Bob Seger has been cranking out the hits since the late 60s, although his final chart appearance was in 1991 when "The Real Love" reached #24. He was inducted into the R&R Hall of Fame in 2004 and ranks as the 92nd most successful artist on the charts. His best decade was the 80s, in which he ranked #31. Throughout his stellar career, Seger managed a lone #1 hit, which arrived in 1987: "Shakedown," which was featured in the hit movie Beverly Hills Cop II. The closest he came to claiming the top spot again was in 1982 when "Shame On The Moon" spent 4 weeks at #2. Seger's last album was in 2017 and it is one of his most memorable efforts. Dedicated to his buddy Glenn Frey of The Eagles, who passed away in 2016, the album boasts some of his finest rockers and ballads. Among the latter is "I'll Remember You." Frey actually contributed backing vocals to Seger's first chart hit, "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man," which reached #17 in 1969.
Soft rock artist Dan Fogelberg got his start on the charts in 1975 with the #31 hit, "Part Of The Plan," which featured Graham Nash and Joe Walsh as musical guests. His follow-up hit, "The Power Of Gold," (#24 in 1978) featured a different Eagle on harmony vocals - Don Henley. If that wasn't enough, Fogelberg's #7 hit from 1981, "Hard To Say," featured Glenn Frey on harmony vocals. Which begs the question...what was his beef with Timothy B. Schmit? Fogelberg graced the charts with other ballads like "Longer" (#2, his biggest hit), "Same Old Lang Syne" (#9), "Run For The Roses" (#18), and "Leader Of The Band" (#9). He could rock out a bit when he wanted to, like on "The Language Of Love" (#13) or "She Don't Look Back" (#85 in 1987, and his last chart appearance). Not that he needed to release more ballads, but "Windows And Walls" ranks among one of his most heartbreaking tunes about loneliness and growing old. Maybe it was too sad for radio, but it certainly deserves your attention. Sadly, Fogelberg left us too soon, dying of prostate cancer in 2007.
The legendary rock band known as The Eagles ruled the 70s, achieving 5 #1 hits and many other charting singles. However, you may be surprised to learn that many of their classic "hits" did not even chart. This includes "Desperado", "The Sad Cafe", "After The Thrill Is Gone", and "Victim Of Love". The Eagles rank at #20 among the best artists of the 70s and #126 of all-time. Their first greatest hits record is second only to Michael Jackson's "Thriller" in selling more copies than any other album (29 million and counting). The Eagles first landed on the chart in 1972 with "Take It Easy" going to #12. In late 1974, they would score their first #1 hit with "Best Of My Love". The band's wings grew weary by 1980 as inner turmoil in the band had members itching to go solo. "Seven Bridges Road" would prove to be the band's last top 40 hit (peaking at #21 in 1980) until their surprise reunion in 1994. Their comeback hits, "Get Over It" and "Love Will Keep Us Alive", reached #31 and #22, respectively. Going all the way back to their debut self-titled album from 1972 (which peaked at #22) is a little known gem I'd like to highlight here called "Nightingale".
2016 is shaping up to be the year the music died. Yet another legend in the rock world passed away today: Glenn Frey. Frey was a founding member of The Eagles, but also had a very successful solo career throughout the 80s following the band's break up. Frey's first solo hit was "I Found Somebody", which reached #31 in 1982. Bigger hits like "The Heat Is On" (#2), "Smuggler's Blues" (#12), and "You Belong To The City" (#2) would follow, the latter two being featured on the hit TV show, Miami Vice. Frey's solo career was running out of steam by the 90s, but I always thought one of his best songs was "Part Of Me, Part Of You", which surprisingly only reached #55 in 1991. This song, which sounds most like an Eagles tune, was featured in the movie, Thelma & Louise.
