Eagles Make Music History With New Milestone
(Scoop) Eagles start 2026 making history. Today, they become the first band to earn Quadruple Diamond certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales of more than 40 million units of Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975, which remains the best-selling album of all time in the U.S. Additionally, the band's legendary album, Hotel California, has been re-certified 28x Platinum by the RIAA, scoring the third best-selling album of all time.
The Eagles will continue to make history in March when they set the record for the longest-running Sphere residency after a 12-show run that starts Friday, January 23.
Before it was certified multi-Diamond, Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 was the first album ever to be certified Platinum by the RIAA. In 1976, the album spent five weeks at #1, thanks to songs like "Witchy Woman," "Already Gone," and "The Best Of My Love." Since its debut, the collection has logged more than 500 nonconsecutive weeks on the albums chart, was added to the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry in 2017, and was also named the best-selling album of the century in 1999. The unprecedented and historic certification arrives ahead of 50th anniversaries of both albums in 2026.
Some additional facts to highlight the significance of the milestone: Eagles receive the first-ever RIAA 40,000,000 Platinum plaque, measuring 59 inches high and 48 inches wide.
If 40 million vinyl records were laid side by side, it would equal 7575 miles, which is the approximate distance from Los Angeles to Cairo, Egypt.
The 40 million certification is roughly one-eighth of the current U.S. population and more than the entire population of the band's home state of California.
On the eve of the 50th Anniversary of Their Greatest Hits on February 17, a crystal-clear 180-gram vinyl edition of the album will be released exclusively at Eagles.com. Pre-orders are available here.
Drawing from the band's first four studio albums-Eagles (1972), Desperado (1973), On the Border (1974), and One of These Nights (1975)-Their Greatest Hits captures the strengths that defined their early years, from the tight harmonies of "Lyin' Eyes" to the country-rock drive of "Take It Easy" and the evocative songwriting of "Desperado." Sequenced more like a studio album than a conventional retrospective, the collection has continued to resonate across generations as both an introduction to the band and a distillation of the songs that shaped their first era.
That legacy continues onstage as the Eagles-Don Henley, Joe Walsh, and Timothy B. Schmit, with Vince Gill and Deacon Frey-are poised to set the record for longest-running Sphere residency with a 12-show run that begins Friday, January 23. Since opening on September 20, 2024, Eagles - Live In Concert At Sphere has drawn more than 700,000 fans across 44 sold-out performances, offering a one-of-a-kind immersive concert experience that provides the ultimate connection to the band's legendary catalog.
The 40x Platinum plaque (nearly 5 feet by 4 feet) will be on display at the Third Encore, the Eagles' immersive fan experience at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas, conveniently located in The Summit Showroom at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas just off Restaurant Row. Admission is free and open to the public on Thursday, 11 AM - 7 PM / Friday-Saturday: 11 AM - 8:00 PM / Sunday: 11 AM - 4 PM for the remaining 2026 Sphere show weekends. In addition to the plaque, the Third Encore features the Troubadour replica, the 'Hotel California' immersive experience, memorabilia, merch store, and more.
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