10 Albums Which Almost Destroyed Their Creators

With hindsight, The Long Run, The Eagles' sixth studio album, was always going to be a difficult project. The band's previous record, 1976s Hotel California, enjoyed such immense critical and commercial success that any follow-up was bound to be over-scrutinized. That album scooped two Grammy Awards and spawned three hit singles, and remains one of the best-selling records of all time.

The band must have felt the pressure, then, when they started on a sequel. By all accounts, the process was taxing in the extreme. According to founding member, drummer and vocalist Don Henley, the group “were completely burned out. We were physically, emotionally, spiritually and creatively exhausted. Our collective tank was empty.” The process of relentless touring and recording had clearly taken its toll and that, coupled with the added expectations, proved disastrous. As Henley further observed: “The group was breaking apart, imploding under the pressure of trying to deliver a worthy follow-up to Hotel California.”

Throw in the rise of disco, the burgeoning punk explosion, and a music press which was beginning to turn its collective scorn on mainstream rock, and it's not surprise that making The Long Run was far from an enjoyable experience. It would be 28 years before The Eagles recorded another studio album.