A recent article in Mental Floss showed that the RIAA has updated its list regarding the best-selling albums of all time. For several decades it was Michael Jackson’s Thriller at over 25 million according to my memory. It stormed to the top by my sophomore year of high school 35 years ago. After further data gathering and probably Jackson’s legacy being tarnished by his pedophilia, the Eagles have pulled ahead to number one at 38 million copies with their all killer, no filler greatest hits. I contributed to this milestone in 1985 when I bought a vinyl copy in high school; buying Don Henley’s solo stuff is what led me to it. I know, my alternative credentials are probably tarnished but it was a phase I am not ashamed of. Still, the genius of this compilation was the work of David Geffen while he was an employee of Elektra Records. He instinctively knew the Eagles’ popularity was rising and he found a way to fuel further anticipation of their swan song Hotel California (surprisingly number three on the list).
Today it’s faddish for anyone under 60 to crap all over the Eagles thanks to the overrated film The Big Lebowski. Given what a pair of douchebags Don Henley and Joe Walsh can be, some of the criticism is deserved. However, as an owner of their pre-1994 remastered catalog, I offer a modest defense. The sound, aka “the California Sound” they perfected then has never really be duplicated despite the rise in Americana material; Jason Isbell, Drive-By Truckers, Dwight Yoakum, Steep Canyon Rangers and Hank III readily come to mind. It is also uniquely American. It’s not completely original by any stretch of the imagination. They cribbed from the Bakersfield Sound (aka Buck Owens) and the record I think that started it all, the Byrds’ Sweethearts of the Rodeo laid the groundwork for what Henley and the late Glen Frey wanted to do.
Meanwhile, if you look at the rest of the list, you will notice there are no albums from the Aughts or later. This is due to the music industry’s ecosystem collapsing through Napster, iTunes, etc. and sales no longer being tied to the purchase of CDs just to get the annoying single people want to hear ad nauseum. Maybe in another generation today’s du jour music will catch up to push out Fleetwood Mac’s Rumors or anything by Garth Brooks.