Photo of Eagles
Photo: Steve Jurvetson · CC BY 2.0

Band

Eagles

Active1971-present
OriginLos Angeles, California
Albums7
Tracks79

Most frequent collaborator: Bill Szymczyk  ·  38 tracks

RockCountry RockSoft Rock
86%
Authorship
Artist

Holds writing credit on 68 of 79 tracks

Did the Eagles write their own songs?

Yes. The Eagles wrote their own material, dominated by the songwriting partnership of Don Henley and Glenn Frey, who wrote most of the hits together, including 'Hotel California,' 'Lyin' Eyes,' and 'Life in the Fast Lane.' They frequently brought in outside collaborators like Jackson Browne, who co-wrote 'Take It Easy,' and J.D. Souther, while other members such as Don Felder and Joe Walsh contributed music of their own.

By the Numbers

7
Studio Albums
79
Tracks Credited
86%
Self-Written
over 200 million
Records Sold
55
Years Active
24
Collaborators

Authorship Breakdown 68 / 79 self-written

Who wrote the songs?

Across all 79 tracks: how many Eagles wrote alone, how many they co-wrote, and how many were written by others. The bracket marks every track they hold any writing credit on.

Eagles has a writing credit86%
52%
34%
14%
Sole author41tracks52%
Co-written27tracks34%
Outside writers11tracks14%

Role Fingerprint how they contribute

Lyricist Performer Composer Producer
Eagles's roles across the catalogue

Share of all 79 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.

Lyricist (words)86%
Composer (music)86%
Producer25%
Performer100%

Member Credit Breakdown share of tracks each member is credited on

Percentage of all 79 tracks, across every album, where each member holds a credit - split by role.

MemberPeriodLyricsMusicProductionPerformance
Glenn Frey Died January 18, 2016 1971-1980, 1994-2016 (died January 18, 2016)
58%
58%
0%
35%
Don Henley 1971-1980, 1994-present
58%
58%
0%
51%
Bernie Leadon Former 1971-1975, 2013-2016
14%
14%
0%
10%
Randy Meisner Died July 26, 2023 1971-1977 (died July 26, 2023)
11%
11%
0%
15%
Don Felder Former 1974-1980, 1994-2001
8%
8%
0%
3%
Joe Walsh 1975-1980, 1994-present
6%
6%
0%
9%
Timothy B. Schmit 1977-1980, 1994-present
4%
4%
0%
6%
Vince Gill 2017-present
0%
0%
0%
0%
Deacon Frey Former 2017-2022
0%
0%
0%
0%

Authorship Over Time writing credit per album

Eagles's writing credit per album, in release order. Hover any bar for the album.

avg 86%
80%
91%
70%
100%
100%
100%
75%
1972Eagles
1973Desperado
1974On the Border
1975One of These Nights
1976Hotel California
1979The Long Run
2007Long Road Out of Eden
Early · 81% written
Mid · 100% written
Late · 75% written

Authorship by Decade track-weighted

90%
1970s
Eagles, Desperado +4 more
75%
2000s
Long Road Out of Eden

Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author

Where Eagles sits on the scale from a pure performer (0%, sings songs written by others) to a complete author (100%, writes everything). The bright marker is their catalogue authorship score, plotted against other artists on the site.

Eagles
Other artists on the site

Reference artists spread across the scale, closest by genre and era.

Tina Turner0%
Cher8%
Olivia Newton-John18%
Eric Clapton40%
Santana59%
Bob Dylan76%
Paul McCartney94%
86%Eagles
Pure Performer0%
Songwriter~50%
Complete Author100%

