Eagles were a country-rock business proposition just as much as they were a band. Formed by seasoned studio musicians, Eagles never doubted they’d be successful.

While they did hijack country rock and later arena rock for their own purposes, Eagles were also great. By the time they were headlining arenas, they sounded like they’d done it a million times. Unlike The Dude, I quite like Eagles.

Here are the best 10 songs by one of the US’s most bombastic and beloved country-rock bands and one of the best rock groups of all time, the Eagles.

The 10 Greatest Songs by Eagles

10. “Peaceful Easy Feeling”

Yeah, sure. It’s easy to be cynical about Eagles, especially their debut. They rode the coattails of Laurel Canyon folkies and country-rock groups like The Flying Burrito Brothers.

 “Peaceful Easy Feeling” may sound like a Joni Mitchell-by-numbers song. But Glenn Frey’s singing really sells the tune. And time’s been easy on this anthem to being laid back and taking it easy.

9. “New Kid in Town”

JD Souther was known to come in and polish an Eagles single when it needed it. I think that he’s a great writer. “New Kid in Town” was one of the tracks that got that treatment. This helped “Hotel California” become a gigantic selling album.

This is a country-flavored ballad. But, more than anything, it showed just how much the group had grown since its 1972 debut. Like it or not, this moderate rock that is designed perfectly.

8. “I Can’t Tell You Why”

Eagles’ ultimate story is a classic one of a band getting too big for its own good. By the time the group reemerged for 1979’s “The Long Run,” it needed to accommodate the talents of all five members, all asking for their cut. Furthermore, they all wrote songs and most of them sang.

Timothy B. Schmit came up with “I Can’t Tell You Why” and provided the brilliant, sensitive tenor vocals. It helped the album make it a hit, although it couldn’t quite save the band at this point.

7. “Lyin’ Eyes”

“Lyin’ Eyes” was delivered, of course, to the faithful country audiences who might have fretted over Eagles leaving them for the more profitable rock world.

This is, in fact, a classic C&W slow dance number and helped with the album’s ever-growing sales. I don’t think you’ll be able to resist singing along whenver it comes on the radio.

6. “Tequila Sunrise”

Inspired by a sugary cocktail as much as by the stories of the Old West, “Tequila Sunrise” is a lovely song about breaking all the laws, getting away with it, and moving to the blessed lands of Mexico. I wouldn’t say no to that if the happy end was a guarantee.

It was nearly a hit. Some thought of it as Eagles’ attempt at writing a Neil Young song. But it’s an easy-listen radio classic.

5. “One of These Nights”

If 1970s rock was an industry, Eagles’ Frey and Henley were determined to be champions of it. The “One of These Nights” album was the fourth release in as many years. It finally cemented the band’s place at the top of the charts.

The key to it all, beyond the work ethic, was the band’s move into more rock-related musical territory, as well as Henley becoming comfortable with his now trademark vocal tone.

4. “Desperado”

Eagles tried a little too hard for some people. They weren’t quite the hard-living Southern rockers that, say, The Allman Brothers Band appeared to be.

But many great songs were built from fantasy. The same can be said about “Desperado,” the tale of the musician as the modern-day outlaw. If anything, it proved that Glenn Frey and Don Felder could write hits by themselves, without any assistance from their famous songwriting friends.

3. “Take It Easy”

“Take It Easy” gave the Eagles, who had just released their debut album, a much-needed hit and something to appease critics for a while.

Written largely by the excellent, and always eager to help others with a song, Jackson Browne, “Take It Easy” had a swing to the vocals and a bravado to the delivery that helped deliver it. And it still works! Just ask classic rock radio.

2. “Life in the Fast Lane”

The best and worst thing that the Eagles did was get Joe Walsh in the band. Together with Don Felder, they helped rebrand Eagles as a rock band that could outrival Led Zeppelin for concert ticket sales.

Walsh was, of course, much more talented than all in the band (bar, perhaps, Felder). He came up with the immortal riff to “Life in the Fast Lane” in rehearsals. Walsh then gave the song to Don Henley, who rapped about the excess and debauchery, probably inspired by his own midnight prowling.

1. “Hotel California”

What else could be number but the immortal “Hotel California.” Listening to the song from beginning to end is, in fact, such a powerful experience that the tune has been blamed for black-masking Satanic messages, revealing secrets about the band members, and even stealing ideas from Jethro Tull. Only the last piece might be true, if you were to ask me.

With “Hotel California,” Eagles gave themselves the mission to write a large-than-life rock record. To their credit, they were able to do this, even though rock music wasn’t their first love.

What makes this song great? Oh, everything. The storytelling is oblique and always interesting. The chord changes work great. And, of course, Joe Walsh and Don Felder battle it out in the song’s guitar solos-filled.

“Hotel California” is one of the greatest rock songs of all time, even if you’ve heard it a million times in a million different versions.