Glenn Frey & Eagles’ Biggest Billboard Hits

Billboard – by Gary Trust

Upon the death of founding Eagles member Glenn Frey at age 67, Billboard remembers the legacy that he left on multiple charts, notably the Billboard Hot 100 songs survey and Billboard 200 albums tally.  

Glenn Frey, Eagles Guitarist, Dies at 67

For nearly half a century (The Eagles first reached a Billboard chart when “Take It Easy” entered the Hot 100 dated June 3, 1972, at No. 79), Frey’s compositions and/or vocals made a made a major impact on Billboard‘s rankings, thanks to his influential and trademark blend of melodic pop, rock and country. (The Eagles’ breezy harmonies, rounded out by co-founder Don Henley, among others, helped pave the way for acts currently making Billboard‘s country charts home like Rascal Flatts and Dan + Shay.) The Eagles were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.

On the Hot 100, Frey made five visits to No. 1, all with classic Eagles singles: “Best of My Love,” “One of these Nights” (both in 1975), “New Kid in Town,” “Hotel California” (both in 1977) and “Heartache Tonight” (1979). (Frey sang lead on “Kid” and “Heartache.”) The band scored 10 Hot 100 top 10s and 21 Hot 100 hits overall.

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Frey also landed 12 solo Hot 100 hits, including the No. 2-peaking “The Heat Is On” and “You Belong to the City,” both in 1985 (during the Eagles’ 1980-94 hiatus). “Heat” was released from the Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack, which topped the Billboard 200 for two weeks, while “City” and (No. 12-peaking Hot 100 hit) “Smuggler’s Blues” are from the Miami Vice TV soundtrack, which led the Billboard 200 for 11 weeks. Frey famously guested on Miami Vice, as Jimmy Cole.

Frey and the Eagles likewise were a force on the Billboard 200, where they notched six No. 1 albums as a band, including their last, 2007’s Long Road Out of Eden. The Eagles’ Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975, which topped the chart for five weeks in 1976, is the second-best-selling album all-time, according to the Recording Industry Assn. of America (RIAA), with sales of 29 million; only Michael Jackson’s Thriller (30 million) is certified as having sold more.

Frey placed four solo sets on the Billboard 200: No Fun Aloud (No. 32, 1982), The Allnighter (No. 22 1985), Soul Searching (No. 36, 1988) and, most recently, After Hours(No. 116, 2012).

When Billboard presented our “Greatest of All Time” charts last year, the Eagles ranked as the No. 19 Billboard 200 artist (and No. 62 Hot 100 act).

The Eagles also found success on Billboard‘s country charts, with “Lyin’ Eyes” crossing to a No. 8 peak on Hot Country Songs in 1975, a month after the song hit No. 2 on the Hot 100. As recently as 2007-08, the band reached the Hot Country Songs chart’s top 40, with “How Long” (No. 23) and “Busy Being Fabulous” (No. 28). Plus, both of the group’s Top Country Albums entries were top 10s: Hotel California (No. 10, 1977) andLong Road Out of Eden (No. 1, for seven weeks, 2007-08).

Also notably, the covers set Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles ruled Top Country Albums for 13 weeks (and hit No. 3 on the Billboard 200) in 1993-94. Among the remakes on the LP: Travis Tritt’s faithful version of “Take It Easy,” which became a No. 21 hit on Hot Country Songs. Beyond the album’s chart impact, it helped lead to the Eagles’ second chapter: after its acrimonious split in 1980, the group appeared in the video for Tritt’s cover, helping forge the Eagles’ 1994 reunion album and tour, both self-effacingly titled Hell Freezes Over.

In honor of Frey’s artistry and uncommonly impressive chart presence, here is a recap of his top solo Hot 100 hits, as well as the Eagles’ biggest Hot 100 hits (that he co-wrote and/or on which he sang lead vocals).

Glenn Frey’s’ Top Hot 100 Hits
Rank, Title, Peak Position, Peak Date
1, “You Belong to the City,” No. 2, Nov. 16, 1985

2, “The Heat Is On” No. 2, March 16, 1985

3, “Smuggler’s Blues,” No. 12, June 22, 1985

4, “True Love,” No. 13, Oct. 15, 1988

5, “The One You Love,” No. 15, Nov. 6, 1982

6, “Sexy Girl,” No. 20, Aug. 18, 1984

7, “I Found Somebody,” No. 31, Aug. 7, 1982

8, “All Those Lies,” No. 41, Jan. 15, 1983

9, “Part of Me, Part of You,” No. 55, June 15, 1991

10, “The Allnighter,” No. 54, Oct, 27, 1984

Eagles’ Top Hot 100 Hits
(That Glenn Frey Co-Wrote and/or Sang Lead On):
Rank, Title, Peak Position, Peak Date
1, “One of These Nights,” No. 1 (one week), Aug. 2, 1975

2, “The Best of My Love” No. 1 (one week), March 1, 1975

3, “Hotel California,” No. 1 (one week), May 7, 1977

4, “Heartache Tonight,” No. 1 (one week), Nov. 10, 1979

5, “New Kid in Town,” No. 1 (one week), Feb. 26, 1977

6, “Lyin’ Eyes,” No. 2, Nov. 8, 1975

7, “Take It to the Limit,” No. 4, March 13, 1976

8, “I Can’t Tell You Why,” No. 8, April 19, 1980

9, “The Long Run,” No. 8, Feb. 2, 1980

10, “Life in the Fast Lane,” No. 11, June 25, 1977

11, “Take It Easy,” No. 12, July 22, 1972

12, “Peaceful Easy Feeling,” No. 22, March 10, 1973

13, “Seven Bridges Road,” No. 21, Feb. 7, 1981

14, “Already Gone,” No. 32, June 29, 1974

15, “Get Over It,” No. 31, Nov. 12, 1994

The two recaps above are based on actual performance on the weekly Billboard Hot 100, through the Jan. 23, 2016, ranking. Songs are ranked based on an inverse point system, with weeks at No. 1 earning the greatest value and weeks at No. 100 earning the least. Due to changes in chart methodology over the years, certain eras are weighted to account for different chart turnover rates over various periods.

http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/6844102/glenn-frey-eagles-biggest-billboard-hits