Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975)
Encyclopedia
Their Greatest Hits is a singles compilation album
by the American
rock band the Eagles, released in 1976. As of November 2009, 29 million copies have been shipped in the domestic market, making it tied with Michael Jackson's Thriller
as the best-selling album in the United States. With an additional 13 million internationally, for a total of 42 million, it is one of the top-selling albums in music history.
", which had never been previously released as an A-side. All single tracks but "Tequila Sunrise
" charted in the top 40, with five in the top ten, and "One of These Nights
" and "Best of My Love
" both topping the singles chart
. With such airplay success in the span of a little over four years, the band became a formidable presence on American commercial radio in the 1970s, and Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975) debuted at number four on the Billboard 200
album chart upon its release.
On February 24, 1976, the album achieved the distinction of being the first to receive the RIAA
Platinum
award, in recognition of one million shipments in the United States. On November 10, 1999, it became the all-time best-selling album in the United States when it was certified 26× Multi Platinum
. It was certified at 29× Multi Platinum on 30 January 2006, and has sold over 42 million copies worldwide to date. Michael Jackson
's Thriller
is the only other album certified 29× Multi Platinum. Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975) is listed at #1 on the RIAA's "Top 100 Albums".
In a 2001 radio
interview, Randy Meisner
revealed neither he nor Bernie Leadon
were even notified of the record-breaking award presented to them in 1999, and "...had to call and we finally received it."
|-
LP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
by the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rock band the Eagles, released in 1976. As of November 2009, 29 million copies have been shipped in the domestic market, making it tied with Michael Jackson's Thriller
Thriller (album)
Thriller is the sixth studio album by American recording artist Michael Jackson. It was released on November 30, 1982, by Epic Records as the follow-up to Jackson's critically and commercially successful 1979 album Off the Wall...
as the best-selling album in the United States. With an additional 13 million internationally, for a total of 42 million, it is one of the top-selling albums in music history.
History
Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975) comprises nine best-selling singles released between 1972 and 1975, as well as "DesperadoDesperado (song)
"Desperado" is a soft rock song by the Eagles, an American rock band, written by group members Glenn Frey and Don Henley. It first appeared on the 1973 album Desperado, and has later appeared on numerous compilation albums although it was not a single....
", which had never been previously released as an A-side. All single tracks but "Tequila Sunrise
Tequila Sunrise (song)
"Tequila Sunrise" is a song written by Don Henley and Glenn Frey, and recorded by the Eagles. It was the first single from the band's second album Desperado...
" charted in the top 40, with five in the top ten, and "One of These Nights
One of These Nights (song)
"One of These Nights" is a song written by Don Henley and Glenn Frey and recorded by the American rock band Eagles. The title track from their One of These Nights album, the song became their second single to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart after Best of My Love and also helped propel the album to...
" and "Best of My Love
Best of My Love (Eagles song)
"Best of My Love" is a song written by Don Henley, Glenn Frey and J.D. Souther. It was originally recorded by the Eagles , and included on their 1974 album On the Border. The band's first Billboard Hot 100 number-one single in March 1975, the song also topped the easy listening chart for one week...
" both topping the singles chart
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. With such airplay success in the span of a little over four years, the band became a formidable presence on American commercial radio in the 1970s, and Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975) debuted at number four on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
album chart upon its release.
On February 24, 1976, the album achieved the distinction of being the first to receive the RIAA
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
Platinum
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
award, in recognition of one million shipments in the United States. On November 10, 1999, it became the all-time best-selling album in the United States when it was certified 26× Multi Platinum
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
. It was certified at 29× Multi Platinum on 30 January 2006, and has sold over 42 million copies worldwide to date. Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
's Thriller
Thriller (album)
Thriller is the sixth studio album by American recording artist Michael Jackson. It was released on November 30, 1982, by Epic Records as the follow-up to Jackson's critically and commercially successful 1979 album Off the Wall...
is the only other album certified 29× Multi Platinum. Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975) is listed at #1 on the RIAA's "Top 100 Albums".
In a 2001 radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
interview, Randy Meisner
Randy Meisner
Randy Herman Meisner is an American musician and songwriter, best known as a founding member of Poco and the Eagles...
revealed neither he nor Bernie Leadon
Bernie Leadon
Bernard Mathew "Bernie" Leadon, III is an American musician and songwriter, best known as a founding member of the Eagles. Prior to the Eagles, he was a member of two pioneering and highly influential country rock bands, Dillard & Clark and the Flying Burrito Brothers...
were even notified of the record-breaking award presented to them in 1999, and "...had to call and we finally received it."
Track listing
Personnel
- Glenn FreyGlenn FreyGlenn Lewis Frey is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actor, best known as a founding member of the Eagles. Frey formed the Eagles after he met drummer Don Henley in 1970 and the two eventually joined Linda Ronstadt's backup band for her summer tour. The Eagles formed in 1971 and...
– lead guitar, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, lead vocals - Don HenleyDon HenleyDonald Hugh "Don" Henley is an American singer, songwriter and drummer, best known as a founding member of the Eagles before launching a successful solo career. Henley was the drummer and lead vocalist for the Eagles from 1971–1980, when the band broke up...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, lead vocals - Bernie LeadonBernie LeadonBernard Mathew "Bernie" Leadon, III is an American musician and songwriter, best known as a founding member of the Eagles. Prior to the Eagles, he was a member of two pioneering and highly influential country rock bands, Dillard & Clark and the Flying Burrito Brothers...
– banjoBanjoIn the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
, lead guitar, pedal steelPedal steel guitarThe pedal steel guitar is a type of electric guitar that uses a metal bar to "fret" or shorten the length of the strings, rather than fingers on strings as with a conventional guitar. Unlike other types of steel guitar, it also uses pedals and knee levers to affect the pitch, hence the name "pedal"...
, mandolin, vocals - Randy MeisnerRandy MeisnerRandy Herman Meisner is an American musician and songwriter, best known as a founding member of Poco and the Eagles...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, guitar, lead vocals - Don FelderDon FelderDonald William "Don" Felder is an American musician and songwriter, best known for his work as lead guitarist for the Eagles from 1974 to 1980 and again from 1994 to 2001.-Early life and influences:...
– lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
(appears on tracks 3, 4, 6, 8, 10)
Production
- Producers: Glyn Johns, Bill Szymczyk
- Engineers: Allan Blazek, Michael Braunstein, Glyn Johns, Ed Mashal, Bill Szymczyk, Michael Verdick, Don Wood
- Assistant engineers: Allan Blazek, Howard Kilgour
- Remastering: Ted JensenTed JensenTed Jensen is an American recording engineer. Jensen is the chief mastering engineer at Sterling Sound. He started his career as a mastering engineer in 1976 and is currently the most active Mastering Engineer in the industry...
- String arrangements: Jim Ed Norman
- Front cover photo: Tom Kelley
Chart positions
| Chart (1976) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada Top Albums (RPM RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,... ) |
1 |
| New Zealand (RIANZ) | 2 |
| Norway (VG-lista VG-lista VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by... ) |
8 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... ) |
31 |
| UK Albums Chart (The Official Charts Company) | 2 |
| US Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
1 |
Certifications
| Canada || 20× Platinum || 1,600,000^|-