Music magazine Loudersound has published a track-by-track guide to the Eagles' 1976 album Hotel California, examining how the band shifted from their earlier breezy country-rock sound towards something darker and more cynical. The feature explores how songwriters Don Henley and Glenn Frey, joined by new guitarist Joe Walsh, used the record to reflect on the decline of the American Dream and the darker side of fame during the mid-1970s.

The article frames Hotel California as a landmark of lavishly produced 1970s rock, blending vivid, image-laden lyrics with a sharper musical edge than the band's four preceding albums. It promises a song-by-song breakdown of the record, beginning with the iconic title track, though the piece is presented within a heavily commercial webpage layout including membership and newsletter prompts.