10 Best Rock Albums Of The 1970s
8. Hotel California - Eagles
The Eagles were the epitome of what your average American rock band sounded like in the 70's. While the band had seen success from their debut album onward, everything seemed to fall into place once the band reached the end of the decade.
Hotel California is the sound of the band taking every form of American music and putting it into a neat package for anyone to enjoy. For the more country leaning listeners, "New Kid In Town" is one of the most breezy rock songs you'll find. Fan of soft rock? The band's signature ballad "Wasted Time" is one of most well-arranged songs to come from the band's back catalog. If you need some genuine hard rock, "Life in the Fast Lane" has you covered with its shuffling lick and sleazy lyrics.
Though there is something on this record for everyone, the best songs manage to combine all of these elements together for epic musical moments like the guitar duel taking place on the title track or the cinematic scope of the album closer "The Last Resort." While the band's hard work ultimately led to their implosion at the start of the 80's, Hotel California is the sound of care-free rock music at its most beautiful.