In February 1972, they flew to England and spent two weeks recording their debut album, Eagles, with producer Glyn Johns. It was released in June, reaching the Top 20 and going gold in a little over a year and a half on the strength of two Top Ten hits — ‘Take It Easy’ and ‘Witchy Woman’ — and one Top 20 hit, ‘Peaceful Easy Feeling.’ The Eagles toured as an opening act throughout 1972 and into early 1973, when they returned to England to record their second LP, Desperado released in April 1973, reached the Top 40 and went gold in a little less than a year and a half, spawning the Top 40 single ‘Tequila Sunrise’ in the process. .’ On the Border was released in March 1974. It went gold and reached the Top Ten in June, the Eagles’ fastest-selling album yet. The first single, ‘Already Gone,’ reached the Top 20 the same month. But the most successful song was ‘The Best of My Love,’ .The Eagles’ fourth album, One of These Nights, was an out-of-the-box smash. Released in June 1975, it went gold the same month and hit number one in July. Moreover, it featured three singles that hit the Top Five: the chart-topping title song, ‘Lyin’ Eyes,’ and ‘Take It to the Limit.’ ‘Lyin’ Eyes’ won the 1975 Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group, or Chorus, and the Eagles also earned Grammy nominations for Album of the Year (One of These Nights) and Record of the Year (‘Lyin’ Eyes’). The Eagles’ extensive touring kept them out of the studio, and with no immediate plans for a new album, they agreed to release a compilation, Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975), in February 1976. The album’s success proved to be surprisingly meteoric. It topped the charts and became a phenomenal success, eventually selling upwards of 25,000,000 copies and dueling with Michael Jackson’s Thriller for the title of the best-selling album of all time in the U.S. It took the Eagles 18 months to follow One of These Nights with their fifth album, Hotel California. Released in December 1976, the record was certified platinum in one week, hit number one in January 1977, and eventually sold over 10,000,000 copies. The singles ‘New Kid in Town’ and ‘Hotel California’ hit number one, and ‘Life in the Fast Lane’ made the Top 20. Meanwhile, ‘Hotel California’ won the 1977 Grammy for Record of the Year and was nominated for Song of the Year; the album itself was nominated for Album of the Year and for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group, or Chorus. The Long Run was released in September 1979. It hit number one and was certified platinum after four months, eventually earning multi-platinum certifications. ‘Heartache Tonight,’ its lead-off single, hit number one, and ‘I Can’t Tell You Why’ and ‘The Long Run’ became Top Ten hits. ‘Heartache Tonight’ won the 1979 Grammy for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. Released in November 1980, the double LP (since reissued as a single CD) reached the Top Five and went multi-platinum, with the single ‘Seven Bridges Road’ reaching the Top 40. Eagles were inactive after the end of their 1980 tour, but their breakup was not officially announced until May 1982.
