On This Day in 1979: The Eagles Released Their Sixth Studio Album That Would Score a Billboard No. 1, UK Top 5 Spot, and Multiple Hit Singles
via James Maharaj / YouTube
Release, Chart Debut & Record Run
On September 24, 1979, The Eagles released The Long Run, their sixth studio album. It first entered the charts at #2 on the Billboard 200, and one week later rose to #1. It remained at the top for eight weeks.
In the United Kingdom, the album reached #4, becoming one of the band’s highest charting albums there.
This record was the first Eagles album to feature Timothy B. Schmit, who replaced Randy Meisner. It also would be the last full studio album Eagles released during their original run; after their breakup in 1980, they did not release another studio album until Long Road Out of Eden in 2007.
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Hit Singles & Responses to Criticism
The Long Run produced three notable singles. The first, “Heartache Tonight,” became the band’s final #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. The title track, “The Long Run,” reached #8 on the Hot 100, and “I Can’t Tell You Why” also hit #8.
The lyrics to “The Long Run” include a direct reply to those critics who called the band “passe” amid the rise of disco and punk: “Who is gonna make it? We’ll find out in the long run.” Henley and Frey used irony here—while the band was under strain and internal pressure, the song asserts confidence in endurance.
Production, Sales & Mixed Reviews
The recording sessions for The Long Run were lengthy and difficult. The band originally envisioned a double album, but pared it down to a single disc.
Commercially, the album was certified Platinum on February 1, 1980. Over time it reached 7× Platinum status in the U.S. and sold more than eight million copies domestically.
Critical response was mixed. Some praised its ambition and emotional depth, while others felt it lacked the spark of prior albums. Rolling Stone described it as a “synthesis of previous macabre Eagles motifs, with cynical new insights …” Retrospective critics have called it “a major disappointment” despite strong sales and singles.
Legacy and Aftermath
The Long Run stands as a major point in the Eagles’ career—not only for its commercial success but also as the last studio work of their classic era. Its singles remain staples of rock radio, and its release capped the creative and personal tensions within the group. In the years that followed, internal strain became more public, contributing to their formal break in 1980.
Despite its flaws, The Long Run remains a significant chapter in the Eagles’ legacy—one that shows both how far they had come and how much pressure weighed on them as they tried to sustain their place in rock music.
