The Eagles are the most accomplished of any rock band ever, and their 1976 album Hotel California is considered by many to be the pinnacle of their illustrious career. This is the album where they flexed their musical muscles and took their fans for a ride of epic proportions, winning multiple awards along the way. It also spawned the Eagles a new era of maturity in their music making.
The album topped the charts and stayed there for years. It was a huge accomplishment for the group that included bass player Randy Meisner, guitarist Don Felder and a whole lot of Joe Walsh. This was also the first album to feature lead singer Don Henley, who was the band’s creative tsar during their early days in Texas.
One of the most enlightening aspects of this era is the band’s willingness to take risks and the songs that resulted. The most evocative and lyrical moments of this period in the Eagles’ career are still with us, even 40 years after the album’s release. The best part is, these moments have been distilled to their finest facets and put into the most important albums of all time, as well as some of the best live shows the band has ever played. The resulting music is as much a reflection of the era’s cultural and personal evolution as it is an artistic statement.
