1974 No. 1 Hit Ranked Among 'Best Soft Rock Songs' of All Time Became a Timeless Anthem
When "Best of My Love" by the Eagles hit No. 1 in 1975, it marked a defining moment for the band and for the rock genre as a whole.
More than five decades later, the popular song continues to resonate far beyond its original release, earning recognition as one of the greatest soft rock songs of all time, according to Ultimate Classic Rock. The track helped solidify The Eagles as one of the most influential acts of the 1970s, and the track still remains a staple today.
It was written by Eagles members Don Henley, Glenn Frey and JD Souther, and included on their 1974 album, On the Border. Released as the third single for their third record, it became the band's first Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 single in March the next year. In addition, the song charted the publication's Adult Contemporary Chart (called the Easy Listening Chart at the time) and was ranked the No. 12 song for 1975.
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"The Best of My Love" describes the feeling of a slow and painful end of a relationship, and was inspired by Henley's breakup with then-girlfriend Suzanna Martin, highlighting how touring and communication issues can lead to the end.
In a conversation with director Cameron Crowe, Henley shared that "The Best of My Love" and a lot of On the Border were written at Dan Tana's, an Italian restaurant in the West Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles.
"A lot of the lyrics were actually written in Dan Tana's at a booth we liked to sit on, on the front side of the bar area," Henley explained. "That was the period when there were all these great-looking girls who didn't really want to have anything to do with us. We were just scruffy new kids who had no calling card. We could be cocky at times - which was really just a front - but we weren't very sophisticated or confident. We were typical, frustrated, young men."
Henley also explained that "The Best of My Love" was a "real turning point for the group." According to American Songwriter, recording On The Border was very difficult for the band, but the success of this song made it worth it.
"We had more or less given up hope for the success of the On the Border album, and we'd begun work on the next album," Henley said. "So when ‘The Best of My Love' took off, it was like a resurrection, a miracle. Totally unexpected."
The Eagles formed in 1971 in Los Angeles and became one of the most successful music acts of the 1970s. Not only are they one of the world's best-selling music artists, but they also have four other No. 1 singles, six No. 1 albums, six Grammy Awards and five American Music Awards. In addition, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 and ranked No. 75 on Rolling Stone's list of "100 Greatest Artists of All Time" in 2010.
Since their formation 55 years ago, they have released seven studio albums, with their most recent being Long Road Out of Eden in 2007. Many of their records have been combined into compilations or remastered over the years.
Currently, the Eagles are prepping for their upcoming The Long Goodbye: Act III Tour, which kicks off at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival this Saturday and ends on May 16 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. Fans can purchase tickets for their shows next month on their official website.
Related: 1974 Hit Ranked Among Best 'Classic Rock Songs' of All Time Became a Timeless Anthem
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This story was originally published April 29, 2026 at 6:43 PM.