The Eagles disbanded in 1980, just four years after their 1976 blockbuster album "Hotel California" achieved massive commercial and critical success. The difficulty of following up such a landmark record contributed to creative tensions within the band, leading to their eventual break-up.

Their 1979 album "The Long Run" reflected the band's struggle to establish a clear musical direction, though it produced the number-one hit "Heartache Tonight," which sold nearly two million copies. The song resulted from an improvisation session between Glenn Frey and JD Souther drawing inspiration from Sam Cooke lines, with Bob Seger contributing the iconic chorus.