Who Really Wrote the Hits signature songs

Take It Easy
Eagles
Written by Jackson Browne, Glenn Frey, Glenn Lewis Frey
Co-wrote
Witchy Woman
Eagles
Written by Don Henley, Bernie Leadon, Donald Hugh Henley, Bernard Matthew Leadon III
Wrote it
Peaceful Easy Feeling
Eagles
Written by Jack Tempchin
Outside writers
Tequila Sunrise
Desperado
Written by Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Donald Hugh Henley, Glenn Lewis Frey
Wrote it
Outlaw Man
Desperado
Written by David Blue
Outside writers
Already Gone
On the Border
Written by Jack Tempchin, Robb Strandlund
Outside writers
James Dean
On the Border
Written by Don Henley, Glenn Frey, J.D. Souther, Jackson Browne, Donald Hugh Henley, Glenn Lewis Frey
Co-wrote
Best of My Love
On the Border
Written by Don Henley, Glenn Frey, J.D. Souther, Donald Hugh Henley, Glenn Lewis Frey
Co-wrote
One of These Nights
One of These Nights
Written by Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Donald Hugh Henley, Glenn Lewis Frey
Wrote it
Lyin' Eyes
One of These Nights
Written by Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Donald Hugh Henley, Glenn Lewis Frey
Wrote it
Take It to the Limit
One of These Nights
Written by Randy Meisner, Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Randall Herman Meisner, Donald Hugh Henley, Glenn Lewis Frey
Wrote it
New Kid in Town
Hotel California
Written by Don Henley, Glenn Frey, J.D. Souther, Donald Hugh Henley, Glenn Lewis Frey
Co-wrote
Hotel California
Hotel California
Written by Don Felder, Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Donald William Felder, Donald Hugh Henley, Glenn Lewis Frey
Wrote it
Life in the Fast Lane
Hotel California
Written by Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Joe Walsh, Donald Hugh Henley, Glenn Lewis Frey, Joseph Fidler Walsh
Wrote it
Heartache Tonight
The Long Run
Written by Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Bob Seger, J.D. Souther, Donald Hugh Henley, Glenn Lewis Frey
Co-wrote
The Long Run
The Long Run
Written by Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Donald Hugh Henley, Glenn Lewis Frey
Wrote it
I Can't Tell You Why
The Long Run
Written by Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Timothy B. Schmit, Donald Hugh Henley, Glenn Lewis Frey, Timothy Bruce Schmit
Wrote it
How Long
Long Road Out of Eden
Written by J.D. Souther
Outside writers
Busy Being Fabulous
Long Road Out of Eden
Written by Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Donald Hugh Henley, Glenn Lewis Frey
Wrote it

Discography 7 albums

Collaborator Network who they worked with most

Eagles79 tracks
BS38 GJ21 SS20 JS13 JB6 JT4

Bubble size = tracks worked on together. BS Bill Szymczyk · GJ Glyn Johns · SS Steuart Smith · JS J.D. Souther · JB Jackson Browne · JT Jack Tempchin

The Writers & Producers Behind Eagles 6 key collaborators

BS
Bill Szymczyk
Producer
On the Border / One of These Nights / Hotel California / The Long Run38 tracks
GJ
Glyn Johns
Producer
Eagles / Desperado21 tracks
SS
Steuart Smith
Producer & Songwriter
Long Road Out of Eden20 tracks
JS
J.D. Souther
Songwriter
Desperado / On the Border / Hotel California / The Long Run13 tracks
JB
Jackson Browne
Songwriter
Eagles / Desperado / On the Border6 tracks
JT
Jack Tempchin
Songwriter
Eagles / On the Border / Long Road Out of Eden4 tracks

The Authorship Story

Data Insight

Eagles authorship runs through a small core of writing members rather than a single pen. Glenn Frey and Don Henley appear in the large majority of credits, usually together and often joined by Bernie Leadon, Randy Meisner, Don Felder, or Joe Walsh. Outside writers recur across the catalog, with J.D. Souther and Jackson Browne the most frequent, which is why their names sit alongside the band on many early hits. The lead vocal rotated song to song, so the writer of a track was frequently not its singer, and several cuts are outright covers or songs brought in from outside the band.

