This Day in Music History: Eagles/Hotel California (12/08)

Hotel California is the fifth studio album by the American rock band Eagles, released on this day in 1976. It is the first Eagles album without the appearance of their founding member Bernie Leadon and their first album with guitarist Joe Walsh. It is also the last album featuring original bassist Randy Meisner. 

The album became the band's best-selling studio album, with over 16 million copies sold in the U.S. alone and over 32 million copies sold worldwide. The album topped the charts and won the band two Grammy Awards for "Hotel California" and "New Kid in Town". The album was nominated for Album of the Year but lost to Fleetwood Mac's Rumours.

The album yielded three Top 20 singles, "New Kid in Town"(#1), "Hotel California" (#1), and "Life in the Fast Lane" (#11). The album was ranked #37 on Rolling Stone‍‍ '​‍s list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time". The album further established the group as the most successful American band of the decade, making the Eagles household names. The song "Hotel California" is considered by many to be one of the greatest rock songs of all time; it was ranked #49 on Rolling Stone‍‍ '​‍s list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". The guitar duet at the end of the song was performed by Don Felder and Joe Walsh. The album also features "Wasted Time", "Victim of Love", and "The Last Resort".

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