Don Henley and the Eagles strongly objected to their record label's decision to release a greatest hits compilation, viewing it as an unwanted commercial tactic that would distract from their thematic album work and upset their core audience. Henley believed the album would be a career mistake, but the timing ultimately benefited the band as they prepared to release Hotel California. Against his expectations, the compilation became one of the best-selling albums of all time, demonstrating an accidental triumph that the band could not have anticipated or prevented.

The Eagles Greatest Hits album has sold over 44 million copies since its 1976 release, making it one of the highest-selling records ever produced. The record label released the compilation without the band's approval just months before Hotel California, a move Henley felt was purely a money-making scheme by the record company. Despite the band's objections and even hate letters they received from some fans, the album's success was driven by its surprisingly cohesive flow, transitioning smoothly between the Eagles' most popular tracks across their discography.