The Eagles: A Model of Innovation

One of my favorite bands of all time is The Eagles. I really like the quality of their music; the lyrics, the instrumentation, the harmony singing, etc.

While some folks like long, unstructured jam songs, I prefer The Eagles songs because each one is like a perfect short symphony with a beginning, a middle, and an end, and at the end I’m feeling good about having spent my time listening.

Clearly The Eagles are a successful band. They are one of the Top 20 bestselling bands of all time. Aside from their musicianship, what else has contributed to their success? One important factor is innovation.

The Eagles originally were pioneers in creating the Country Rock sound of the early 1970’s. When the popularity of Country Rock began to wane in the late ‘70’s The Eagles decided to innovate and pursue a harder rock and roll sound to appeal to the musical tastes of the times.

One of the ways they created this innovation was to add two outstanding rock and roll guitarist/songwriters to the band. Their plan worked like a charm, and the ensuing Hotel California album is one of the best-selling albums of all time.

Of course, during their journey The Eagles encountered plenty of difficult challenges. These included multiple personnel changes, drugs, lawsuits, and hiatuses from performing, one lasting 14 years.

In the last few years, however, The Eagles have innovated yet again by reforming with different members, and they are still selling out arenas nationwide.

Imagine how different their story would have been if The Eagles had decided to stick with their original Country Rock sound or to quit when members left. Instead, they paired creative artistry with a willingness to change and became a model of innovation.  

Don’t be a stranger. (770) 993-1129. tdockery@TheResolveFirm.com