Are the Eagles considered pop/rock or country?

[Kryton]

Good point...I remember once hearing "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue" by Crystal Gayle played straight into "I Feel Love" by Donna Summer.

These days it'd be a train wreck, but back then it's just the way it was.

 

[J.T.B.]

The Eagles came out of a Southern California scene that had been through a real resurgence of interest in country music in the late '60s. Pioneering the scene were the Byrds after country/southern music devotee Gram Parsons joined. Their very country-flavored album "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" was hugely influential when it came out in 1968, when it a welcome change to many who thought psychedelic rock had gotten too far out. Parsons went on to form the country-rock Flying Burrito Brothers, and Bernie Leadon went from the Burritos to the Eagles.

Former Byrd David Crosby and Buffalo Springfield's Stephen Stills formed Crosby, Stills and Nash, later joined by Neil Young. All have shown strong country influence in their work to this day.

There was a lot of country-influenced music that came out of that scene, and laid back country grooves and tasteful pedal steel were all over FM pop/rock radio in the early-to-mid '70s: Linda Ronstadt, Poco, Firefall, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, the Marshall Tucker Band, Pure Prairie League, Olivia Newton John. It was a mainstream thing in popular music for a while.

--Justin

 

[Kryton]

Speaking of Linda Ronstadt, don't forget that both Glenn Frey and Don Henley met while members of her late '60s backup band.

 

[RaymondJames]

I would just say Country-Rock with a twist of pop. It really depends on what song you are playing of theirs. Desperado has more country feel to it where as Wasted time is more pop like. Over all though the majority of their sound is rock.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Good point...I remember once hearing "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue" by Crystal Gayle played straight into "I Feel Love" by Donna Summer.

These days it'd be a train wreck, but back then it's just the way it was.

Absolutely. You'd have stuff like the Bee Gees, John Denver, Queen, Elton John, Jethro Tull, Aerosmith, Earth Wind And Fire, Paul McCartney, many others, and all the One-Hit Wonders. It was a a great time for people who liked variety.

 

[archeryguy1701]

The last two songs they've released were on country radio if that's any indication. Eagles was one of those groups that suprised me... I've never been a big fan of older music or groups that have been around for a while, but I picked up their latest CD and really enjoyed it.

 

[Nerys Myk]

I would just say Country-Rock with a twist of pop. It really depends on what song you are playing of theirs. Desperado has more country feel to it where as Wasted time is more pop like. Over all though the majority of their sound is rock.

True. Its not like Rock (and Roll) isn't partially derived from Country Music. Many early Rockers went on to be come Country artists and musicians of the Eagles generation no doubt grew up listening to them. Finding a Rock group from the 60s or 70s with Country influences really isn't all that amazing.

 

[Kryton]

Even Jon Bon Jovi has had a hit on country radio (true!).

 

[Ashu]

I consider them shit if that helps.

At least you didnt have to be at the concert They essentially did their entire set for warmup so i got a double whammy on saturday

 

[Mr. Adventure]

Even Jon Bon Jovi has had a hit on country radio (true!).

Why is this considered surprising?

 

[Bad Bishop]

Last year (during an interview on 60 Minutes) Glenn Frey addressed the subject of the Eagles and their wild, womanizing ways during the 1970's.

"We weren't the Stones. But were weren't the Osmonds either."

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Even Jon Bon Jovi has had a hit on country radio (true!).

And I die inside every time I hear that song.

 

[JonathonWally]

I consider them shit if that helps.

At least you didnt have to be at the concert They essentially did their entire set for warmup so i got a double whammy on saturday

I'd rather be waterboarded.