Quick Facts

  • Songwriting coreDon Henley and Glenn Frey were the dominant writing partnership
  • Best-selling albumTheir Greatest Hits (1971-1975) is one of the best-selling albums in US history
  • Hotel CaliforniaOver 32 million copies sold worldwide
  • GrammysSix wins, including Record of the Year for 'Hotel California'
  • Records soldMore than 200 million worldwide
  • Studio albumsSeven, from Eagles (1972) to Long Road Out of Eden (2007)

Creative Fingerprint

A two-writer engine with help: Don Henley and Glenn Frey wrote most of the catalog together, often bringing in outside collaborators like Jackson Browne and J.D. Souther, while other members contributed songs of their own.

The Story

Eagles are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1971, one of the best-selling acts in history and a defining sound of 1970s country rock and soft rock. The founding lineup of Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Bernie Leadon, and Randy Meisner built the band on tight vocal harmonies and a writing partnership that centered on Frey and Henley, who together wrote most of the band's signature songs. The group's authorship is highly collaborative: songs are routinely credited to two, three, or four members at once, often joined by outside writers like J.D. Souther and Jackson Browne. Don Felder, Joe Walsh, and Timothy B. Schmit later expanded the band's range toward harder rock, peaking commercially with Hotel California in 1976. After a 1980 breakup the band reunited in 1994 and continues to tour, with Vince Gill and Deacon Frey filling the late Glenn Frey's role.

Awards & Recognition

Grammy Award for Record of the Year, 'Hotel California' (1978)
Six Grammy Awards from 18 nominations
Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1998)

Frequently Asked Questions Eagles

Did the Eagles write their own songs?
Yes. The Eagles wrote their own material, dominated by the songwriting partnership of Don Henley and Glenn Frey, who wrote most of the hits together, including 'Hotel California,' 'Lyin' Eyes,' and 'Life in the Fast Lane.' They frequently brought in outside collaborators like Jackson Browne, who co-wrote 'Take It Easy,' and J.D. Souther, while other members such as Don Felder and Joe Walsh contributed music of their own.
Who wrote 'Hotel California'?
'Hotel California' was written by Don Felder, who composed the music, with lyrics by Don Henley and Glenn Frey. Released on the 1976 album of the same name, it won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year and became the band's signature song.
What is the Eagles' best-selling album?
Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975) is the band's best-selling album and one of the best-selling albums in US history, certified for tens of millions of copies. Their studio masterpiece Hotel California has sold more than 32 million copies worldwide.
Who wrote 'Take It Easy'?
'Take It Easy' was co-written by Glenn Frey and Jackson Browne, who had started the song and could not finish it before Frey completed it. It opened the Eagles' 1972 debut album and became their first hit single.
How many records have the Eagles sold?
The Eagles have sold more than 200 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975) and Hotel California are among the biggest-selling albums ever.
How many studio albums did the Eagles release?
The Eagles released seven studio albums: Eagles (1972), Desperado (1973), On the Border (1974), One of These Nights (1975), Hotel California (1976), The Long Run (1979), and Long Road Out of Eden (2007). The last came nearly three decades after the previous studio record.
Which Eagles members have died?
Founding member and co-leader Glenn Frey died on January 18, 2016 at age 67, and founding bassist Randy Meisner, who sang 'Take It to the Limit,' died on July 26, 2023 at age 77. The band has continued to tour with Don Henley, Joe Walsh, Timothy B. Schmit, and later additions Vince Gill and Deacon Frey.
Who sang lead on Eagles songs?
Lead vocals were shared, but Don Henley and Glenn Frey sang most of the hits, with Henley on 'Hotel California' and 'One of These Nights' and Frey on 'Take It Easy' and 'Lyin' Eyes.' Randy Meisner sang 'Take It to the Limit' and Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit also took leads.

Sources

Wikipedia: Eagles (band) Wikipedia: Eagles discography Wikipedia: Glenn Frey Wikipedia: Don Henley Wikipedia: Bernie Leadon Wikipedia: Randy Meisner Wikipedia: Don Felder Wikipedia: Joe Walsh Wikipedia: Timothy B. Schmit Wikipedia: Vince Gill