Our comprehensive ranking of Eagles solo albums from worst to best illustrates the varying journeys of the legendary country-rock group members as they ventured into their individual music careers. Some members found it easier to pursue solo paths while others encountered challenges along the way. Don Henley and Glenn Frey launched their solo careers with relative speed, although Frey’s musical endeavors slowed down as he began to focus on different professional aspirations. Meanwhile, Joe Walsh arrived on the scene with an established solo background, having enjoyed success with Barnstorm and, to a lesser extent, the James Gang.

In stark contrast, Randy Meisner faced significant hurdles early on, releasing three albums that largely went unnoticed in the years following his departure from the band. Similar to fellow founding member Bernie Leadon, Meisner primarily worked as a sideman rather than a frontman. Don Felder managed to release only four solo albums throughout his career. Timothy B. Schmit, perhaps the most unfortunate of all, had his own struggles on the solo front.

READ MORE: Explore our detailed ranking of all 22 Don Henley songs from the Eagles era in the ‘70s.

Schmit’s journey began in Poco in 1969, where he replaced Meisner for the first of two times, yet this critically acclaimed band received minimal recognition. Seven years later, Schmit took over Meisner’s role in the Eagles just as the band was gaining momentum after a successful tour supporting their groundbreaking album, Hotel California. It took the Eagles a year and a half to finish The Long Run, after which the band disbanded. Schmit’s solo career didn’t truly take off for decades, highlighting the challenges he faced.

Throughout their careers, each member has released captivating albums that not only reflect their time together in the band but also showcase their growth as individual artists. This discussion focuses primarily on their rock and country-rock projects, which are pivotal to the Eagles‘ Rock and Roll Hall of Fame legacy. Consequently, we have excluded Henley’s deep-country themed album Cass County and Frey’s standards album After Hours from our ranking.

Additionally, we are not including live recordings such as Meisner’s Dallas and Walsh’s You Can’t Argue With a Sick Mind, nor collections of odds-and-ends like Meisner’s Love Me or Leave Me Alone. Furthermore, we have omitted sideman projects, despite their quality, such as Leadon’s contributions with Dillard and Clark and the Flying Burrito Brothers, since he did not serve as a frontman on those albums.

Lastly, we did not consider contributions from later collaborators such as Vince Gill, as they did not participate in the creative process during their time with the Eagles. So, which album has claimed the top spot in our ranking of Eagles solo albums from worst to best? Read on to find out…

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