of My Love and You Never Cry Like A Lover survived.
It would be easy to question the band’s faith in the strength of the album too; Eagles Live released in 1980 featured songs from each album released prior to that point yet contained no material from On The Border. That is probably reading far too much into things and as this album (and the singles released from it) was the stepping stone to One of These Nights, thus, they must have valued its place in their discography. Overall, the songs do not achieve the heights of the best of those found on Desperado and it does not reach me on the same emotional level.
Three favourite tracks: Ol'55, Good Day In Hell, The Best of My Love
5: Long Road Out of Eden (2007)
The Eagles had released four new studio tracks as part of the Hell Freezes Over album (entries not without merit that showed they could still write relevant, harmonically fascinating songs); however, it would be another 13 years before the next full album (as a four piece) was to emerge (almost 30 years after the release of The Long Run). One of the criticisms of the album by some is that the songs are pastiches of past Eagles hits. How Long mirroring Take It Easy; Frail Grasp on the Big Picture echoing Life In The Fast Lane and even Paul Carrack’s I Don’t Want To Hear Anymore appearing like an all too familiar cousin of I Can’t Tell You Why. While the band do draw on the harmonies (the opening track No More Walks In The Woods is glorious), song structures, and excellent musicianship of the past (listen to the plaintive and beautiful I Dreamed There Was No War), they manage to expertly link their commentary on twenty-first century life with these elements.
Long Road Out of Eden is too sprawling to be a perfect double album (there are not many that are) and similarly to The Long Run, the quality ebbs and flows and more careful selection of the ten best tracks could have made a higher quality single album. However, as the first “new” album I bought as a fan, it is one that I still enjoy and am probably more forgiving of any of its shortcomings than many.
Three favourite tracks: No More Walks In The Woods, Waiting In The Weeds, Long Road Out Of Eden
4: Eagles (1972)
As one of the most famous American debut albums (although recorded in England), the Eagles showcased their blend of country-rock and immediately drew acclaim, albeit commercial success was limited (at least compared to what would follow). Utilising beautiful use of harmonies, the abilities of the songwriters within the band, external writers (including Jackson Browne - Take It Easy and Nightingale) and cover versions (Peaceful Easy Feeling), the Eagles first effort is an album which showed their ambition but not yet the potential of their songwriting abilities.
Some of the lyrics now appear outdated (Witchy Woman and Chug All Night) but there is enough of the flavours and tones that made the Eagles as popular as they still are and while the singles are the best-known tracks, I have always found that the album needs more detailed investigation to reveal its true strengths.
Three favourite tracks: Take It Easy, Take The Devil, Tryin’
3: One of These Nights (1975)
It is testament to the strength of the material ranked above this that an album as excellent as this one should be placed at number three. Due to the overwhelming success of Hotel California, One Of These Nights remains the band’s most overlooked album. Developing the transitional elements first explored during the recording of On The Border, One of These Nights perfectly balanced the band’s country-rock sound.
Glenn Frey commented that One of These Nights was the most straightforward and effortless album they ever made; however, it was becoming clear that Frey and Henley were becoming the dominant forces in the band. Despite his three (co)-writing credits, Leadon was unhappy with the direction the band was taking and would leave soon after the album’s release. Leadon’s contributions should not be underestimated and while none of his songs were released as singles, he was responsible for the hugely underrated Journey of the Sorcerer. The album is also notable for containing the only song with lead vocals by Don Felder – Visions.
Three favourite tracks: One Of These Nights, Too Many Hands, Journey of the Sorcerer
2: Hotel California (1976)
As one of the best-selling albums of all time, it is difficult to comment originally on an album such as Hotel California. Wonderfully structured, lyrically perfect, firmly within the areas of rock to which the band had been heading for two albums, and without a single moment wasted, it stands as an undisputed classic. The band’s ability for social commentary has never been so well honed and every track feels and flows like an epic. It also contains a contender for the best Eagles track of them all – The Last Resort.
Bringing with him not only superb guitar playing but also a fiery attitude, the addition of Joe Walsh to the line-up galvanised the band, despite the early concerns of Henley as to his suitability. With songwriting contributions from every member, it would the last time for many years that the Eagles truly operated as a complete unit.
Three favourite tracks: Hotel California, Pretty Maids All in a Row, The Last Resort
1: Desperado (1973)
Placing Hotel California, an album I consider to be a stone-cold classic, at number two may seem strange but as mentioned at the start of this piece, my rankings link to my own personal journeys with albums as well as the music within them. Sometimes we do not pick our favourite albums, they pick us. Desperado was the first Eagles album I ever heard in full – I was led to it by the discovery that Jackson Browne (an artist I was becoming increasingly familiar with) was featured on the album’s back cover.
While the cowboy concept of Desperado was not as coherent as suggested at the time (in latter days the band have said it was more in attitude than truly in execution), the album has an exquisite warmth proving that the Eagles could already write songs destined to become everlasting classics. Deep cuts such as Bitter Creek showed that the band were not reliant only on the ‘hits’ (it is worth noting that Desperado was not released as a single and Tequila Sunrise failed to make the top 50).
Three favourite tracks: Tequila Sunrise, Desperado, Bitter Creek
Written: 26th November 2023
Listen to my Eagles Through the Years playlist featuring my three favourite songs from each album in chronological order.