Eagles Own No. 1 & No. 3 Albums
• The Eagles can now add another major accolade to their unparalleled five-decade-long resume — Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 is now the best-selling album of all time, according to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), which recently certified the album at 38x Platinum, accounting for sales and streams of more than 38 million copies since its release in February 1976. This latest certification pushes Michael Jackson‘s Thriller into second place with 33 million albums sold. The last time the RIAA tallied sales for the Eagles’ Greatest Hits album was in 2006, when it was at 29x platinum. Sales and streams for Thriller were last updated last year.
The Eagles also hold the No. 3 best-selling album of all time as Hotel California, which was released in December 1976 and has been certified as 26x Platinum by the RIAA for sales and streams of more than 26 million copies. The Eagles have sold more than 150 million albums worldwide, scored six No. 1 albums and topped the singles charts five times. They have won six Grammy® Awards, were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 and received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2016.
“Congratulations to the Eagles, who now claim the jaw-dropping feat of writing and recording two of the top three albums in music history,” said Cary Sherman, Chairman and CEO of the RIAA. “Both of these transcendent albums have impressively stood the test of time, only gaining more currency and popularity as the years have passed, much like the Eagles themselves. As we celebrate the 60th anniversary of the RIAA’s Gold & Platinum Program this year, it’s only fitting that we can recognize the Eagles for their singular contribution to the history of American music.” In a statement, Don Henley said, “We are grateful for our families, our management, our crew, the people at radio and, most of all, the loyal fans who have stuck with us through the ups and downs of 46 years. It’s been quite a ride.”
The current incarnation of the Eagles — Don Henley, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit, with Deacon Frey and Vince Gill — are on tour through October 2018.
